Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Sian Maehrlein apologised for her inability to attend the meeting.

Councillor Endaf Edwards declared a personal interest in relation to item 5.

Councillor Maldwyn Lewis, Chair of the Council congratulated Cynan Evans from Penuwch on winning the Silver Medal in the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association Novice Championship 2024.

Councillor Maldwyn Lewis announced that the Gymanfa Ganu of the Queen and Young Farmer of Ceredigion Young Farmers’ Club will be held at 7:30pm on Sunday evening, the 3^rd of March 2024 at St. Deiniol’s Church, Llanddeiniol, and that Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol will be televised from Capel Glynarthen on 20 March 2024.

Councillor Ifan Davies congratulated Councillor Wyn Evans on Chairing the protest over climate change policies at the Senedd Building the previous day, highlighting the crisis facing rural areas in Wales.

It was RESOLVED to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 23 January 2024.

Councillor Bryan Davies, Leader of the Council presented the report to Council noting that the information and proposals contained in the report had been considered by Cabinet and all Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

He emphasised that difficult decisions would have to be made and that there had been no change to the financial situation since receiving the draft budget in December of last year.  He noted that 70 saving areas had been identified which may affect some Members more than others, however the overall savings would benefit all residents by ensuring that the increase to Council Tax remain as low as possible. He thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Members for their input, noting that Cabinet agreed to the recommendation presented before them which related to maintaining the Absorbent Hygiene waste collection.

He noted that members of the public are expecting a gold standard service, without an increase in Council Tax; however, we must make the most from the Settlement received from Welsh Government. He confirmed that Rebecca Evans MS. Minister for Finance and Local Government had agreed to meet with him on a one-to-one basis, however the time proposed coincided with today’s Council meeting; this meeting will be rescheduled.  He also noted that during a recent WLGA meeting, the Leader of the Flintshire Council, raised the same concerns as those which affect Ceredigion in that rural areas have lost out to the more urban areas in terms of the Settlement. 

Councillor Bryan Davies noted that Cabinet had set a mandate to officers to ensure that the Council Tax is kept as its lowest possible level.  In order to achieve this, cuts have to be made.  Initial estimates suggested that Council Tax may have to increase by 20% however this has now been reduced to 10% for Council services, plus the Fire authority levy which equates to a further 1.1%.

Councillor Gareth Davies, Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement noted that 4 Members’ budget workshops have been held in addition to all the work carried out by the Overview and Scrutiny Committees. He re-iterated the Leader’s comments, thanking the Chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees for guiding the discussions relating to the budget.  He noted that the Welsh Government has openly stated that their 2024/25 Draft Budget is ‘the starkest and most painful since devolution’, and that the draft budget had now been finalised, giving a 2.9% increase to RSG.  This core funding increase places Ceredigion at 14^th out of 22 Local Authorities; however, when considering the funding per head of population, Ceredigion receives the lowest amount.

He noted that the estimated revenue cost pressures being faced by the Council for 2024/25 total £18m, equivalent to a Ceredigion specific inflation factor of 10% which leaves Ceredigion with a budget shortfall of £14m, to be found from a combination of budget reductions and Council Tax increases. He noted that 70 budget reduction proposals contained within the report are required to produce a balanced budget.

He also noted cost  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Following a vote it was RESOLVED:

3.1   To note that at its meeting on 21 December 2023 the following amounts were approved by the Council’s Cabinet for the year 2024/25 in accordance with regulations made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(a)     33,768.51 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (Wales) Regulations 1995, as amended by the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) and Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2004, as its Council Tax Base for the area.

(b)     PART OF THE COUNCIL’S AREA

                              COUNCIL TAX BASE 33,768.51

being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 6 of the 1995 Regulations (as amended by the 2004 Regulations), as the amounts of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate;

3.2   To approve the amounts calculated by the Council for the year 2024/25 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as set out below:-

(a) £285,511,141 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(2)(a) to (e) of the Act.  This includes £180,000 in respect of National Non-Domestic Rates Relief.

(b) £90,392,000 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(3)(a) to (c) of the Act.

(c) £195,119,141 being the amount by which the aggregate at (a) above exceeds the aggregate at (b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its budget requirement for the year.

(d) £135,285,976 being the aggregate of the sums which the Council estimates will be payable for the year into its Council Fund in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates and its revenue support grant.

(e) £1,771.86 being the amount at (c) above, less the amount at (d) above divided by the Council Tax Base, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Councillor Gareth Davies, Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement Services gave an overview of the content of the report and noted that the Cabinet, at its meeting held on 20 February 2024 considered this report on the Treasury Management Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy for 2024/25, recommending that Council approve the Treasury Management Strategy for Borrowing and Investments for 2024/25; the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy for 2024/25 and to delegate authority to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement, to amend the Treasury Management Strategy, and Investment Schedule, during the course of the year.

Following discussion, it was RESOLVED to agree to the:

a)   approval of the Treasury Management Strategy for Borrowing and Investments for 2024/25

b)   approval of the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy for 2024/25; and

c)   delegate authority to the Section 151 officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement, to amend the Treasury Management Strategy, and Investment Schedule, during the course of the year.