Decision details

Medium Term Financial Strategy Consultation 2025/26 - 2028/29 Provisional Settlement Update (Children & Families Committee)

Decision Maker: Children and Families Committee

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

All Committees were being asked to provide feedback in relation to their financial responsibilities as identified within the Constitution and linked to the budget alignment approved by the Finance Sub-Committee in March 2024. Responses to the consultation would be reported to the Corporate Policy Committee to support that Committee in making recommendations to Council on changes to the current financial strategy.

Decisions:

The Committee received a report which sought feedback on the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2025/26 – 2028/29 for Corporate Policy Committee to consider on the 6 February 2025 ahead of the final approval of the 2025/26 budget at full Council on 26 February 2025.

 

The Committee provided scrutiny and comments in relation to

 

-       Whether a reduction in pension cost contributions was realistic given that the local government pension scheme was re- evaluated every April and typically should keep line with the Consumer Price index (CPI).

-       Why the 3% levy on traded services was being reversed.

-       Concerns in respect of whether the funding staffing establishment model was sustainable as although investment would be increased next year, this would then be reduced over the following two years.

-       Concerns around the proposed savings in service quality, particularly in the accommodation support offer for 16-25 young people.

-       How did Cheshire East compare with other local authorities in terms of its spend per capita on children’s services.

-       Welcomed the efforts being made in terms of recruitment and wrap around support to retain staff.

-       Assurance sought around the tracking and visits for asylum seeking children post covid.

 

In response to a question raised in respect of the Youth Justice service contributions nearly doubling, officers stated that there was a split between the Youth Justice Service and safeguarding and that more details on the split would be provided in a written response.

 

RESOLVED (By Majority)

 

The Children and Families Committee

 

 (a) Recommend to the Corporate Policy Committee, for their meeting on 6 February 2025, all proposals within Appendix A of the report, as related to the Committee’s responsibilities, for inclusion on the Council’s budget for 2025/26.

 

(b) Identify any further budget change proposals, as related to the Committee’s responsibilities, that could assist Corporate Policy Committee in presenting an overall balanced budget to Council for 2025/26.

 

(c)  Note the capital growth items listed in Appendix B and the revenue implications noted in paragraph 23 of the report.

 

(d) Note the contents of Appendix C of the report – Provisional Local Government Settlement 2025/26 (Finance Sub Committee).

 

(e) Note the contents of Appendix D of the report – Council Tax benchmarking and scenarios (Finance Sub Committee) and consider what the impact of any requests for a change of Council Tax policy would be.

 

Report author: Tracy Baldwin

Publication date: 16/01/2025

Date of decision: 13/01/2025

Decided at meeting: 13/01/2025 - Children and Families Committee

Effective from: 24/01/2025

Accompanying Documents: