Last night was the meeting of the Council’s Executive Committee, on which I serve as one of the opposition group leaders.
This was a special meeting of the Executive to receive reports relating to the Council’s budget for next year (2008-2009).
Finance Report for this Year
The Council is expecting to end the year with a relatively small deficit (£233, ooo) in the current financial year. The main area of additional spending is in the adult care services area - some overspending in Physical Disability Services, but mostly a large ovespend in Learning Disability Services. These services are obviously dificult to control expenditure as they are “demand led” (i.e. if a disabled person is in need of a support then the council has to provide it). I know that there are plans in place to address this situation over the coming year.
For the next three items, the Executive Committee received reports, which will now go to the special Budget Council meeting next week where the final decisions will be made:
Housing Revenue Account 2008-2009
This reports set out the level of rent increases and other charges that will affect the 8,000 or so properties that are managed by Six Town Housing.
Capital Budget 2008-2009
This report set out the spending on “capital items” (major investments in infrastructure) during the next year. Almost £100 million is proposed to be invested over the next three years, the bulk of which is funded by external sources (mostly for highways or schools).
Revenue Budget 2008-2009
This report sets out how the Council is proposing to spend money next year. There are a number of important decisions that will be left to the full meeting of the Council next week. These include:
- what savings will need to be made to ensure that expenditure does not exceed income.
- what the increase in Council Tax will be for 2008-2009
- what new expenditure will take place from the “Prioirty Investment Reserve”.
These important decisions will be made at the Special Council meeting next Wednesday (20 February). The Liberal Democrat group plan to move an amendment to the proposals to ensure that more money is spent in a number of important areas for local people.
Finally the meeting considered an urgent report on Corporate Parenting. This set out how the Council will improve its responsibility as “corporate parents” of children in its care.
Copies of the papers for the Executive Committe, which include the budget papers for next week’s Council are available on the Council’s website here.
If you have any questions or comments about this, especially the budget process please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Tim
