Decision details

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2023-2027 Consultation

Decision Maker: Economy and Growth Committee

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

To respond to the budget consultation.

Decisions:

The Committee received a report on the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2023-2027 and the revenue and capital proposals contained within the MTFS relating to the Committee’s responsibilities. As part of the consultation process the Committee was asked to provide comments and feedback to the Corporate Policy Committee on proposals related to the responsibilities of the committee.

 

The following comments were raised by Committee:

 

  • concern that Members had not been involved in the drawing up of the proposals before them in the report.  In previous year there had been session with finance officers to discuss proposals before they went into the MTFS.  It was asked if it was possible for the background workings behind each proposal to be circulated to the committee for information.
  • Ref 64 Assets Buildings and Operational – the Committee was concerned that only spend on maintenance where there was a specific Health and Safety risk was not a sustainable approach and could cost the Council more in the long term.

·         Ref 66 & 67 Rates increase for Cheshire East properties - it was asked why the rates increase for Cheshire East properties were being funded from the Collection Fund earmarked reserve. In response it was reported that the proposal were the result of the increase in business rates payable by Council due to the Valuation Office Revaluation which took effect on 1st April 2023. The estates rationalisation exercise was ongoing and this may ultimately reduce the level of business rates payable by the Council and therefore the uplift in rates currently forecast could be temporary.

·         Ref 68 Office Estate Rationalisation – clarification was sought and given that the reference to Macclesfield Library related to the physical building and not the service.   It was also raised if there would be a separate formal consultation about the move of the library building.

  • Ref 72 Assets Transactions – it as commented that using auctions to dispose of property was not always the best way to dispose of property quickly and did not always achieve the best price.
  • Ref 75 Restructuring Potential – it was suggested that the Council should look at retraining or upskilling staff before using schemes such as MARS.  It was also queried if there was scope for transferring non-statutory services/non-income generating posts to town and parish councils.

 

RESOLVED: 

 

1          That the Committee notes

 

1          the year-end forecast outturn position for 2022/23, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

 

2          the financial context and proposals contained within the Executive Summary of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (as set out in the MFTS report at Annex C, Section 1).

 

3          the Revenue Grant Funding, as set out in Appendix 4 to the report

 

4          the Earmarked Reserves, as set out in Appendix 5 to the report.

 

2          The Committee feedback be noted on the proposals within the MTFS, as related to the Committee’s responsibilities, that can support and advise full Council in fulfilling its responsibilities to approve a balanced budget for 2023/23 in the following areas:

 

            1          Revenue Proposals, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report

 

            2          Capital Programme, as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report.

 

Report author: Paul Goodwin

Publication date: 27/01/2023

Date of decision: 17/01/2023

Decided at meeting: 17/01/2023 - Economy and Growth Committee

Accompanying Documents: