Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 1 August 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Informal Meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs held on 1 August 2022 be noted.
RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Governance and Audit Committee held on 25 July 2022 be noted.
RESOLVED- That the minutes of the Conwy Opportunities Board held on 26 July 2022 be noted.
A Minute’s silence was observed in memory of former Councillor, Bob Squire. No apologies for absence were received.
None.
None.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 1 August 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.
The minutes of the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 1 August 2022 were submitted for approval. RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 1 August 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Informal Meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs held on 1 August 2022 be noted.
The minutes of the Informal Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs meeting held on 1 August 2022 were submitted. RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Informal Meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs held on 1 August 2022 be noted.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Governance and Audit Committee held on 25 July 2022 be noted.
The minutes of the Governance and Audit Committee meeting held on 25 July 2022 were submitted. RESOLVED- That the minutes of the meeting of the Governance and Audit Committee held on 25 July 2022 be noted.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED- That the minutes of the Conwy Opportunities Board held on 26 July 2022 be noted.
The minutes of the Conwy Opportunities Board held on 26 July 2022 were submitted. RESOLVED- That the minutes of the Conwy Opportunities Board held on 26 July 2022 be noted.
The Head of Law and Governance reminded Members that 5 days’ notice was required in respect of questions to Cabinet Members, as per the Council’s protocol
The Scrutiny and Committee Services Officer presented Members with the individual Forward Work Programme (FWP) for the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined FWP. The following changes were highlighted: • An update on the North Wales Economic Ambition Board had been deferred to 17 October, 2022. • A report on the Mochdre Commerce Park had been provisionally scheduled for 21 November, 2022. • A report on the Corporate Procurement Strategy had been scheduled for 5 December, 2022. In line with the Constitution, Members of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be invited to attend for this item. • The Welsh Promotion Strategy had been deferred to January, 2023 as statistics would not be available until November, 2022. • A report in respect of the notice of motion, referred by Council in December 2021 relating to Universal Credit was due to be presented in November, 2022. The following was discussed: • A Member of the Committee questioned whether Officer attendance was monitored at meetings. - In response, Members were advised that there was no requirement to monitor Officer attendance and Officers would attend as and when required to present reports. • It was queried as to when the report on licenced deficits for schools would be provided to Members. The Scrutiny and Committee Services Officer would confirm with Officers when this would be available. • It was confirmed that a progress report on the Additional Learning Needs and Social Inclusion Funding Models would be presented in November, 2022. • It was proposed that the Notice of Motion – Review of Education Services and Schools be presented to a joint meeting of the Education and Skills and Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The Head of Law and Governance advised that any proposal to reconsider the notice of motion to a joint committee would be a matter for the Chair’s and Vice Chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees to consider, and accordingly if the proposal is made this would be passed on for consideration. The member confirmed that she would wish to proceed to make the proposal. RESVOLED: a) That the allocation of the Notice of Motion - Review of Education Services and Schools be reconsidered and allocated to a joint meeting of the Education and Skills and Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committees. b) That the Forward Work Programme for the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee be approved. In respect of (a) above, the Chair confirmed that the matter would be considered by the Chair’s and Vice Chairs of Scrutiny.
