The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Investment presented the report which set out progress made in preparing the 2020/21 budget and updates Members on key financial information.

The Chief Officer Finance & Trading set out that included in the last report was an assumption that £93,000 of net savings/additional income per annum was included for this budget cycle.  The SCIAs listed in Appendix D to the report showed that savings exceeding this amount were being proposed but that there were also growth items proposed. If all of the proposals were accepted by Cabinet together with the changes to assumptions, further savings / additional income of £99,000 per annum would still be required to produce a balanced 10-year budget.

There were still some uncertainties as the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement was not expected to be announced until January 2020, which could include changes to the current assumptions such as increasing the Council Tax referendum limit.

All of the further growth and suggestions made by the Advisory Committees were discussed in detail. 

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved:  That

a)      SCIAs 1-10 (20/21) listed in Appendix E be progressed;

b)      SCIAs be presented to Cabinet in January on the following growth and savings suggestions put forward by the Advisory Committees listed in Appendix F:

Growth

i)          Extending the contract for the Urban Design Officer (Development and Conservation);

ii)        Reviewing Enforcement resources to maintain recent improvements to the service (Development and Conservation);

iii)      Establishing a programme of suitable tree planting (Cleaner and Greener).

Savings

i)        Maximising the potential of leisure facilities in Edenbridge (People and Places);

ii)        Reducing paper and print (Improvement and Innovation);

iii)      Electric Car Project (Improvement and Innovation);

iv)      Reviewing Treasury Management Strategy constraints (Finance and Investment);

v)        Reviewing Property Investment Strategy constraints (Finance and Investment);

vi)      Advertising income opportunities including at Sevenoaks Bus Station (Finance and Investment).

c)      Request that officers identify further savings options to be included in the Budget Update report to Cabinet on 9 January 2019.

d)      Actions on growth and savings suggestions made by the Advisory Committees that are not being progressed as SCIAs.

                                i)            SDC facilitate youth work (People and Places) – Kent County Council to be contacted.

                              ii)            Tourism (People and Places) – present a separate report to Cabinet.

                            iii)            Bulky Waste (freighter) collection – improve Parish Council awareness which may increase income (Improvement and Innovation) – market to Parish Councils.

                            iv)            Additional HERO Officer (Housing and Health) – this was not necessarily an item for 2020/21.  However, as funding may not be present in future years, Members were advised that it should remain in budget consideration for the future.

                              v)            Providing our own energy supply – buying in bulk from suppliers (Housing and Health) – include in the Net Zero work.