Agenda item

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Enabling presented the Medium Term Financial Plan Tranche 1 Budget Report including fees and charges for the Executive Committee’s consideration.

Members were informed that the budget setting process would be more complicated in 2023/24 compared to previous years.  The Council would still be asked to consider budget proposals in two tranches and Council Tax would need to be agreed in February 2024.  However, the Council’s budget would be reviewed in a challenging macro-economic climate and this would impact on the settlement for local government.  As the Chancellor’s autumn statement was not due to take place until 22^nd November 2023, the Council was not expecting to learn about the authority’s financial settlement from the Government until late December 2023.  The Executive Committee was asked to note that the settlement was likely to be for a two-year period.

The tranche 1 report detailed the progress that had been achieved to date and the current position of the Council’s budget, prior to consultation with the public.  This was intended to be the start of the Council’s budget setting process and there remained opportunities to shape the budget during tranche 2 of the process.

During consideration of this item, the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Enabling thanked the Budget Scrutiny Working Group for reviewing the content of the report in detail at a meeting held on 30^th October 2023.  A number of suggestions had been made by Members during this meeting of the Budget Scrutiny Working Group and these would be explored further as part of tranche 2 of the budget setting process.

Reference was made to the fees and charges detailed at Appendix C to the report.  Officers clarified that the proposal was for there to be a standard 7 per cent increase to the Council’s fees and charges in 2024.  However, Members were asked to note that one of the fees detailed within the report would be removed; this was the fee for the Lifeline analogue system, as the system no longer existed.

RESOLVED

1)          that the inputs into the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan as at the start of October, and the associated risks and opportunities, be endorsed;

2)          to note that these inputs have been used, along with the 2023/24-25/26 Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) agreed by Council in February 2023, to project an initial “gap” to be closed;

3)          the initial Tranche of savings proposals be published on the 24^th October and any feedback will be considered by Executive in December 2023 prior to seeking approval at Council in January 2024;

4)          to note that tranche 2 of this process will add further information such as the Local Government Settlement to give a final financial position for the Council; and

RECOMMENDED that

5)          the Play Audit recommended capital works for 2023/4 are approved and added to the Capital Programme.