Agenda item

Draft Revenue Budget 2024-2025

Executive Summary

This report presents the latest iteration of the budget for 2024/25. It is intended to present the position as we currently know it and it will need to be updated as more information becomes available e.g. the impact of the final  Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024/25.

Options considered.

 

No other options have been considered as it is a requirement to calculate “the expenditure which the authority estimates it will incur in the forthcoming year in performing its functions” and then subtract “the sums which it estimates will be payable for the year into its general fund”. This is required to set a balanced budget before 11 March 2024.

 

Consultation(s)

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee have reviewed the content and have made recommendations to Cabinet for its consideration. This is the only consultation that has taken place prior to this paper being presented to Cabinet. Consultation with other stakeholders is planned to take place, e.g. Council Taxpayers and Business Rates payers, the results of which will be incorporated into the report being presented to full Council on 21 Feb 2024.

 

Recommendations

 

That Cabinet consider any recommendations made by Overview and Scrutiny.

That Cabinet consider the list of proposed savings, the use of reserves and the setting of a savings target and decide on the combination to include in the Budget for 2024/25 so that a balanced budget can be recommended to full Council.

That Cabinet agree to use of any additional funding announced as part of the final Local Government Settlement announcement to replace the use of reserves.

That Cabinet decide which proposed new capital bids should be recommended to full Council for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

 

Reasons for recommendations

 

To enable the Council to set a balanced budget.

Background papers

 

2023/24 Budget report presented to full Council on 22 February 2023.

2024/25 Budget Report presented to Cabinet on 8 January 2024

 

 

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Lucy Shires

Contact Officer

Tina Stankley

Director of Resources and s151 Officer

tina.stankley@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

Links to key documents:

 

Corporate Plan:         

Strong Responsible & Accountable Council.

Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)                                

The setting of a balanced budget for 2024/25 provides the base position for reviewing the following years of the Medium-Term Finance Plan.

Council Policies & Strategies

Budget Setting & Medium-Term Finance Strategy.

 

 

Corporate Governance:

 

Is this a key decision 

Yes

Has the public interest test been applied

Yes

Details of any previous decision(s) on this matter

 

 

Decision:

Decision

RESOLVED

 

1.    To consider the list of proposed savings, the use of reserves and the settings of a savings target and decide on the combination to include in the Budget for 2024/25 so that a balanced budget can be recommended to Full Council

2.    To agree to the use of any additional funding announced as part of the final Local Government Settlement to re[place the use of reserves.

3.    To decide which proposed new capital bids should be recommended to Full Council for inclusion in the Capital programme.

 

Reason for the decision:

To enable the Council to set a balanced budget.

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Finance & Assets, Cllr L Shires, introduced this item. She referred to Appendix F, Capital Bids and said that this was not the final list and would be assessed prior to the start of the next financial year.

 

The DFR said that the final Local Government Financial Settlement (LGFS) announcement was still awaited. A 1% estimated increase in funding was included in the projections and the report to Full Council would include the final figure.

 

Cllr C Cushing referred to page 23 and £250k of savings yet to be identified. He asked for more information on this and if the Portfolio Holder could provide an update on the progress being made with these additional savings, when members would know what they were and whether they would be impacted by the anticipated 1% allocated by the LGFS. Cllr Shires replied that they would not be impacted by the 1%, she said that the £250k savings included lots of good proposals from officers which warranted further investigation and once these had been fully assessed, she was confident that the additional savings could be found. The Chairman added that there were implications and consequences for some of the proposed savings that needed to be fully explored. He added that the pressures on local government were unprecedented, particularly with the impact of inflation and temporary housing costs.

 

Cllr N Dixon sought clarification as to whether the recommendations from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee (agenda item 7) had been accepted by Cabinet. The Chairman confirmed that they had.

 

It was proposed by Cllr L Shires, seconded by Cllr T Adams and

 

RESOLVED

 

1.     To consider the list of proposed savings, the use of reserves and the settings of a savings target and decide on the combination to include in the Budget for 2024/25 so that a balanced budget can be recommended to Full Council

2.     To agree to the use of any additional funding announced as part of the final Local Government Settlement to re[place the use of reserves.

3.     To decide which proposed new capital bids should be recommended to Full Council for inclusion in the Capital programme.

 

Reason for the decision:

To enable the Council to set a balanced budget.

Supporting documents: