Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

RESOLVED THAT

1.     the budget setting timetable at Appendix 2 (as amended) be approved.

2.     the expected cut in government funding of £835k for 2015/16, the estimated funding gap of £902k and the large amount of work done so far to bridge this gap be noted.

3.     the budget strategy outlined in section 5 and appendix 3 be approved.

4.     the increases in garden waste charges as at paragraph 5.15 be approved

5.     the Section 151 Officer and the Cabinet Member for Finance be requested to consider suggestions from the Budget Scrutiny Working Group in preparing the interim budget proposals for 2015/16 as outlined in section 5.

The Cabinet Member Finance introduced the report which proposed a broad strategy and outlined a process for setting the budget, housing rents and council tax for 2015/16. It outlined a number of principles that needed to be established at this stage to enable budget preparation to commence.

The Cabinet Member explained that over the last 5 years the Council’s core funding from Government had been cut by £4.2 million. The starting point for constructing the 2015/16 budget had been a MTFS funding gap of £902k. The MTFS table outlined in Appendix 3 identified £602k prospective savings which included a reduction in senior management costs, sharing services, restructuring Public Protection and transferring leisure and culture services to the Cheltenham Trust. He explained that there was still some way to go and Cabinet and Council would need to consider using New Homes Bonus money to support the budget. It was likely that this would increase next year by £400k. Meanwhile officers would work hard to present a budget in December to ensure that local services could be delivered to the standard expected and Council tax could be kept to the lowest level feasible.

The Cabinet Member Finance informed members of two amendments to the budget timetable. The November meeting of the Treasury Management Panel would be 17 November and the Council budget setting meeting would be on 26 February 2015.

He then took the opportunity to thank finance officers and all officers who had worked hard to Bridge the Gap and generate the savings needed to maintain services for the people of Cheltenham.

In summing up the Leader of the Council paid tribute to the work that had been done by officers. Consideration would now be given to how best to consult on the budget package once published.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    the budget setting timetable at Appendix 2 (as amended) be approved.

2.    the expected cut in government funding of £835k for 2015/16, the estimated funding gap of £902k and the large amount of work done so far to bridge this gap be noted.

3.    the budget strategy outlined in section 5 and appendix 3 be approved.

4.    the increases in garden waste charges as at paragraph 5.15 be approved

5.    the Section 151 Officer and the Cabinet Member for Finance be requested to consider suggestions from the Budget Scrutiny Working Group in preparing the interim budget proposals for 2015/16 as outlined in section 5.