Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Finance, Development Management, and Strategic Planning, presented a report which provided details of the proposed 2024/25 budget and the medium-term financial strategy 2024/25 to 2026/27.

Details were provided around the impact of continued high inflation, the addition of £36m to service budgets with a net rise of £17m to the budget. Cllr Botterill noted the difficult financial situation of many councils, and that the proposed budget was balanced without seeking closure of household recycling centres, libraries or leisure centres, and did not rely on major new identified or unspecified savings or use of reserves. However, the ongoing pressure of increases in demand and cost pressures did require the council tax rise proposed, with over 80% of the council’s net expenditure funded from sources the council controlled.

On 5 February 2024 the government had provided details of an updated local government financial settlement. The council would receive an additional £4.526m, of which £3.798 was part of a social care grant and would be utilised on furthering the council’s preventative approach to improve services and reduce costs.  It was emphasised the additional funding could not be guaranteed for future years.

The remaining additional funding it was proposed to allocate to rural air quality monitoring projects, on refurbishment of rural play areas, and on a project to secure additional volunteers.

The Leader welcomed the additional funding announced by government, following an effective campaign from the County Council’s Network. He explained the limitations on the allocation, in particular on the one-off nature, and the need to focus it in areas which did not have ongoing revenue costs. He explained many play areas were not fit for purpose, and the council would work with parish councils to discuss taking on maintenance where new equipment was able to be provided.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Leisure, Libraries, FM, and Operational Assets, noted the continued investment in services planned within the budget despite the difficult financial, supporting communities and the economy.

Cllr Jane Davies, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, SEND, and Inclusion, provided details of the varied support and signposting work undertaken through council libraries.

Cllr Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change drew attention to investment in a programme for provision of new real time monitoring equipment to improve data collection regarding emissions in Westbury. He stated with the newly announced funding the council intended to work with universities to develop understanding of particulate emissions across the county, and provide a meaningful baseline of data.

Cllr Graham Wright, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, explained that the Committee had held a lengthy meeting on 25 January 2024 to review the proposed budget. A report of that meeting and topics raised or discussed was included at Appendix 2.

Cllr Gordon King welcomed details of emissions monitoring for Westbury, and would save further comments for debate on 20 February 2024.

Two questions from Cllr Richard Budden as detailed in Agenda Supplement 2 were received.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17