Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: that the budget reduction proposals discussed above are noted.

Tom Brown, Executive Director for Community Service, introduced the report by providing some context in which this round of cuts in coming.

1.1  The financial impact of Covid for next year is forecast to be £22m. No new funding for this has yet been announced.

1.2  The impact of additional costs and lost income on council tax and business rates in expected to be more than £10m in the coming year.

1.3  There is also significant pressures on services in excess of £6m - £5m in relation to adult social care and £1m in relation to children’s social care.

1.4  The provisional local government settlement included an increase in funding of less than 1%. There will also be a one-off ‘new services’ grant of £6.6m next year.

1.5  In this context, the medium term financial strategy has identified a gap of at least £18.3m.

1.6  The first budget cut proposal allocated to this committee is C-40, Substance misuse - contract review and staffing. This is an efficiency saving that came out of contract negotiations. This has resulted in £92k being able to be invested elsewhere.

1.7  The second budget cut proposal allocated to this committee is E-14, Changes to leisure concessions for older people. This is a reduction in automatic entitlement to universal free swim and gym for people over 60. The Be Active programme with affordable concessionary “pay and play” rates will continue. People registered as disabled will still able to benefit from free swim and gym.

1.8  In response to questions about eligibility for disabled residents, it was noted that free swim and gym will continue to be available for those in receipt of disability benefits.

RESOLVED: that the budget reduction proposals discussed above are noted.