Agenda, decisions and minutes

None received.

Minority Group Leaders in attendance at the meeting are able to ask a question on a report on the agenda. Any questions should be provided in writing by 12 noon at least 2 working days before the meeting.

None received.

RESOLVED:

To approve, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 11 January 2024.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Note the current position on Earmarked Reserves;

2)    Note the details of the amounts to be released from Earmarked Reserves balances to the General Reserve;

3)    Note that the £31.803m released from Earmarked Reserves is expected to be fully required to mitigate the forecast 2023-24 overspend, with the balance being funded from the RCCO Earmarked Reserve held to support revenue budget management, and so ensure that the General Reserve balance remains at a minimum level; and

4)    Approve the Reserves Policy at Appendix five to this report.

Councillor S Spencer introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, that presented the current and forecast positions for both the General and Earmarked Reserves and sought approval of the Reserves Policy.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Note the current position on Earmarked Reserves;

2)    Note the details of the amounts to be released from Earmarked Reserves balances to the General Reserve;

3)    Note that the £31.803m released from Earmarked Reserves is expected to be fully required to mitigate the forecast 2023-24 overspend, with the balance being funded from the RCCO Earmarked Reserve held to support revenue budget management, and so ensure that the General Reserve balance remains at a minimum level; and

4)    Approve the Reserves Policy at Appendix five to this report.

RESOLVED:

To take into account the views of the consultation respondents when formulating its proposals to Full Council regarding the Revenue Budget for 2024-25.

Councillor S Spencer introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, that outlined the outcome of the Council’s budget consultation exercises in relation to the formulation of its budgetary proposals to Full Council with regard to the Revenue Budget for 2024-25.

RESOLVED:

To take into account the views of the consultation respondents when formulating its proposals to Full Council regarding the Revenue Budget for 2024-25.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet recommends to Council that it:

1) Notes the details of the Autumn Statement 2023 and Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement as outlined in sections 4.3 and 4.4 of the report;

2) Notes the Government’s expectations about Council Tax levels for 2024-25 in section 4.5 of the report;

3) Approves the precepts as outlined in section 4.5 and Appendix Four of the report;

4) Approves that billing authorities are informed of Council Tax levels arising from the budget proposals as outlined in section 4.5 and Appendix Four of the report;

5) Approves the contingency to cover non-standard inflation as outlined in section 4.7 of the report, and the contingency be allocated by the Director of Finance & ICT, as S151 Officer, once non-standard inflation has been agreed;

6) Approves the service pressure items identified in section 4.8 and Appendix Five of the report;

7) Approves the increase to budgets for undeliverable prior year savings proposals as outlined in section 4.9 of the report;

8) Approves the level and allocation of budget savings as outlined in section 4.10 and Appendix Six of the report;

9) Notes the comments of the Director of Finance & ICT, as S151 Officer, about the robustness of the estimates and adequacy of the reserves as outlined in section 4.11 of the report;

10) Notes the details of the Council’s consultation activity as outlined in section 5 of the report;

11) Approves the Council Tax requirement of £410,111,128 which is calculated as follows:

£

12) Approves the use of the Revenue Contributions to the Capital Expenditure Earmarked Reserve to provide one-off support to the 2024-25 Revenue Budget; and

13) Authorises the Director of Finance & ICT, as S151 Officer, to allocate cash limits amongst Cabinet portfolios and the Executive Directors will then report to Cabinet on the revised Service Plans for 2024-25.

Councillor S Spencer introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, that proposed a Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2024-25.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet recommends to Council that it:

1)   Notes the details of the Autumn Statement 2023 and Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement as outlined in sections 4.3 and 4.4 of the report;

2)   Notes the Government’s expectations about Council Tax levels for 2024-25 in section 4.5 of the report;

3)   Approves the precepts as outlined in section 4.5 and Appendix Four of the report;

4)   Approves that billing authorities are informed of Council Tax levels arising from the budget proposals as outlined in section 4.5 and Appendix Four of the report;

5)   Approves the contingency to cover non-standard inflation as outlined in section 4.7 of the report, and the contingency be allocated by the Director of Finance & ICT, as S151 Officer, once non-standard inflation has been agreed;

