Issue - meetings

To consider recommendations relating to the policy and resources strategy 2020-21.

Councillor Wingfield, chair of overview and scrutiny committee had submitted his apologies to cabinet (due to other council business) but submitted the following comments that were tabled at the meeting:

1.  The recommendations are cross-party

2.  Overview and scrutiny committee recognises and applauds the great amount of work and effort put in by the cabinet member for finance, the strategic director of finance and his officers, and is grateful for the presentations and fulsome answers given to questions by cabinet members and their respective strategic directors at the overview and scrutiny committee meeting

3.  Overview and scrutiny committee  also recognises that this is a stable budget; endorses fully the commitment to the climate emergency fund; and acknowledges that some of overview and scrutiny committee’s recommendations are specific, others more presentational and general having applicability for future budgets (reflecting overview and scrutiny committee discussions)

4.  Overview and scrutiny committee hopes cabinet will recognise that the recommendations are not meant in any way to be critical, and as such will take them on board in good faith.

Cabinet thanked officers and the overview and scrutiny committee for their effort. 

RESOLVED:

That cabinet:

1.  Noted that the 21 January 2020 cabinet report was considered by Overview and Scrutiny committee on 27 and 29 January 2020 and agreed the response to the recommendations arising.

2.  Noted that though the final local government finance settlement had not been published at the time of writing the report, no changes from the provisional settlement published on 20 December 2019 were anticipated.

3.  Noted that the report presented the final balanced general fund budget proposals for 2020-21 including:

·  Efficiencies and improved use of resources savings of £5.964m

·  Income generation proposals of £2.326m

·  Savings impacting on services of £0.420m

·  Commitments and growth of £19.790m

·  Pay awards and contractual inflation of £3.919m (excluding Children’s and Adults Services).

4.  Agreed to submit this balanced one year 2020-21 budget to council assembly for approval.

5.  Noted that in the summer of 2020 cabinet will receive a refreshed outlook of the financial position and specifically an update on local government financing in 2021-22 and beyond.

NOTE: In accordance with overview and scrutiny procedure rule 16.2 (a) (budget and policy framework), this decision is not subject to call-in.