The Director of Finance will submit a report (Document “AI”)which sets out the update on budget decisions and Council Tax including new proposals for consultation with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions for 2022-23.

Recommended –

It is recommended that Executive, having considered the Council’s public

sector equality duty as set out above:

(1)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the proposed Council Tax and Social Care precept for 2022/23 set out at in section 3.5 to 3.7. to Document “AI”.

(2)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the proposed one off Council Tax support initiatives for 2022/23 as set out in section 3.9 and 3.10 to Document “AI”.

(3)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions amendments to previously agreed savings proposals for 2022/23 set out in section 3.14 to Document “AI”.

(4)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the one off investments to address existing pressures as set out in section 3.17 to Document “AI”.

(5)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the recurring investments as set out in section 3.18 to Document “AI”.

(6)  Note the proposed use of reserves as set out in section 3.21 and 3.22 to Document “AI”.

(7)  Approve for consultation the proposed new capital schemes as set out in section 4.11 and 4.12 to Document “AI”.

(8)  Approve the consultation mechanisms and processes set out in section 5 to Document “AI”.

Overview & Scrutiny Area: Corporate

(Andrew Cross - 07870 386523)

The Director of Finance submitted a report (Document “AI”)which set out the update on budget decisions and Council Tax including new proposals for consultation with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions for 2022-23.  The Director in setting out the proposed Budget for 2022/23 alluded to the following headline figures which were set out in Document “AI”:

·                     A Council Tax increase of 1.99% in line with the Chancellor’s Comprehensive Spending Review assumptions.

·                     An Adult Social Care precept increase, currently forecast at 1%        in line with the Chancellors Comprehensive Spending Review assumptions.

·                     A £50 Council Tax discount for working age Council Tax        Reduction Scheme             recipients for one year only to cushion the         withdrawal of the Government’s             Council Tax Hardship Grant           for low income households. The scheme would cost £1.6m in         2022-23.

·                     Council Tax support for care leavers by extending the 100% discount for Care Leavers scheme up to the age of 25 (from 21), at a cost of £52k.

·                     Previously agreed Welfare Advice/Customer Services savings of £350k would also be deferred by a further year to help provide additional support to low income households.

·                     No new redundancies or cuts to services arising from these   proposals.

·                     £552k of new investment into Children’s Short Breaks.

·                     £10.5m to address existing Children’s and Adult Social Care pressures.

·                     £22.4m provision for inflation (4%); National living Wage increases for Social Care and other workers (a 6.6% increase from £8.91 to £9.50 per hour for over 23s), and the cost of National Insurance Contribution increases.

·                     The intent to continue to focus on the delivery of efficiencies and cost effective service delivery whilst improving outcomes.

The Leader thanked officers in Finance for the work undertaken in drafting the 2022/23 Budget, stressing that this would be a one year budget and therefore there were difficulties in planning beyond April 2023, given the uncertainties.

Despite a proposed Council Tax increase, the Council Tax base remained one of the lowest charged in the country.  As well as providing numerous services it was important to understand that around 60% of the Council budget was spent on social care and this demand was increasing as well as the associated costs.  The Leader thanked the care workers in the district for their dedication and hard work.

No redundancies were proposed in the Budget, however there remained considerable instability in terms of future Council funding and she urged that future Council funding had to reflect the essential role Councils played up and down the country.

In the sphere of Adult Social Care the dedication of the workforce was commended by the Portfolio Holder, particularly during the pandemic.  Despite the launch of the Government White Paper on the future funding of Social Care, services had to be sufficiently funded as they were a vital statutory service.

In the area of Children’s Social Care, the Portfolio Holder stressed that pressures remained and the Council was doing everything in its capacity to support the Children in its care and those that were vulnerable.

The Neighbourhoods and Community Safety Portfolio Holder stated that despite Government cuts, the Council continued to invest in communities and officers were working hard at ward level to improve services, particularly in supporting communities during the pandemic.

The Deputy Leader and the Education and Skills Portfolio Holder stated that the proposed Budget was an ambitious one and it was important that the Government recognised the volume of work Councils’ delivered and make good on its promises on the levelling up agenda.

The Regeneration, Transportation and Planning Portfolio Holder stated that recovery was key in coming out of the pandemic.  To this end Darley Street market, Bradford Live and 1 City Park were key components of this recovery and these regeneration projects were progressing well. He also welcomed the Keighley and Shipley Town Funds, which will again bring much need investment and regeneration to key towns in the district.

A main opposition Ward Councillor was present and questioned the impact of the living wage and the proposed increase in National Insurance contributions, and the cumulative impact of these changes on the budget.  In response it was stated that further details were awaited before assumptions or implications of these changes could be made on the budget.

Resolved –

That having considered the Council’s public sector equality duty as set out in Document “AI”, the Executive:

(1)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the proposed Council Tax and Social Care precept for 2022/23 set out at in section 3.5 to 3.7. to Document “AI”.

(2)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the proposed one off Council Tax support initiatives for 2022/23 as set out in section 3.9 and 3.10 to Document “AI”.

(3)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions amendments to previously agreed savings proposals for 2022/23 set out in section 3.14 to Document “AI”.

(4)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the one off investments to address existing pressures as set out in section 3.17 to Document “AI”.

(5)  Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the recurring investments as set out in section 3.18 to Document “AI”.

(6)  Note the proposed use of reserves as set out in section 3.21 and 3.22 to Document “AI”.

(7)  Approve for consultation the proposed new capital schemes as set out in section 4.11 and 4.12 to Document “AI”.

(8)  Approve the consultation mechanisms and processes set out in section 5 to Document “AI”.

ACTION:       Director of Finance / Strategic Directors as appropriate

Overview & Scrutiny Area: Corporate