Issue - meetings

Details of the Budget Process are attached.

8a) Leader’s Budget Speech

8b) Relevant extract of the minutes of Cabinet held on 4 February 2020.

8c) The report of the Special Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee held on 28 January 2020.

8d) Financial Plan 2020/21. Report by the Chief Executive Officers can be accessed at this link: Budget Papers

The Chairman explained the various documents that had been circulated in connection with Council’s consideration of this item, and the procedure for debate.

He then called upon Councillor Philip Whitehead, Leader of the Council, to present his budget speech.

Councillor Whitehead explained that Wiltshire Council in line with Central Government and other bodies was experiencing a time of sizable change especially during the last 12 months. Wiltshire had developed three wholly owned development companies in development, housing and energy which would generate significant sums of money needed elsewhere to help balance the Council’s budget.

He explained that a new staffing structure at tier 1 had been introduced by removing the three executive director posts and replacing them with two chief executive officer posts, responsible for people and place.  The reason for this was to introduce a more strategic role at the most senior staffing level, with the new chief executive officers emphasising working with towns, parishes and other partners.

Councillor Whitehead further explained that there were a number of important changes and challenges facing the Council including climate change, developments on information technology, responsibility for the welfare of residents of Wiltshire and protecting the elderly and vulnerable, the demand for which were increasing. The lack of proposed amendments to the budget was also noted and he strongly urged all Members to support the most vulnerable and others by approving the budget.

The Chairman then invited Councillor Simon Jacobs, Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement to present the Budget. He explained that there had been a wide approach in preparing the Budget and placed on record his thanks to Deborah Hindson, Interim Director of Finance and Procurement, and her team for all the detailed work they had undertaken.

Councillor Jacobs reported on the process that had been undertaken to consult on the Budget, which had been open and transparent. The proposals had been discussed in detail with the public, the Financial Planning Task Group and the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee prior to its consideration by Cabinet and now Council.

He explained that the Council’s strategic aims and priorities drove the medium-term financial planning process, with changes in resource allocation determined in accordance with policies and priorities of the Council’s 2017-27 Business Plan. It was important to ensure a strong sustainable financial base during the current challenging times.

The key changes reflected the revised forecast for the increasing demand for care for the vulnerable, which included adults and children with complex care needs. He stated there was an urgent need for the Government to determine a new fairer funding settlement for councils. He stated that the Council was currently in a good position to set a strong Financial Plan for the years ahead.

Councillor Jacobs therefore proposed the recommendations as set out in the report be adopted, this being seconded by Councillor Whitehead. 

Questions and statements were then received from members of the public.

Harriet James asked a question about the climate change implications of the Council’s Financial Plan Update 2020/21  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9

                       Report by Chief Executive Officers Alistair Cunningham and Terence Herbert

Cllr Simon Jacobs, Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement introduced the report which proposed the 2020/2021 Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2020/2021 to 2024/2025 and set out the budget setting proposals, giving details that fed into the budget setting reports.

Colin Gale asked for clarification in relation to figures detailed in the report associated with Council Tax and Social Care Levy.  A copy of his question is attached as an appendix to these minutes.  The Leader indicated that a written response would be provided after the meeting.

Cllr Jacobs reported that the process undertaken to consult on the Budget was open and transparent.  He confirmed that the report had been discussed in detail with the public, the Financial Planning Task Group and the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, prior to its consideration by the Cabinet and ultimately Council at the end of February 2020. 

In presenting the report, Cllr Jacobs indicated that the Council’s strategic aims and priorities drove the medium-term financial planning process, with changes in resource allocation determined in accordance with policies and priorities of the Council’s 2017-2027 business plan. A key focus being to ensure a strong sustainable financial base during the current challenging times. The key changes reflect the revised forecast for the increasing demand for care for the vulnerable, including adult and children with complex care needs and special educational needs and the delay in Government determining a new fairer funding settlement.

Cllr Jacobs commented on (i) the Council’s four key priorities; (ii) the growth and challenges to the Council spending; (iii) funding sources for the budget; (iv) the level of savings required for 2020/2021; and (v) budget assumptions for future years.  He was confident that the Council was currently in a good position to set a strong Financial Plan for the years ahead and thanked officers for their assistance in putting the proposals together.

Councillor Graham Wright, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, welcomed the positive and early engagement with Scrutiny and thanked officers for their input.  He confirmed that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee undertook a robust and thorough consideration of the proposals, the details of which were circulated as a Supplement to the main agenda. 

Resolved: To recommend that Council

1.    Agrees the budget for 2020/21;

2.    Approves the growth and savings proposals summarised in the report to provide a net revenue budget for 2020/21 of £344.023 million;

3.    Agrees to:

a.    Set the Council’s total net expenditure budget for 2020/21 at £344.023 million;

b.    Set a Council Tax increase of 1.99% and Social Care Levy increase of 2%;

c.    Delegate changes in fees and charges as set out in Section 9;

d.    Set a 2.7% increase for social dwelling rents (CPI plus 1%);

e.    Set the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for 2020/21 at £30.302 million expenditure; and

f.     All service charges related to the HRA being increased to recover costs, capped at increase of £5 per week for those not on housing benefits and garage  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21