Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 31 October 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 31 October 2023 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

The Chairman welcomed all non-Budget Planning Committee Members who were attending the meeting.

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

There were no items of urgent business.

Report of the Assistant Director of Finance (S151 Officer)

Purpose of report

This report sets out the capital bids, revenue savings proposals and budget pressures for Cherwell District Council for the period 2024/25 to 2028/29 and proposed Fees & Charges schedule for 2024/25.  Feedback on the savings proposals will be taken into account as part of the overall response to the budget consultation. Feedback from the Committee on the revenue pressures, capital bids and Fees & Charges will be provided to the Executive to consider in finalising its budget proposals for Council.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1       Provide feedback on the capital bids, revenue savings proposals, budget pressures and Fees & Charges schedule to provide to the Executive to consider in finalising its 2024/25 budget proposal.

Resolved

(1)        That, having given due consideration, Executive be advised that the Budget Planning Committee have no feedback, comments or recommendations in relation to capital bids, revenue savings proposals and budget pressures and fees and charges for inclusion as part of the 2024/25 budget proposal.

(2)        That the Budget Proposals 2023/24 - 2027/28 report be noted.

The Assistant Director of Finance submitted a report which set out the capital bids, revenue savings proposals and budget pressures for Cherwell District Council for the period 2024/25 to 2028/29 and proposed Fees & Charges schedule for 2024/25.This was an opportunity for the Budget Planning Committee to consider the proposals and provide feedback to Executive to consider in finalising its budget proposals which would be presented to the 26 February 2024 Full Council meeting.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance introduced the report and advised the Committee how the budget proposals had been determined and outlined that the forecasts had been updated by Officers by using all information available at that time. The Portfolio Holder for Finance advised that a number of the grants to the Council were to be confirmed by the Government in late December so some of the prosed plans were liable to change.

The Assistant Director of Finance presented an update on the council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and advised that inflation, funding assumptions, pay inflation, the delay in the business rates reset until 2025/26 and the assumption that the new homes bonus will continue on a one-year basis had been included when updating the MTFS position.

The Assistant Director of Finance advised the Committee that as the council was going through a considerable amount of transformation it needed to ensure that there were the right level of support services in the future for the organisation.

In response to questions from the Committee on the current budget and decrease in the budget over future years, the Assistant Director of Finance advised that over the lifetime of the MTFS, the council expected a decrease of £13mil in the net revenue budget and most of that figure would be taken from funding so there would be a reduction in net spend. The Portfolio Holder for Finance explained that the council’s Gross Revenue budget included income from fees and charges,

The Assistant Director of Finance also provided an update on the overall capital position advising that of the £10.484m capital bid total, £9.267m was funded from external contributions.

Executive Portfolio Holders, Corporate Directors and Assistant Directors gave an overview of the pressures, proposed saving and capital bids by service area within each directorate and answered questions from the Committee.

In response to Members’ questions regarding the future ownership of the proposed 3G sports pitch at North Oxfordshire Academy, the Assistant Director of Wellbeing and Housing Services advised that the council would own the pitch, run it and receive any income received and the contribution from the school is the land. In response to a further question regarding if Banbury United could use the proposed 3G pitch for training, the Assistant Director of Wellbeing and Housing Services advised that the Portfolio Holder for Healthy and Safe Communities was in regular contact with the Chairman of Banbury United Football Club.

Following a question from the Committee regarding how the proposed net zero capital project funds would be issued, the Portfolio  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

The following report(s) contain exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

2- Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

3– Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Members are reminded that whilst the following item(s) have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to resolve as follows:

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part I, Paragraph 2 and 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

Resolved

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraphs 2 and 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Assistant Director of Finance advised the Committee that as part of the council’s commitment to delivering value for money, and through a process of continuous improvement, operational efficiencies of £1.221m had been identified for 2024/2025. These did not have an impact on service delivery or impact Cherwell residents so were not included in the public consultation.

Portfolio Holders, Assistant Directors and Corporate Directors presented the operational efficiencies for their services and answered questions from the Committee.

The Committee to resolve to readmit the press and public

Resolved

That the press and public be readmitted to the meeting.

The Committee to agree comments and recommendations to Executive

The Committee continued considering the 2024/2025 budget proposals - revenue and capital and fees and charges.

Following a question from the Committee to why there had been a significant increase to the Building Control charge for installation for a heating appliance, the Assistant Director for Planning and Development advised he would speak to Officers and provide a written response to the Committee.

In response to a question regarding the increase in the fee for a day booking of a holiday activity, the Assistant Director of Wellbeing and Housing Services advised that the increase was to bring the cost in line with similar provision and cover costs of the service. The proposed increased fee was still cheaper than other day offers.

The Assistant Director of Finance advised the Committee of the key dates and next steps regarding the budget which would culminate in Council considering the budget at their 26 February 2024 meeting as recommended by Executive at their 5 February 2024 meeting.

(1)            That, having given due consideration, Executive be advised that the Budget Planning Committee have no feedback, comments or recommendations in relation to capital bids, revenue savings proposals and budget pressures and fees and charges for inclusion as part of the 2024/25 budget proposal.

(2)            That the Budget Proposals 2023/24 - 2027/28 report be noted.

(Councillor Woodcock, Councillor Hodgson and Councillor Becky Clarke MBE requested that their abstention from the vote be recorded in the Minutes)

To review the Committee Work Plan.

Resolved

(1)        That the update on the Committee Work Plan update be noted.

The Assistant Director of Finance gave a verbal update on the Budget Planning Committee Work Plan.

The Assistant Director of Finance advised that the Committee would consider the draft 2024/2025 capital and investment strategy, the 2024/2025 reserve strategy and reserves plan and the finance monitoring report P8 November 2023 at their next meeting on 23 January 2024.

Resolved

(1)        That the update on the Committee Work Plan update be noted.