6)   Approves the service pressure items identified in section 4.8 and Appendix Five of the report;

7)   Approves the increase to budgets for undeliverable prior year savings proposals as outlined in section 4.9 of the report;

8)   Approves the level and allocation of budget savings as outlined in section 4.10 and Appendix Six of the report;

9)   Notes the comments of the Director of Finance & ICT, as S151 Officer, about the robustness of the estimates and adequacy of the reserves as outlined in section 4.11 of the report;

10)                Notes the details of the Council’s consultation activity as outlined in section 5 of the report;

11)                Approves the Council Tax requirement of £410,111,128 which is calculated as follows:

£

12)                Approves the use of the Revenue Contributions to the Capital Expenditure Earmarked Reserve to provide one-off support to the 2024-25 Revenue Budget; and

13)                Authorises the Director of Finance & ICT, as S151 Officer, to allocate cash limits amongst Cabinet portfolios and the Executive Directors will then report to Cabinet on the revised Service Plans for 2024-25.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet recommends to Council that it:

1) Approves the new Capital Starts Programme set out in Appendix two of the report and approves the procurement and award of contracts which support the delivery of the Capital Programme. All contract awards will then be subject to approval by Executive Directors (via an Executive Director Report) under the relevant Departmental Scheme of Delegation;

2) Approves the detailed Planned Asset Maintenance Programme for 2024-25 as set out in Appendix three of the report;

3) Adopts the Treasury Management Strategy for 2024-25 set out in Appendix four of the report;

4) Adopts the Investment Strategy for 2024-25 set out in Appendix five of the report;

5) Adopts the Capital Strategy for 2024-25 set out in Appendix six of the report;

6) Adopts the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement for 2024-25 set out in Appendix seven of the report; and

7) Adopts the application of financing up to 4% of disposal costs associated with land from capital receipts as set out in paragraph 4.7 of the report.

Councillor S Spencer introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting that sought approval for proposals for submission to Council in relation to the Capital Starts Programme and the Treasury Management, Investment and Capital Strategies.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet recommends to Council that it:

1)   Approves the new Capital Starts Programme set out in Appendix two of the report and approves the procurement and award of contracts which support the delivery of the Capital Programme. All contract awards will then be subject to approval by Executive Directors (via an Executive Director Report) under the relevant Departmental Scheme of Delegation;

2)   Approves the detailed Planned Asset Maintenance Programme for 2024-25 as set out in Appendix three of the report;

3)   Adopts the Treasury Management Strategy for 2024-25 set out in Appendix four of the report;

4)   Adopts the Investment Strategy for 2024-25 set out in Appendix five of the report;

5)   Adopts the Capital Strategy for 2024-25 set out in Appendix six of the report;

6)   Adopts the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement for 2024-25 set out in Appendix seven of the report; and

7)   Adopts the application of financing up to 4% of disposal costs associated with land from capital receipts as set out in paragraph 4.7 of the report.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Agree the authority’s Council Plan for 2024-25 and recommend it to Full Council for approval; and

2)    Note the Strategic Objectives Implementation Plan 2024-25.

Councillor B Lewis introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting that sought agreement of the authority’s Council Plan 2024-25 for referral to Full Council for approval.

RESOLVED to:

1)   Agree the authority’s Council Plan for 2024-25 and recommend it to Full Council for approval; and

2)   Note the Strategic Objectives Implementation Plan 2024-25.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Approve the commencement of public consultation, and

engagement with partner agencies on the proposed redesign of the Early Help service, including Children’s Centres and specific services for children with a disability as outlined in the report; and

2)    Approve an in-principle decision for public consultation if savings proposals to specific services for children with disability require this.

Councillor J Patten introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, that sought urgent approval for the commencement of public consultation and engagement with partner agencies on the proposed re design of the Early Help service, including Children’s Centres.

RESOLVED to approve:

1)   The commencement of public consultation, and engagement with partner agencies on the proposed redesign of the Early Help service, including Children’s Centres and specific services for children with a disability as outlined in the report; and

2)   An in-principle decision for public consultation if savings proposals to specific services for children with disability require this.