The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Finance and Resources, which had been referred direct by the Cabinet from the meeting held on 11 January 2024.

The report presented the draft budget proposals for 2024/25 to 2028/29 and illustrated over the medium term how the Council’s limited revenue and capital resources were being prioritised to respond to increasing demand and unavoidable cost pressures for the delivery of key statutory services. 

The Leader of the Council confirmed that Cabinet would consider the views of the Committee in respect of the following matters, in proposing the Council’s General Fund Revenue Budget for 2024/25 for adoption by the Council at its meeting to be held on 22 February 2024:

a)    The decommissioning of the Dementia Community Support team (TPP-03)

b)    The future of the Household Support Fund and the impact on the provision of Free School Meals.

c)     The proposal of pausing the Graduate Programme (ORE-04)

d)    The deferred review of existing library provision (SOC-06)

e)    The parks service review and the implementation of some short-term measures in 2023/24 (SOC-01)

f)      Private sector leasing (IGC-13) how landlords were selected, and arrangements made.

g)    Learning Disability and Mental Health Service Reviews (OSR-07)

h)    Home Care Electronic Monitoring (OSR-02).

i)      Waste Collection Contract in Appendix 5 (01-DLENV)

j)      Residential Savings (Childrens Social Care) – SCC’s purchased children’s home.

k)     Review Environment Protection Enforcement Model (ICG-12)

l)      The proposed increase of fees to the Southend Pass.

m)   The options from the Family Centres review (COI-04)

n)    Transitional Support Housing (TPP-02)

o)    The application of the departmental wide vacancy factor and the estimated value (COI-03).

p)    The reduction of sickness benefit (CAV-03) and profiling of “buying back” annual leave (CAV-04).

q)    Operational Estate Efficiencies (EAP-02) and any impact this would have on the driving test centre.

r)      Unavoidable cost pressures. Energy inflation costs for 2024/25 (04-COP) queried why the figures were not averaged out. It was agreed that updated figures will be re-factored into future proposals.

s)     Waste collection contract (01-DLENV) and forecast saving on a contract that had not yet started; it was clarified that this was not a cost saving but a cost avoidance in the contract extension period.

The relevant Cabinet Members undertook to provide written responses to questions raised by members of the Committee with regard to:

a)    The summary of General Fund Revenue estimates (Appendix 4) and the projected profit of £253,000 in the Highways, Transport and Parking portfolio, which service would be benefiting from the profit.

b)    To clarify the amount to savings in relation to the pause of the graduate training programme and whether there should be a smaller projection on the savings for the current year given it was being paused in September (£200,000 of savings projected for 2024/25, £200,00 in 2025/26 and £150,000 in 2026/27).

c)     The installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points, how many are the Council planning to install and how much profit in commission is expected to be received.

t)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58

Report of Executive Director (Finance and Resources) to follow

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director (Finance and Resources) presenting the draft General Fund Revenue Budget and capital investment priorities for 2024/25.

Resolved:

1. That it be noted that a detailed Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2024/25 – 2028/29 will be available for consideration in February 2024 and the draft Medium Term Financial Forecast and estimated Earmarked Reserves Balances up to 2028/29 (Annexes 1 and 2 to Appendix 1 to the submitted report), be endorsed.

2. That the draft Section 151 Officer’s statement on the robustness of the proposed budget, the adequacy of the Council’s reserves and the Council’s Reserves Strategy (Appendix 2 to the report), be noted.

3. That the appropriation of the sums to earmarked reserves totalling £7.161M (Appendix 3 to the report), be endorsed.

4. That the appropriation of the sums from earmarked reserves totalling £1.863M (Appendix 3 to the report), be endorsed.

5. That a General Fund Budget Requirement for 2024/25 of £150.074M and Council Tax Requirement of £103.495M (Appendix 4 to the report) and any required commencement of consultation, statutory or otherwise, be endorsed.

6. That it be noted that the 2024/25 revenue budget has been prepared based on using £1.000M from accumulated Collection Fund surpluses to support the core budget and to allow for a smoothing of the budget gap.

7. That a Council Tax increase of 4.99% for the Southend-on-Sea element of the Council Tax for 2024/25, being 2.99% for general use and 2.00% for Adult Social Care, be endorsed.

