Issue - meetings

To note issues associated with the policy and resources strategy and agree recommendations.

This report had not been circulated five clear days in advance of the meeting. The chair agreed to accept the report as urgent as the council were committed to publishing budget proposals at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure they were available to the public for comments and questions. Presenting the report to cabinet on 12 December 2017,  enabled the opportunity for debate prior to presentation of budget figures to cabinet on 23 January 2017. Under the council’s constitution, there is a requirement for the overview and scrutiny committee to review and challenge budget proposals and this is due to take place on 30 January 2018.

RESOLVED:

1.  That it be noted that the government’s budget statement was presented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 22 November, key headlines being set out in the report, including the government’s agreement for a London Wide Business Rate pool (paragraphs 105 to 112 of the report).

2.  That it be noted, as reported to cabinet in July 2017 and recognising the continued uncertainty for local government funding, that the intention remains for the council to prepare a balanced one year 2018-19 budget for approval by cabinet in advance of council assembly in February 2018 (paragraph 21 of the report).

3.  That the current budget options proposed to help achieve a balanced budget 2018-19 (Appendices C to F of the report) be noted.

4.  That it be noted that this budget also proposes to use the flexibility offered by the government to support social care through an increase in the Adult Social Care precept, equivalent to 3% of council tax, on the basis that these additional funds will be used exclusively for adult social care (ASC) (Paragraph 48 to 49 of the report).

5.  That it be noted that the current budget options proposed include an increase in the children’s and adults’ services budgets of £17.2m (funded in part by £12.584m Better Care Fund and £2.7m increase in the ASC precept) which is fully passported to adult social care.

6.  That it be noted that the general fund budget proposals for 2018-19 contained within this report also include:

·  Estimated grant resources likely to be available arising from the provisional settlement expected in mid December (Appendix A of the report, a reduction of some £12.0m from 2017-18 (excluding Better Care Fund)

·  Improved Better CareFund resources totalling £12.584m (including the supplementary allocation of £4.497m announced in the  spring 2016 budget)

·  Further resources from the adult social care precept of £2.7m, again passported in full to adult social care for 2018-19

·  Retained business rates growth of £17.173m (paragraph 55 to 60), an increase of £8.473m over 2017-18 arising from proceeds generated by continued regeneration in the borough; plus an estimated surplus brought forward of £2.987m

·  Estimated council tax revenue of £101.5m (of which £2.7m is represented by the additional ASC precept); estimated collection fund surplus of £5.750m in part attributable to a review of the provision for bad debt

·  Planned contingency to be maintained at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28