Issue - meetings

The following matters were discussed in detail during consideration of this item:

Medium Term Financial Plan 2020/21 to 2023/24

Members discussed the proposals detailed in the report concerning the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2020/21 to 2023/24.

There had been some positive developments that had helped to balance the Council’s budget.  This included a better rate of return on the Council’s pension investments over the previous three years than had been anticipated.  The Council had also benefitted from receiving £494,000 in New Homes Bonus (NHB) funding for 2020/21, which had not been expected.  As a consequence the original gap in the budget of £1.2 million that had been anticipated for 2020/21 had been addressed and the Council was now projecting a surplus of £82,000 in that financial year which would be returned to balances.

In order to balance the budget in 2020/21 difficult decisions had had to be taken by Members.  This included decisions in respect of funding for Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations, the decision to close the One Stop Shops and the decision that had been taken in respect of Rubicon Business Centre.  Officers had managed to achieve significant savings during the year and further savings were anticipated as a result of changing the operating model for the Dial A Ride service. However, there remained a budget gap of £1.6 million that would need to be addressed over the three years from 2021/22 to 2023/24.  In order to address this gap Members would need to make further difficult decisions.

Reference was made to the challenging financial position for most local authorities in the country.  Members noted that there remained a lot of uncertainty about Council funding moving forward; the Government’s Fair Funding Review would impact on Council finances as would an anticipated resetting of the base level for business rates growth.  Reference was also made to the fact that the Council was still subject to a Section 24 Notice and would need to demonstrate to the external auditors that the authority had a sustainable budget moving forward in order for this to be lifted.

During consideration of this item Councillor Bill Hartnett explained that the Labour group would support the ninth recommendation from the Executive Committee in respect of the MTFP for 2020/21 to 2023/24.  This recommendation was as follows:

“The increase of the Council Tax per Band D at £5 for 2020/21 be approved.”

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 the ninth recommendation in respect of the MTFP was subject to a named vote.

Members voting FOR Recommendation 9 below:

Councillors Salman Akbar, Joe Baker, Tom Baker-Price, Joanne Beecham, Roger Bennett, Juliet Brunner, Michael Chalk, Greg Chance, Brandon Clayton, Matthew Dormer, John Fisher, Peter Fleming, Andrew Fry, Julian Grubb, Bill Hartnett, Pattie Hill, Ann Isherwood, Wanda King, Anthony Lovell, Gemma Monaco, Nyear Nazir, Gareth Prosser, Mike Rouse, Mark Shurmer, Yvonne Smith, David Thain, Craig Warhurst and Jenny Wheeler. (28)

Members voting AGAINST recommendation 9 below:

No Councillors (0).

Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77