The Strategic Director – Finance and Resources presented a report on the Business Planning Framework 2023/2024. The report presented the planned timetable and governance arrangements in relation to the Business Planning Framework for 2023/2024, which would set the budget, together with a high level indication of the financial outlook for the forthcoming year. The following points were highlighted: · In issuing the final Local Government settlement for 2022/2023, Welsh Government (WG) provided, for the first time, indicative core revenue funding allocations for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. · The indicative allocations equated to an uplift in the first year of £177 million (3.5%) and in the second year of £128 million (2.4%). · Table 1 within appendix 1 of the report sought to plan for the 2023/2024 budget despite the lack of firm information. · In approaching the 2023/2024 budgets, Members would need to consider whether it was still appropriate to apply ‘blanket’ budget reductions across all services. · The Council faced a range of financial uncertainties and whilst the financial and economic climate continued to change, along with the WG response, assumptions had to be made. · Current uncertainties included: - Lack of detailed knowledge about the business cases that would be forthcoming from services; - The final outcome of the 2022 annual pay increases for Teaching and Local Government staff; - The trend of rapidly rising inflation and interest rates and the timing of any further increases/decreases; - The response by UK Government and WG in terms of additional public funding to respond to the pay and price inflationary pressures; and - The outcome of the Conservative Party Leadership election and its impact on Government policy. · A detailed medium term financial plan was currently being prepared and would be presented to Members in the autumn 2022. In scrutinising the report, Members discussed the following: · The need to highlight current financial pressures to the WG. - A budgetary pressures survey was being conducted by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and would be fed back to the WG. - Local information gathering was taking place in respect of budgetary pressures. · It was queried as to what alternative options would be explored as opposed to applying blanket budget reductions. - In response, the Strategic Director – Finance and Resources advised that some Service areas might be unable to continue if they were cut further. There may be a need to assess what services were statutory. - The Cabinet Member for Finance, Revenue and Benefits advised that revenue business cases would need to be essential and that earmarked reserves were being looked at. - Care home fees and out of county placements would need to be taken into consideration. - Reference was made to services that were fundamental in the delivery of frontline services such as Legal and Procurement. · It was suggested that a review of what services were delivered and what was good value was required along with a focus on efficiencies within business cases. - The Cabinet Member for Finance, Revenue and Benefits made reference to the Financial Resilience Task and Finish Group (which had only met once) and whether it could be amalgamated with the Budget Working Groups, to look at budget reductions and efficiencies. · In respect of the joint Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet workshop to review revenue Business cases and budget reductions, it was agreed that a scoring system be considered. · A steer was required from Cabinet as to the proposals that would be requested by Heads of Service. Exact balances would be looked at during the democratic process. · Concern was raised that the financial planning timetable did not include public consultation in respect of service cuts and council tax increases and that the Council should be transparent and inclusive, particularly during a financial crisis. - The Leader advised that Elected Members were in place to make decisions on behalf of residents. - Whilst consultations were important, one that was not meaningful would utilise unnecessary resources. - As it was a complex issue extensive material would need to be produced in order for the public to fully understand the impact on services. - Some Local Authorities did engage with the public in respect of their budget. · Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC) did not charge the rate that WG calculated that Council Tax should be set at, as part of their standard spending assessment. - It was suggested that a council tax rate that was recognised by WG be considered in order to be able to deliver better services. - It was suggested that CCBC’s council tax should be in line with neighbouring authorities. - Concern was raised that residents were struggling due to the cost of living crisis. · It was suggested that the report should include additional information, which included the parameters used for the indicative financial outlook. · There would be a greater deal of flexibility in respect of capital business cases and deliverable projects would be required in readiness for funding that may become available. · Concern was raised in respect of domiciliary care fees as this was a vital service that supported CCBC. - In response, the Strategic Director – Finance and Resources advised that care fees had been set using assumptions and detailed calculations in accordance with the consumer price index (CPI). - A mid-year review would take place in the autumn, however it was hoped that no mid-year review would be required for the next financial year. - Council reserves were to be protected for unforeseen pressures. - The majority of the budget was allocated to frontline services. Whilst a proposal was made in respect of setting the Council Tax precept at a minimum of 6%, this proposal was withdrawn following advice from the Head of Law and Governance that Members did not have enough information at present and that decisions in respect of Council Tax should be made as part of the budget setting process. Following the debate, the following amendments to the recommendations (which were seconded) were put forward. · That it was not appropriate to apply blanket reductions across all services and that there should be a strategic review of the functionality and impact of all services in order that an informed view could be taken in respect of budget reductions. · That the Revenue Budget 2023/2024 timetable be amended to allow residents to have their say on the proposed budget, service cuts and Council Tax Increases. Following a vote, it was RECCOMMENDED TO CABINET: a) That it was not appropriate to apply blanket reductions across all services and that a strategic review of the functionality and impact of all services be undertaken in order that an informed view be taken in respect of budget reductions. b) That the timetable and process for the Business Planning Framework for 2023/2024 be approved. c) That the scale of the potential funding gap in planning for the 2023/2024 budget be noted, whilst accepting that, in the current context, financial planning is extremely difficult.
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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