8. That it be noted that the position of the Council’s preceptors is to be determined:

·       Essex Police – no indication of Council Tax position 

·       Essex Fire & Rescue Services – no indication of Council Tax position

·       Leigh-on-Sea Town Council – no indication of Council Tax position

9. That no Special Expenses be charged other than Leigh-on-Sea Town Council precept for 2024/25, be endorsed.

10. That the proposed General Fund revenue budget growth due to unavoidable cost pressures of £19.035M (Appendix 5 to the report), be endorsed.

11. That the proposed General Fund revenue budget savings and income generation initiatives for 2024/25 of £14.315M (Appendix 6 to the report), be endorsed.

12. That the proposed General Fund revenue overspend reduction initiatives for 2024/25 of £2.795M (Appendix 7 to the report), be endorsed.

13. That the proposed General Fund revenue cost avoidance initiatives for 2024/25 of £1.990M (Appendix 8 to the report), be endorsed.

14. That the Dedicated Schools Grant budget and its relevant distribution as recommended by the Education Board (Appendix 9 to the report), be endorsed.

15. That the Capital Investment Strategy for 2024/25 to 2028/29 (Appendix 10 to the report) and the Capital Investment Policy (Annex 1 to Appendix 10), be endorsed.

16. That the following be endorsed:

(i) new schemes and additions to the Capital Investment Programme for the period 2024/25 to 2028/29 totalling £6.6M for the General Fund (Appendix 11 to the report).

(ii) schemes subject to viable business cases that have been identified as  ...  view the full decision text for item 76

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director (Finance and Resources) presenting the draft General Fund Revenue Budget and capital investment priorities for 2024/25.

Resolved:

1. That it be noted that a detailed Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2024/25 – 2028/29 will be available for consideration in February 2024 and the draft Medium Term Financial Forecast and estimated Earmarked Reserves Balances up to 2028/29 (Annexes 1 and 2 to Appendix 1 to the submitted report), be endorsed.

2. That the draft Section 151 Officer’s statement on the robustness of the proposed budget, the adequacy of the Council’s reserves and the Council’s Reserves Strategy (Appendix 2 to the report), be noted.

3. That the appropriation of the sums to earmarked reserves totalling £7.161M (Appendix 3 to the report), be endorsed.

4. That the appropriation of the sums from earmarked reserves totalling £1.863M (Appendix 3 to the report), be endorsed.

5. That a General Fund Budget Requirement for 2024/25 of £150.074M and Council Tax Requirement of £103.495M (Appendix 4 to the report) and any required commencement of consultation, statutory or otherwise, be endorsed.

6. That it be noted that the 2024/25 revenue budget has been prepared based on using £1.000M from accumulated Collection Fund surpluses to support the core budget and to allow for a smoothing of the budget gap.

7. That a Council Tax increase of 4.99% for the Southend-on-Sea element of the Council Tax for 2024/25, being 2.99% for general use and 2.00% for Adult Social Care, be endorsed.

8. That it be noted that the position of the Council’s preceptors is to be determined:

·       Essex Police – no indication of Council Tax position 

·       Essex Fire & Rescue Services – no indication of Council Tax position

·       Leigh-on-Sea Town Council – no indication of Council Tax position

9. That no Special Expenses be charged other than Leigh-on-Sea Town Council precept for 2024/25, be endorsed.

10. That the proposed General Fund revenue budget growth due to unavoidable cost pressures of £19.035M (Appendix 5 to the report), be endorsed.

11. That the proposed General Fund revenue budget savings and income generation initiatives for 2024/25 of £14.315M (Appendix 6 to the report), be endorsed.

12. That the proposed General Fund revenue overspend reduction initiatives for 2024/25 of £2.795M (Appendix 7 to the report), be endorsed.

13. That the proposed General Fund revenue cost avoidance initiatives for 2024/25 of £1.990M (Appendix 8 to the report), be endorsed.

14. That the Dedicated Schools Grant budget and its relevant distribution as recommended by the Education Board (Appendix 9 to the report), be endorsed.

15. That the Capital Investment Strategy for 2024/25 to 2028/29 (Appendix 10 to the report) and the Capital Investment Policy (Annex 1 to Appendix 10), be endorsed.

16. That the following be endorsed:

(i) new schemes and additions to the Capital Investment Programme for the period 2024/25 to 2028/29 totalling £6.6M for the General Fund (Appendix 11 to the report).

(ii) schemes subject to viable business cases that have been identified as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76