Issue - meetings

In the exercise of its Public Sector Equality Duty, as set out below, the County Council must have full regard to and consider the impact of any proposals in relation to equalities prior to making any decisions and any identified significant risks and mitigating action required.  The overview of the impact assessments for all service areas entitled ‘2021/22 Budget Impact Assessment’ has been circulated separately and is available to all Members of the Council for consideration under this item (alongside any specific equality impact assessments undertaken as part of the budget’s preparation) at https://www.devon.gov.uk/impact/budget-2021-2022/.

To receive and approve the Report of the County Treasurer (CT/21/17) together with the Minutes of the Cabinet held on 12th February 2021 relating to the budget and the Scrutiny Budget Resolutions from 28th January 2021, attached.

Minutes from the recent Scrutiny Budget meetings (Children’s Scrutiny, Health and Adult Care and Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services) are also attached for the information of Members.

The Report of the County Treasurer will follow.

The Cabinet Minutes will be available to view at https://democracy.devon.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=133&MId=3838&Ver=4 shortly.

The MOTION in the name of Councillor Hart was put to the vote and declared CARRIED.

All Members of the Council had been granted a dispensation to allow them to speak and vote in any debate on the setting of the Council Tax or Precept or any fees and charges arising therefrom as a consequence of simply being a resident of or a land, business or property owner in the administrative County of Devon or by being a County Council representative on a local authority company or joint venture or by being a parent or guardian of a child in a school on any matter relating to school meals and school transport, or in relation to being an approved foster parent, providing placements for the Council’s Children in Care or in relation to the setting of members’ allowances or as a parent or a guardian of a child in care or in receipt of statutory sick pay or a pension.

The Council considered the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting (Minute 625 (a - t) of 12th February 2021), together with the Report of the County Treasurer on the Revenue Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2021/22 - 2024/25 and Capital Programme 2021/22 - 2025/26 (CT/21/17), including an assessment of the adequacy of reserves, a range of prudential indicators concerning the financial implications of the capital programme and an assessment that identified the risks associated with the budget strategy, together with how the risks would be managed.

The budget book contained details of the County Council’s revenue and capital budgets together with associated financial and operational information. There was a requirement to prepare a Capital Strategy in line with the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities 2017 and this was also included. The Budget Book contained:

·         Revenue Budget Overview;

·         Statement on the Robustness of the Budget Estimates, the Adequacy of Reserves and Affordability of the Capital Strategy;

·         Capital Strategy and Programme Overview 2021/22 - 2025/26;

·         Service Budgets;

·         Fees & Charges;

·         Medium Term Financial Strategy 2021/22 - 2024/25;

·         County Fund Balance and Earmarked Reserves 2021/22;

·         Treasury Management Strategy 2021/22 - 2024/25 and Prudential Indicators 2021/22 - 2025/26;

·         Capital Strategy; and

·         Risk Analysis of Volatile Budgets; and Abbreviations.

The targets set for each service area had been subject to different pressures and influences.

The Chair of the Council MOVED that the Minutes of the Children’s Scrutiny Committee, Health and Adult Care Scrutiny and Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Budget Scrutiny Committee meetings held on 25^th, 26^th and 28^th January 2021 relating to the annual estimates be approved.

The MOTION was subsequently put to the vote and declared CARRIED.

The Council noted that the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee had, at that meeting on 28^th January 2021, considered and endorsed the proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2021/22, prior to determination of the budget for that year.

The Council further noted that the Council’s financial plans had been drawn up with reference to the County Council’s major policies and objectives, the County Council’s performance framework, demographic changes occurring within the County;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 345

Report of the County Treasurer (CT/21/16) on the Council’s Budget and Cabinet Service Budgets for 2021/2022, will follow, due to the final settlement not yet having been received.

The Cabinet will accordingly also consider the outcome of the Budget Consultation Meetings with representatives of the Devon Business Community, Older People and the Voluntary Sector and Trade Unions (CSO/21/5) and the Overview and Scrutiny Budget Recommendations (CSO/21/6).

Cabinet are also asked to note the role of the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee on 28 January 2021 (Minute 215) in reviewing and endorsing the Report of the County Treasurer (CT/21/14) on the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy for 2021/22.

(Councillors Biederman, Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade and Hannaford attended remotely in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered and had regard to:

(i) the Report of the Chief Executive (CSO/21/5) summarising the outcomes of and comments/observations made at consultation meetings with representatives of Devon’s Business Community, Trades Unions, representatives of Older People and the Voluntary Sector;

(ii) the discussions of the Council’s Scrutiny Committees (CSO/21/6) held on 25^th January, 26^th January and 28^th January 2021, the recommendations being summarised and attached to the agenda;

(iii) a revised 2021/22 Budget Impact Assessment, which had been circulated to all Members of the Council prior to the meeting and available at https://www.devon.gov.uk/impact/budget21-22/ undertaken as part of the budget’s preparation;

(iv) the Report of the County Treasurer (CT/21/16) (also circulated prior to the meeting in line with Regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012)) on the Revenue Budget for 2021/22, Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2024/25 and Capital Strategy 2021/22 to 2025/26, including an assessment of the adequacy of reserves, a range of prudential indicators concerning the financial implications of the capital programme and an assessment that identified risks associated with the budget strategy, together with how the risks would be managed. The budget book contained details of the Council’s revenue and capital budgets together with associated financial and operational information. 

The Cabinet noted that the Council’s financial plans had been drawn up with reference to the Council’s major policies and objectives, its performance framework, demographic changes and consultation with local residents, businesses and other stakeholders.

The Cabinet noted the role of the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee on 28 January 2021 (Minute 215) in reviewing and endorsing the Report of the County Treasurer (CT/21/14) on the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy for 2021/22, which had been prepared in accordance with the revised Treasury Management Policy Statement and revised CIPFA Code of Practice for Treasury Management. The Treasury Management and Investment Strategy set out the minimum revenue provision (MRP) policy, capital expenditure funding, prudential indicators, the current treasury position, debt and investments; prospects for interest rates; the borrowing strategy; and the investment strategy.

The Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee had endorsed and commended the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy 2021/22 to the Cabinet.

The final Local Government financial settlement (Settlement Funding Assessment) for 2021/22 had been announced and was £103.2 millions which was the same as 2020/21. The settlement was for one year only and was based on the Spending Round 2020 (SR20). The main points of the SR20 being set out below:

·         Council Tax –the council tax referendum limit would be 2% for local authorities with social care authorities allowed a 3% social care precept. The settlement confirmed districts would be allowed to apply the higher of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 625