Agenda item

The Learning Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members met to consider the Service budget for those service areas that are within the Committee’s remit and to consider the following recommendations:

1.       To consider the overall Budget position as shown in the Budget report in Enclosure A.

2.       To consider the relevant elements of the Budget Cost pressures, totaling £22.2m across all Services.

3.       To consider the relevant elements of the Budget Savings proposals, totaling £8.9m across all Services.

4.       To consider the relevant elements of the Fees & charges proposals.

5.       To consider the 4 options outlined in Recommendation 3a) to d) of the 24/01/23 Cabinet report, namely:

3a)     A 6.3% Council Tax increase (including 1.3% in relation to the proposed Fire Authority Levy increase) and a 23/24 Budget requirement of £179.627m, which would provide a lower contribution towards Delegated Schools Budget Cost Pressures.

3b)     A 7.3% Council Tax increase (including 1.3% in relation to the proposed Fire Authority Levy increase) and a 23/24 Budget requirement of £180.101m.

3c)      A 8.3% Council Tax increase (including 1.3% in relation to the proposed Fire Authority Levy increase) and a 23/24 Budget requirement of £180.576m, to provide a higher contribution towards Delegated Schools Budget Cost Pressures.

3d)     An alternative option over and above Recommendations 3a) to 3c) to provide a specific increase for a specific purpose, provided that any option is considered during the Budget Scrutiny meetings and that the Section 151 officer is given sufficient time in advance to fully model the impact and to provide an opinion on its robustness.

6.       To provide any other appropriate feedback on the Draft 23/24 Budget to Cabinet.

The Committee received presentations from the Leader of the Council (Councillor Bryan Davies), the Cabinet Member for Finance & Procurement (Councillor Gareth Davies) and the Corporate Lead Officer: Finance & Procurement (Duncan Hall).  The relevant Cabinet Member then presented the Budget items relevant to their Service Area.  Members were then given the opportunity to ask questions, which were answered in turn by Cabinet Members and/or Senior Officers.

Recommendations:

The Committee agreed that:

1.       It had considered the overall Budget position as shown in the Budget report in Enclosure A.

2.       It had considered the relevant elements of the Budget Cost pressures falling under this Scrutiny Committee.

3.       It had considered the relevant elements of the Budget Savings proposals falling under this Scrutiny Committee.

4.       It had considered the relevant elements of the Fees & Charges proposals falling under this Scrutiny Committee.

5.       The majority of Committee Members voted in favour of a 7.3% increase for Council Tax levels.  The Committee is therefore recommending an increase of 7.3% in Council Tax for 2023/2024, which is option 3b) of the recommendations, as follows:

3b)     A 7.3% Council Tax increase (including 1.3% in relation to the proposed Fire Authority Levy increase) and a 23/24 Budget requirement of £180.101m).

6. It was agreed to recommend to Cabinet that if further money becomes available from Welsh Government that does not have specific terms attached to it that it is ringfenced for schools.