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RESOLVED to accept the Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation 2024/25 to 2026/27 and endorse the Charging Digest, as detailed in Appendix C to the report.
RESOLVED that the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2025/26 and associated appendices be endorsed.
RESOLVED that the Five-Year Capital Programme 2025/26 – 2029/30 be endorsed.
RESOLVED to receive the report.
RESOLVED that 8.1 the 2025-26 Divisional Delivery Plans for Financial Services, Revenue & Financial Compliance, Economic Development & Property, Law, Governance and Civil Services, Media & Marketing and People, Digital & Policy, be received. 8.2 a development session be provided for members on Oleeo, the recruitment System.
RESOLVED that 9.1 the report be received. 9.2 a development session on the Thinqi system be provided for the Committee.
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting for the 16th April, 2025.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gareth John, Dai Nicholas and Darren Price, Leader.
Councillor Minute Number Nature of Interest A. Evans Item 7 – Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring Report 2024/25 9. Item 9 – 2024/25 Quarter 2 – Performance Report (01/04/24 -30/09/24) Relevant to this Scrutiny Personal and Prejudicial D. Jones Item 9 - 2024/25 Quarter 2 – Performance Report (01/04/24 -30/09/24) Relevant to this Scrutiny Personal and Prejudicial There were no declarations of any prohibited party whips.
No public questions had been received.
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RESOLVED to accept the Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation 2024/25 to 2026/27 and endorse the Charging Digest, as detailed in Appendix C to the report.
The Committee considered the Corporate Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation 2025/26 to 2027/28, which provided a current view of the revenue budget for 2025/26 to 2027/28. The Committee took into account the provisional settlement used by Welsh Government on the 11th December, 2024. Members were reminded that the report had been considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 13th January 2025 and members of the Committee had recently attended consultation events which had provided an opportunity to analyse and seek clarification on various aspects of the budget. The Committee were advised that the final settlement was expected to be published by Welsh Government on the 25th February, 2025 alongside the Welsh Government budget, the day before full council meets to agree the final budget. The cost value of the settlement was materially above the planning figure of a 1.0% increase, however the scale of additional cost pressures that all councils were facing meant that there remained a funding shortfall. It was highlighted that the critical importance of minimising the Council Tax increase for residents whilst maintaining a balanced budget in these challenging times was recognised. It was noted in the report that the Council Tax increase for next year had been amended to 9.75%, seeking to mitigate reductions to critical services and provide the greatest level of protection to school budgets. There was uncertainty for years 2 and 3, and as such a model indicative Council Tax increase of 5% each year. It was considered that this would provide at least some mitigation to the savings proposals which the council needed to consider over future years of the Medium-Term Financial Plan. The Committee thereupon considered the following detailed budget information appended to the Strategy, relevant to Corporate and Performance Scrutiny:- Appendix A – Corporate Budget Strategy 2025/26 to 2027/28 Appendix A(i) – Efficiency summary for the Chief Executive and Corporate Services departments Appendix A(ii) – Growth Pressures summary for the Chief Executive and Corporate Services departments Appendix B – Budget monitoring report for the Chief Executive and Corporate Services departments Appendix C – Charging Digest for the Chief Executive and Corporate Services departments Amongst the issues raised during consideration of the report were the following: · The Cabinet Member for Resources, in response to a query regarding the NI increases, informed members that the authority had an estimated £4million shortfall provided for centrally. · RESOLVED to accept the Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation 2024/25 to 2026/27 and endorse the Charging Digest, as detailed in Appendix C to the report.
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RESOLVED that the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2025/26 and associated appendices be endorsed.
The Cabinet Member for Resources presented the proposed Treasury Management Policy and Strategy 2025/26. As part of the requirements of the revised CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management the Council was required to maintain a Treasury Management Policy detailing the policies and objectives of its treasury management activities, and to approve a Treasury Management Strategy annually prior to the commencement of the financial year to which it related. Additionally, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 2003, the Council was required to approve its Treasury Management Prudential Indicators for the coming year. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2025/26 and associated appendices be endorsed.
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RESOLVED that the Five-Year Capital Programme 2025/26 – 2029/30 be endorsed.
The Cabinet Member for Resources presented the 5-year capital programme which provided an initial view of the 5-year Capital Programme from 2025/26 to 2029/30. The report formed the basis of the budget consultation process with members and other relevant parties and any feedback, along with the final settlement and would inform the final budget report which would be presented to Cabinet, and in turn to Council in February 2025. The proposed gross expenditure on the capital programme for 2025/26 is £91.853m with the projected funding being £40.624m from the county council’s own resources through the application of borrowing, reserves, direct revenue financing, capital receipts and general capital grant, with the balance of £51.229m coming from external sources. Whilst the new capital programme was fully funded in the first year, the report noted that over the five-year programme, at time of consultation, £2.206m was unfunded. Future funds would need to be identified, or the scope of investments amended accordingly. The Capital Programme was aimed at delivering a number of key projects that would create jobs and improve the quality of life for the people of Carmarthenshire. Decarbonisation was a priority for the Authority and design briefs for new projects were to include an emphasis on carbon efficiency. Amongst the issues raised during consideration of the report were the following: · In response to a query regarding the future of Burry Port Harbour, the Director of Corporate Resources confirmed that the authority would be working with a third party for the development and operation of the harbour. · The Director of Corporate Resources, in response to a query regarding improvements to road networks within the County, made reference to the new WG initiative, whereby Council’s would borrow funding and WG would repay capital charges over the next 20 years. · In response to a query asking how many county farms required investment for slurry storage, the Cabinet member for Resources informed that information would be provided outside of the meeting. RESOLVED that the Five-Year Capital Programme 2025/26 – 2029/30 be endorsed.
