Issue - meetings

Background:

The Cabinet accepted this report as urgent to ensure that the initial budget proposals would be referred to Overview and Scrutiny in accordance with the process for developing the budget, as set out in the Budget and Policy Framework Rules in the Constitution.

This report provided an update on progress towards setting the Council’s draft capital and revenue budgets for 2017/2018. It was noted that, with reference to Table 3 in the report, that the figure of £301,000, related to Member Priorities, rather than Public Health.

It was noted that the draft budget was based on the principles contained in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2016/2020, which had been approved by Cabinet on 27 September 2016 and reflected the latest formula grant assumptions. Draft budget requirements for the directorates in 2016/2017 were set out in Appendices 1-4 to the report.

It was reported that officers had been working with the Cabinet to formulate savings proposals to address the projected revenue budget deficit (£11.688m in 2017/2018) and the broad measures being considered were outlined in the report.

It was noted that the budget agreed by Council for 2017/2018 would have to balance to available resources.

The report noted that the resources available to the Council remained subject to some uncertainty until the Autumn Statement on 23 November 2016 and, in addition, confirmation was awaited from Department for Communities and Local Government regarding the Council’s request for a four year settlement.

In relation to the capital programme it was reported that the existing programme, totalling £110.471m, for the next three years, reflected planned capital expenditure over the medium term and incorporated everything currently known about capital grant allocations.

In accordance with the Constitution, this report was the first stage of the budget consultation process leading to further consideration by Cabinet on 7 February 2017 and formal budget and council tax setting by Council on 23 February 2017. Budget proposals would now be submitted to the Council’s overview and scrutiny committees.

Reasons:

It is the responsibility of Cabinet to develop draft budget proposals for consideration by overview and scrutiny committees. These draft proposals are the first stage of the budget consultation process leading to further consideration by Cabinet on 7 February 2017 and formal council tax setting by Council on 23 February 2017.

The timetable for consideration by overview and scrutiny is as follows:

Business Support: 1 December 2016

Children and Young People: 6 December 2016

Regeneration, Culture and Environment: 8 December 2016

Health and Adult Social Care: 15 December 2016

Business Support: 31 January 2017

Cabinet:  7 February 2017

Council: 23 February 2017.