Agenda item

Councillor N England, Cabinet Member: Finance, Customer Services & Governance presented the report of the Interim Director Finance & Human Resources which set out how the Council would deliver the Strategy and its five key priorities. It sought approval of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy together with the budget framework for 2024/25.

It was noted that there had been a significant increase in demand for services, together with higher costs in relation to the provision of Adult Social Care and energy costs. There were high levels of financial pressure and complexity of need in relation to both Adult Social Care and Children’s Servies which had led to a Council Tax increase of 4.99% all of which would go to vulnerable children and adults.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote was taken on the recommendations as follows: -

For (33)

Councillors E Aston, M Boylan, A J Burford, E Callear, L D Cater, G H Cook, E Davies, S Davies, P Davis, F Doran, A England, N England, S Handley,

Z Hannington, C Healy, L Lewis, G Luter, A D McClements, R Mehta,

K Middleton, H Morgan, R A Overton, I Preece,  S J Reynolds, H Rhodes,

R Sahota, P J Scott, B J Thompson, C R Turley, J Urey, O Vickers,

P R Watling and D R W White.

Against (0)

Abstain (10 )

Councillors S Bentley, S P Burrell, N Dugmore, A J Eade, T J Nelson,

S Sydra, G Thomas, W L Tomlinson, K Tonks and R Tyrrell.

RESOLVED – that

a)     the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2024/25 – 2027/28 and the budget framework for 2024/25 be approved;

b)    a council tax increase of 4.99% for 2024/25 including the Government’s 2% Adult Social Care precept, which will be fully invested in the provision of social care services for the most vulnerable members of our community be approved;

c)     the net investment of £5.9m into Adult Social Care in 2024/25 be approved;

d)    the net investment of £7.6m into Children’s Safeguarding in 2024/25 be approved;

e)     the budget savings totalling £17.567m in 2024/25 be approved;

f)      the continuation of work with partner organisations, including Town & Parish Councils and Voluntary Sector and Community Groups to seek to identify ways to mitigate the impact of some of the cuts to services that could no longer be delivered be approved and the availability of the Invest to Save/Capacity Fund which is available to support partnership working be noted;

g)    the base budget, the policy framework for Reserves and Balances and their planned use be approved;

h)    the Risk Register be approved;

i)       the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for implementation on 1 April 2024 be endorsed;

j)       the continuation of the Council Tax Reduction Hardship Assistance Policy be approved;

k)     the revenue implications of the medium-term capital programme for the period 2023/24 – 2027/28 set out in the Capital Strategy and Programme reports be approved;

l)       delegated authority be granted to the Interim Director: Finance & Human Resources, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance and Customer Service to action any virements required following the final allocation of the Dedicated Schools Grant and other Grants and following completion of NNDR1 and final estimates of Business Rates Income;

m)  delegated authority be granted to the Director: Adult Social Care after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Integration and Transformation, to enter into appropriate Section 256 and Section 75 Agreements under the NHS Act 2006 (as amended);

n)    the Director: Policy & Governance to execute all necessary contract documentation including affixing of the common seal of the council as appropriate to enable the council to enter into appropriate Section 256 and Section 75 Agreements under the NHS Act 2006 (as amended) be approved;

o)    delegated authority be granted to the Interim Director: Finance & Human Resources, in consultation with the Leader or relevant Cabinet Member to allocate funding from the £20m Capital investment fund;

p)     this suite of MTFS reports as the Council’s Efficiency Strategy for 2024/25, to enable new capital receipts to be used to fund the revenue costs of transformation and efficiency projects as assumed throughout these reports be approved;

q)    delegated authority to the Interim Director: Finance & Human Resources after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Customer Services & Governance to amend the use of the contingency in 2024/25 and to make any other associated adjustments to accommodate any difference in funding between that currently assumed and final grant allocations when received be approved;

r)      delegated authority to the Interim Director: Finance & Human Resources after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Customer Services & Governance to make changes to the Medium-Term Financial strategy with immediate effect to reflect all grants received from Government with authority to incur associated spend be approved;

s)     the Pay Policy for 2024/25 be approved;

t)       the application of a 100% council tax premium to second homes from 1 April 2025 (or when the legislation comes into force, if later than 1 April 2025) be approved with delegated authority to the Interim Director: Finance & Human Resources to finalise the detailed policies required after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Customer Services & Governance; and

u)     the additional recommendations contained in other reports included in this suite of Medium-Term Financial Strategy reports be approved.