The Chief Officer – Finance & Trading presented the report which set out updates to the 2024/25 budget process within the existing framework of the 10-year budget and savings plan.

Some changes had been made to future assumptions and they would be continued to be reviewed during the budget process. The key cost driver continued to be inflation, with pressure coming through on service demand, the pay award and the cost of goods and services. The items listed in Appendix E reported a current annual budget gap of £1.368m. Members were advised that they were likely to have to make more difficult decisions during the 2024/25 budget setting process than they had had to make for many years. Members noted an error in Appendices G and H, which included two savings SCIAs which did not fall within the remit of the Committee. These SCIAs would not be voted on and would instead be presented to People & Places Advisory Committee.

No further items for savings or growth were put forward by Members of the Housing and Health Advisory Committee.

Informed by the latest information from Government and discussions from Cabinet, it was proposed that the Council once again set a balanced 10-year budget and continued to aim to be financially self-sufficient with no direct funding from Government through additional Revenue Support Grant or New Homes Bonus.

In response to questions, the officer explained that the budget retroactively incorporated external funding, but did not assume its existence for the purposes of balancing the budget. Balancing the budget over 10 years allowed for greater flexibility in addressing large surprise costs.

The report presented a growth item that had been identified which needed to be considered, and requested further suggestions from the Advisory Committee, before finalising the budget for 2024/25.

The Committee considered the proposal as set out in Appendices G and H, which was a one-off increase of £150,000 in budget to support the homelessness service.

Members gave further consideration to additional suggestions for growth and savings which had been suggested by Members. The suggestions were not relevant to this Advisory Committee, and were referred to the appropriate Advisory Committee.

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

Resolved:  That it be recommended to Cabinet that

a)      The growth proposal (SCIA G1) identified in Appendices G&H to the report applicable to this Advisory Committee, be considered; and that

b)      That no further income or growth proposals were identified.

CHANGE IN THE ORDER OF AGENDA ITEMS

The Chairman, with the Committee’s agreement, brought forward consideration of agenda items 9 and 10.