Agenda and draft minutes

The Deputy Leader thanked all involved for organising and attending the recent Remembrance Day events, and all participants in the recent Medway Question Time. She looked forward to Christmas and all the planned festive events which had started with the recent parade in Chatham.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gurung and Louwella Prenter.

The record of the meeting held on 29 October 2024, was agreed by the Cabinet and signed by the Leader as a correct record.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

There were none.

Other interests

There were none.

Background:

The report provided details of Tranche 2 of the School Streets programme including the results of the recent informal public consultation and proposed next steps. The report sought approval to progress to a formal statutory consultation, and where appropriate, for the School Streets to be implemented.

Councillor Maple advised that Rochester Cliffe Woods Primary School was erroneously listed within the report at sections 1.9 and 6.7.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached at Appendix F to the report.

Reasons:

The School Streets initiative, within the Safer Healthier Programme, meets several key strategic polices and action plans set out by the Council. The implementation of the recommendations would create a safer environment for students, the wider school community, and residents, by enabling and encouraging more sustainable transport choices.

Background:

The report presented the results of the second round of the Council’s revenue budget monitoring process for 2024/25. The forecast outturn for 2024/25 represented a pressure of £11.221 million, an improvement of £5.252 million from the position reported at Round 1. The Leader thanked the Corporate Management Team and officers for their ongoing work.

It was noted that since approval of the budget in February 2024, a number of changes to grant funding had been confirmed, primarily the Household Support Fund and in relation to various schools funding allocations. The net impact of those amendments took the Round 2 budget requirement to a total of £436.239million.

Reasons:

The Full Council is responsible for agreeing a balanced budget in advance of each financial year. The Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that income and expenditure remain within the approved budget, including instructing corrective action to prevent any forecast overspend from materialising.

Background:

The report presented the results of the second round of the Council’s capital budget monitoring process for 2024/25.

It was noted Full Council had recently approved a series of changes to the Constitution, including to the budget virement limits.Capital virements of up to £1million could now be approved by the Chief Executive and Directors, capital virements up to £2million could be approved by Cabinet with anything above that being reported to Full Council for decision. 

Reasons:

Full Council is responsible for agreeing the capital programme. Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that expenditure remains within the approved programme, including instructing corrective action to prevent any forecast overspend from materialising.

Background:

The report presented a review of the Financial Improvement and Transformation (FIT) Plan monitoring for Round 2 and needed to be read alongside the Round 2 Revenue Budget Monitoring 2024/25 report to understand the full financial implications.

It was noted that the production of the FIT Plan, and implementation of the FIT Plan Tracker, had proven to be a valuable exercise highlighting savings and increases in income, and enabling identification and celebration of successes without them getting “lost” in the financial monitoring.

Reasons:

Full Council is responsible for agreeing a balanced budget in advance of each financial year. Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that income and expenditure remain within the approved budget, including instructing transformation activities or corrective action to prevent any forecast overspend from materialising.

The FIT Plan, which is reviewed on a 2-weekly basis at CMT, is one of the key tools for ensuring delivery of savings in the current financial year and implementing a range of key actions to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Medway Council.

Background:

The report set out the Draft Capital and Revenue Budgets for 2025/26. In accordance with the Constitution, Cabinet was required to develop ‘initial budget proposals’ approximately three months before finalising the budget and setting Council Tax levels at the end of February 2025. The Draft Budget was based on the principles set out in the Medium Term Financial Outlook 2024-2029 considered by the Cabinet on 27 August 2024.

Progress to date in identifying savings and income generation proposals was noted. It was also noted that Medway Council’s actual funding allocations would not be confirmed until the publication of the Local Government Finance Settlement, with the Provisional Settlement expected before Christmas. As such the Draft Budget included updated funding projections only where there was more confidence as to the likely impact, primarily around local taxation. The updated savings and income generation proposals and updated funding projections together, reduced the projected gap, which this Draft Budget reflected as being funded through an increased capitalisation direction, through the Exceptional Financial Support scheme (EFS).

Reasons:

It is the responsibility of Cabinet to develop initial budget proposals for consideration by overview and scrutiny committees. These Draft Budget proposals are the first stage of the budget consultation process leading to further consideration by Cabinet on 11 February 2025 and formal Council Tax setting by Council on 27 February 2025.

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

Business Support and Digital                                28 November 2024

Children and Young People                                  3 December 2024

Health and Adult Social Care                                 5 December 2024

Regeneration, Culture and Environment            12 December 2024

Business Support and Digital                                30 January 2025

Cabinet                                                                      11 February 2025

Council                                                                      27 February 2025

Background:

The report presented the Capital Strategy for 2024/25 and beyond, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, which set out the Council’s priorities for capital investment to deliver its strategic aims in line with the Council Plan, and the process for formulating the capital programme.

Reasons:

The Capital Strategy sets out how the Council sets its priorities for capital investment and the process for formulating the capital programme in line with the Council Plan.  It is therefore an important part of the framework underpinning the budget setting process.

Background:

The report presented performance in Quarter 1 (Q1) & Quarter 2 (Q2) 2024/25 on the delivery of the One Medway Council Plan (OMCP) 2024/28 which set out the Council’s priorities and performance indicators, as well as the Q1 & Q2 2024/25 review of strategic risks, all of which would also be presented to the Council’s overview and scrutiny committees.

Summaries of the OMCP performance indicators were set out in Appendix 1 to the report, with the Strategic Risk Summary set out in Appendix 2 to the report.

Reasons:

Regular monitoring of performance and risks by management and Members is best practice and ensures achievement of corporate objectives.

Background:

The report sought permission to commence with the award of the contract for the Principal Contractor for the refurbishment of The Brook Theatre.

An Exempt Appendix to the report contained key information in respect of the tender scoring.

Reasons:

Officers are recommending the above following an Open Tender procedure as agreed in the Gateway 1 and carrying out a full and comprehensive evaluation process of bids.

The refurbishment of The Brook Theatre aligns to the One Medway Council Plan.