Issue - meetings

To agree the Budget and Council Tax level for the 2019/20 financial year.

Further to Minute No. 109 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18^th February, 2019 consideration was given to the report which proposed the Council’s Budget and Council Tax for 2019/20.  This was based on the outcome of the Council’s Final Local Government Finance Settlement, budget consultation and the consideration of Directorate budget proposals through the Council’s formal Budget and Scrutiny process (Overview and Scrutiny Management Board) alongside a review of the financial planning assumptions within the Medium Term Financial Strategy. 

The Council remained committed to protecting the most vulnerable children and adults, but despite the positive direction of travel for the Council, the challenges were still significant in the following areas:-

·             Children’s social care continued to overspend over and above the significant additional resources that have been provided for the service in recent years.

·             More children than anticipated required care and protection by the local authority.

·             Implications for support services as the increase in looked after children numbers had led to additional legal costs.

·             Adult Care budgets continued to be under pressure due to demographic pressures.

In setting the proposed 2019/20 budget, approval was sought for an increase of 2.99% in the Council’s basic Council Tax.

The Leader wanted to place on record his thanks to the people whose hard work enabled him to present this budget today; his Cabinet colleagues who have worked hard and selflessly again to deliver the best possible proposals, staff, especially in Finance, and of course Councillor Alam.

He explained this was the fifth budget he had presented with the grim gruelling tide of Tory austerity reaching a little higher and a little further.  Each year the steps taken hold off the worst effects from those least able to afford it.

A decade of austerity that meant, by the end of the next two years, the Council would have been forced to find cuts and savings amounting to more than £200 million from its budget. That was nearly £800 for every man, woman and child who lived in the borough.

Only this week five of the biggest children’s charities in the country joined forces to slam what they called the “devastating and dangerous” funding cuts to Children’s Services across the country.

The Leader described how when he became Leader of this Council four years ago, there were a little over 400 children in care. Last year that number hit 660.  Whilst that number had since fallen and steps were being taken to ensure that more vulnerable children were able to stay in a family setting, with the right support, the primary obligation was to children.

In setting the budget plans for the next two years, the Council were committing a total of £17 million more than was planned to ensure that the needs of children in the Council’s care were met.

In 2014/15, the net revenue budget for the Children’s Services directorate was £42.9 million. Next year it would be £65.4 million.

The Leader confirmed that the number of agency social workers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 156

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Recommendations:-

That Cabinet recommend to Council

1.    Approval of the Budget and Financial Strategy for 2019/20 and 2020/21 as set out in the report and appendices, including the £23.536m of savings as set out in Appendix 1 and a basic  ...  view the full agenda text for item 109

Consideration was given to the report which proposed the Council’s Budget and Council Tax for 2019/20 based on the outcome of the Council’s Final Local Government Finance Settlement, budget consultation and the consideration of Directorate budget proposals through the Council’s formal Budget and Scrutiny process (Overview and Scrutiny Management Board)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Leader of the Council

Strategic Directorate:           Finance and Customer Services

Consideration was given to a report which was due to be considered by the Cabinet meeting on 18 February 2019 that proposed the Council’s Budget and Council Tax for 2019/20. The proposals were based on the outcome of the Council’s Final Local Government Finance Settlement, budget consultation and the consideration of Directorate budget proposals through the Council’s formal Budget and Scrutiny process alongside a review of the financial planning assumptions within the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

In setting the proposed 2019/20 budget, the report sought Cabinet’s endorsement of a recommendation to Council an increase of 2.99% in the Council’s basic Council Tax. The report contained proposals to balance the revenue budget for both 2019/20 and 2020/21. The Budget and Council Tax Report 2018/19 highlighted the need to address a £30m financial gap over the period 2019/20 and 2020/21.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Finance attended the meeting to respond to specific queries from Members in respect of the proposals.

Assurances were sought by Members in respect of how realistic the proposals were for reductions in the numbers of looked after children by 2020-21, which predicated significant savings within the budget proposals. In response, it was explained that extensive benchmarking had taken place of practice in other authorities where Children and Young People’s Services had been in a process of recovery and the analysis provided confidence that the numbers in the report were achievable whilst maintaining the safety of the child. Assurances had also been provided by professionals based on the best information available and the service was moving in the right direction in reducing costs.

Members sought assurances in respect of monitoring and evaluation in respect of the proposed increase associated with independent adult care sector provision. In response, the Leader expressed the view that there was no reason to believe that the proposal would have an adverse impact. He further reflected on the financial pressures facing the sector, however it was noted that there was presently an over provision within the borough in respect of independent adult care.

Reference was made to the report indicating that the Council would pursue a more commercial and outward facing approach to doing business, generating income and leveraging the resources and assets of partners in the borough. Members sought to understand exactly what that meant. In response, the Leader confirmed that the authority would continue to pursue projects from previous years which would take time to be realised. In a supplementary question, reference was made to the work done in Trafford to improve the Sunday market which revolved around an excellent food offer and whether the Council had given consideration to introducing something similar within the borough. In response, the Leader did not believe that anything specific had been considered, but reminded Members of the existing on-street market which traded at a surplus for the Council.

Assurances were sought in respect of the proposed capital expenditure on Microsoft Office 365, which was significant in value and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 172