Agenda item

Background:

The Cabinet accepted the report as urgent to ensure that the initial budget proposals could 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 presented the Council’s draft capital and revenue budgets for 2023/24. It noted that the draft budget was based on the principles contained in the Financial Outlook 2023/24, which had been reported to the Cabinet on 18 October 2022. Draft budget requirements for the directorates in 2023/24 were set out in Appendices 1 – 4 to the report.

The report explained that initial projections for the costs of services in 2022/23 amounted to an increased budget requirement in the range of £48.361million -£72.244million and projections of income to mitigate, represented a growth of £16.001million. Assumptions made in the report reduced the gap to £28.683million and officers would continue to work with Portfolio Holders to formulate savings proposals to address the projected revenue budget deficit. Officers would discuss options with the Leader and Cabinet Members through the normal budget setting process.

The report noted that 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 2023 and formal budget and council tax setting by Council on 23 February 2023. 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 2023 and formal council tax setting by Council on 23 February 2023.

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

Business Support                                     24 November 2022

Children & Young People                          29 November 2022

Health & Adult Social Care                        1 December 2022

Regeneration, Culture & Environment       8 December 2022

Business Support                                     25 January 2023

Cabinet                                                    7 February 2023

Council                                                     23 February 2023