Agenda item

6.1

This report brings the Committee up to date with the Council’s financial position as at Month 1 2022/23. The report also reports the proposed budget timetable for the development of the 2023/24 budget

6.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Finance Sub-Committee:-

(i) notes the Council’s challenging financial position and the Month 1 position;

(ii) notes that each Policy Committee will receive detailed budget monitoring for their areas of responsibility at their meetings in June 2022 and will also be advised of the budget timetable including the requirement for each Policy Committee to plan to develop budget proposals over the course of the summer;

(iii) notes that the Strategy and Resources Committee agreed at its 31 May 2022 meeting to “require any Policy Committee that is forecasting an overspend on their budget to develop an action plan to address the overspend in-year and ask the Finance Sub-Committee to monitor both the development of any required action plans and delivery against them”; and

(iv) requests that all Policy Committees give fresh consideration to any budget saving proposals that were submitted as part of last year’s budget process, but not taken forward.

6.3

Reasons for Decision

6.3.1

Under section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, the Chief Finance Officer of an authority is required to report on the following matters:

• the robustness of the estimates made for the purposes of determining its budget requirement for the forthcoming year; and

• the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves.

6.3.2

There is also a requirement for the authority to have regard to the report of the Chief Finance Officer when making decisions on its budget requirement and level of financial reserves.

6.3.3

By the law the Council must set and deliver a balanced budget, which is a financial plan based on sound assumptions which shows how income will equal spend over the short- and medium-term. This can take into account deliverable cost savings and/or local income growth strategies as well as useable reserves. However, a budget will not be balanced where it reduces reserves to unacceptably low levels and regard must be had to any report of the Chief Finance Officer on the required level of reserves under section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, which sets obligations of adequacy on controlled reserves.

6.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

6.4.1

The Council is required to both set a balance budget and to ensure that in-year income and expenditure are balanced. No other alternatives were considered.

5.1

This report brings the Committee up to date with the Council’s financial position as at Month 1 2022/23. The report also reports the proposed budget timetable for the development of the 2023/24 budget

5.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Finance Sub-Committee:-

(i) notes the Council’s challenging financial position and the Month 1 position;

(ii) notes that each Policy Committee will receive detailed budget monitoring for their areas of responsibility at their meetings in June 2022 and will also be advised of the budget timetable including the requirement for each Policy Committee to plan to develop budget proposals over the course of the summer;

(iii) notes that the Strategy and Resources Committee agreed at its 31 May 2022 meeting to “require any Policy Committee that is forecasting an overspend on their budget to develop an action plan to address the overspend in-year and ask the Finance Sub-Committee to monitor both the development of any required action plans and delivery against them”; and

(iv) requests that all Policy Committees give fresh consideration to any budget saving proposals that were submitted as part of last year’s budget process, but not taken forward.

5.3

Reasons for Decision

5.3.1

Under section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, the Chief Finance Officer of an authority is required to report on the following matters:

• the robustness of the estimates made for the purposes of determining its budget requirement for the forthcoming year; and

• the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves.

5.3.2

There is also a requirement for the authority to have regard to the report of the Chief Finance Officer when making decisions on its budget requirement and level of financial reserves.

5.3.3

By the law the Council must set and deliver a balanced budget, which is a financial plan based on sound assumptions which shows how income will equal spend over the short- and medium-term. This can take into account deliverable cost savings and/or local income growth strategies as well as useable reserves. However, a budget will not be balanced where it reduces reserves to unacceptably low levels and regard must be had to any report of the Chief Finance Officer on the required level of reserves under section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, which sets obligations of adequacy on controlled reserves.

5.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

5.4.1

The Council is required to both set a balance budget and to ensure that in-year income and expenditure are balanced. No other alternatives were considered.