Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2018/053

Contact: Katy Jurczyszyn, Strategic Finance Manager (Finance, Strategy & Monitoring) Tel: 07584 909518

Report by Director of Finance (CA6).

This report is the first in the series on the Service & Resource Planning process for the forthcoming year which will culminate in Council setting a Corporate Plan for 2021; a budget for 2019/20; a medium term plan to 2022/23 and capital programme to 2028/29 in February 2019. This initial report sets the context and the starting point for the process.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)          note the report;

(b)          approve the Service and Resource Planning process for 2019/20; and

(c)          approve a four-year period for the Medium Term Financial Plan and ten-year Capital Programme to 2028/29.

Recommendations Agreed.

Cabinet had before them the first in a series on the Service & Resource Planning process for the forthcoming year which will culminate in Council setting a budget for 2019/20; a medium-term plan to 2022/23 and capital programme to 2028/29 in February 2019.  The initial report set the context and the starting point for the process, and sought approval to the proposed process, including the timetable.

Councillor Glynis Philips, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance stated that the report reflected the current level of uncertainty and the challenges faced by the County Council.  She questioned whether the £46.5 which needed to be taken out of this year’s budget was achievable as areas of overspend and risk this year would put pressure on the 2019/20 budget.  Whilst the additional funding for the NHS was welcome, there needed to be a significant increase in adult social care funding to reflect the community based services of home care some adults needed before they could be discharged from hospital. This had to be in addition to the Adult Social Care precept which was not keeping up with need.

She welcomed 'Fit for the Future', although it was a high-risk investment, and the investment in the County’s roads but queried what was being done about direct services for residents such as our offer for young carers. She urged the Cabinet at the start of this budget process to look at what could be done to improve vital services for the most vulnerable residents.

Councillor David Bartholomew, Cabinet Member for Finance, responded to the points made commenting that a cautious and carful approach was taken to the any risks unknown and known and that very careful attention was paid to overspends.  The rise in Adult and Child Social Care was a National Issue and budgets had been increased to significant amounts to deal with this.  Everything possible was being done to protect and safeguard vital services.

Councillor David Bartholomew introduced the contents of the contents of the report and moved the recommendations.

RESLOVED:  to:

(a)          note the report;

(b)          approve the Service and Resource Planning process for 2019/20; and

(c)          approve a four-year period for the Medium Term Financial Plan and ten-year Capital Programme to 2028/29.