Venue: Hybrid - Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa, Aberaeron / remotely via video conference
Contact: Lisa Evans
No. | Item |
---|---|
Apologies Minutes: Councillor
Rhodri Evans apologised for his inability to attend the meeting. Councillor Wyn
Evans (vice Chair) chaired the meeting as Councillor Keith Evans (Chair, who
was present remotely), was recovering from an illness. |
|
Disclosures of personal interest (including whipping declarations) Members are reminded of their personal responsibility to declare any personal and prejudicial interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and the Members Code of Conduct. In addition, Members must declare any prohibited party whip which the Member has been given in relation to the meeting as per the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 Minutes: Councillor Gareth
Davies disclosed a personal interest with regards to the Mid & West Wales
Fire Authority. |
|
To consider the draft 2023/24 Budget as considered by Cabinet on 24/01/23 Minutes: Councillor Wyn Evans, Committee Chair,
outlined the meeting procedure and welcomed the Leader of the Council,
Councillor Bryan Davies, Councillor Gareth Davies, Cabinet Member for Finance and
Procurement Services, Committee Members, the remaining Cabinet Members,
non-Committee Members and Officers to the meeting. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bryan
Davies, presented the report on the draft budget for 2023/2024 including an
updated multi-year capital programme, outlining that this is based on the WG
provisional settlement, and that the WG final settlement is due on the 28
February 2023. The Leader advised the Committee Members that the higher than expected Provisional settlement increase from
Welsh Government for 2023/2024 of 8.1% (on a cash basis) is welcomed. This
should ensure that for the 2023/2024 financial year, services to residents in
Ceredigion can be protected as much as possible, whilst acknowledging this is
still an extremely challenging Budget. Key points from this report are as
follows: ·
The cost
pressures being faced by the Council total an unprecedented £22m, equivalent to
a Ceredigion specific inflation factor of over 13%. This compares with general
inflation running at 10.5% (December 2022 CPI figure). A budget shortfall of
£12m therefore needs to be found from a combination of Budget Savings and
Council Tax increase considerations. ·
He said that the
areas where cost pressures are being seen are generally not unique to
Ceredigion. There are recurring themes similar to
those referenced in the national press, which are affecting a range of public
and private sector organisations, as well as individual household finances.
They range from energy and
fuel costs, to higher than projected Staff Pay awards, to
contracts with inflation linked clauses. ·
There is also a
proposed increase from the Mid & West Wales Fire Authority on their levy,
which is at a level not seen before. A 13% proposed increase in their Budget is
leading in turn to a significant cost pressure, in relative terms, on the
Council’s own budget. ·
Demands on Social
Care related budgets continue to increase, plus there is over £1.7m of funding within
the Provisional Settlement (1.5% of the 8.1% increase) that needs to be
passported to Externally Commissioned services in Ceredigion to ensure
registered Social Care workers continue to be paid at least the Real Living
Wage (which has risen from £9.90 to £10.90 per hour – a 10.1% increase). ·
Despite
operational challenges at times in some Services, Ceredigion County Council
continues to deliver high quality services that has been recognised by external
regulators. The Council is assessed by Audit Wales as remaining financially
stable, albeit recognising that financial challenges do lie ahead creating
ongoing financial risks, which is not unique to Ceredigion. · The current 2022/2023 Band D Council Tax level in Ceredigion (for all components) is £1,777.27 which is in line with on the average Band D Council Tax in Wales at £1,777.18. Average Council Tax levels in Wales are also considerably lower than the equivalent average for English Unitary Authorities of £2,034 for 2022/2023. The County Council element of the current ... view the full minutes text for item 25. |
|
Minutes: It was AGREED to confirm the minutes of
the 18 January 2023 Committee meeting as a true record. There were no matters
arising from those minutes. 5 Any other matter which the Chairman decided
is for urgent attention of the Committee There were no other matters raised. |