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RESOLVED to receive the report.
[NOTE: Councillor A. Evans having earlier declared an interest in this item remained in the meeting for its consideration and voting thereof.] The Cabinet Member for Resources presented the Authority’s Corporate Budget Monitoring Report and the Chief Executive’s and Corporate Services departmental reports as at 31st October 2024 in respect of the 2024/25 financial year. The monitoring report forecasted an overspend for the year at departmental level of £19.2m including school budgets, with a forecasted overspend on the Authority’s net revenue budget of £8.7m. The Cabinet Member for Resources informed members that the Welsh Government had now confirmed grant funding for both Teachers pay, as well as Teachers and Firefighters employers’ pensions increases, which was expected to be cost neutral, mitigating the risk. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to receive the report.
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RESOLVED that 8.1 the 2025-26 Divisional Delivery Plans for Financial Services, Revenue & Financial Compliance, Economic Development & Property, Law, Governance and Civil Services, Media & Marketing and People, Digital & Policy, be received. 8.2 a development session be provided for members on Oleeo, the recruitment System.
The Committee considered the 2025-26 Divisional Delivery Plans for Financial Services; Revenue & Financial Compliance; Economic Development & Property; Law, Governance and Civil Services; Media & Marketing and People, Digital & Policy, together with the Council Well-Being Objectives (WBO) detailed reports falling within the remit of the committee namely: · WBO1 – Enabling our children and young people to have the best possible start in life (Start Well) · WBO2 – Enabling our residents to live and age well (Live and Age Well) · WBO3 – Enabling our communities and environment to be healthy, safe and prosperous (Prosperous Communities) · WBO4 – To further modernise and develop as a resilient and efficient Council (Our Council) The Cabinet Member for Organisation and Workforce in presenting the report, highlighted that the Business Plans were working documents and may be subject to change over the course of the year in response to changing circumstances. In the completion of the business plans, divisions have considered the outcomes that were hoped to have been achieved (as noted in the Corporate Strategy), the findings of the most recent resident’s consultation and the conclusions of the most recent Self Assessments. The comments/observations were responded to as follows: · In response to a query regarding the difficulties in attracting people to social care roles within the authority, the Assistant Chief Executive informed members that there was a workforce strategy in place and that Carmarthenshire County Council was an attractive employer. In order to gain a wider pool of applicants for lower grade roles, it was important to use language accessible and straightforward in job profiles and media advertising. · The Assistant Chief Executive, in response to a query on recruitment, agreed for the Committee to have a development session regarding Oleeo, the recruitment system used by the authority. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that 8.1 the 2025-26 Divisional Delivery Plans for Financial Services, Revenue & Financial Compliance, Economic Development & Property, Law, Governance and Civil Services, Media & Marketing and People, Digital & Policy, be received. 8.2 a development session be provided for members on Oleeo, the recruitment System.
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RESOLVED that 9.1 the report be received. 9.2 a development session on the Thinqi system be provided for the Committee.
[NOTE: Councillor A. Evans having earlier declared an interest in this item remained in the meeting for its consideration and voting thereof. Councillor D. Jones having earlier declared an interest in this item left the meeting for its consideration.] The Committee considered a report for monitoring purposes, on Quarter 2 -2024/25 of the Actions and Measures linked to the Authority’s Corporate Strategy and the Well-Being Objectives. Amongst the issues and queries raised on the report were the following: · In response to a query, the Corporate Policy and Partnership Manager confirmed that the target for complaints within the statutory deadline had not been reached, due to the volume and complexity of cases received. The Corporate Policy and Partnership Manager informed the committee, that comparative data between Welsh local authorities would be circulated outside of the meeting. · The Cabinet Member for Resources, in response to a query on whether lobbying from the WLGA was being met in a positive manner, commented that a letter had been signed by Leaders of the Welsh Authority’s to lobby Welsh Government due to the challenging forecasted budget. · The Assistant Chief Executive explained that the Transformation Team were working with members on occupancy of Council buildings. Parc Myrddin is currently being reviewed and County Hall and Spilman Street would be reviewed in the near future. · In response to a query on costings of works at Ty Elwyn, the Director of Corporate Resources informed that he would respond to the Committee outside of the meeting. · In response to a query on how the authority monitors the e-learning progress of staff, the Assistant Chief Executive agreed that it would be of benefit for members to view the system at a development session. · Reference was made to the work being undertaken with schools and sixth form colleges to communicate to pupils the range of jobs and career opportunities available with the Council. RESOLVED that 9.1 the report be received. 9.2 a development session on the Thinqi system be provided for the Committee.
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RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting for the 16th April, 2025.
The Committee was advised that due to only two reports scheduled, the date of the next meeting, 6th March, 2025, would be cancelled and the reports to be considered at the meeting on the 16th April, 2025. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting for the 16th April, 2025.
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on the 18th December, 2024 be signed as a correct record.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
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