Decision details

An update on the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy for the period 2020/21 - 2022/23

Full Council – 27 February 2020

The Leader and Members welcomed what was considered to be a positive report, inclusive of instances of investment, and both thanked and congratulated officers for their work. It was suggested the proposed budget would help lots of vulnerable people and lower paid staff in the health care sector.

A)        2020/21 BUDGET PROPOSALS

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL ON 27^th FEBRUARY, 2020:-

(i)        that the report of the Service Director Finance (S151 Officer), under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 at Section 1 be noted, that the 2020/21 budget proposals be agreed and that the Chief Executive and Senior Management Team (SMT), in consultation with Cabinet Spokespersons, submit, for early consideration, detailed plans that ensure the Council’s ongoing financial sustainability for 2021/22 andbeyond;

(ii)       that the revised Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and Forecast for 2020/21 to 2022/23 contained at Section 2a (supported by the suite of background papers in Sections 2b – 2g) be noted and monitored as part of the arrangements for the delivery of theMTFS;

(iii)      that the proposed efficiency savings in 2020/21 at Section 4a be approved for implementation and that the 2021/22 efficiency savings proposals at Section 4b be noted subject to further consideration in future budget processes taking account of any further Equality ImpactAssessments;

(iv)      that the cash limited budgets for each service with overall net expenditure for 2020/21 of£172.577M be approved;

(v)       that total additional one-off investments (capital and revenue) of £19.4M, including 2019/20 investments, as outlined at Section 5 be approved subject to further detailed reports on the proposals for itsuse;

(vi)      that provision be made to reflect a market supplement in the Council’s care contracts to help address the pay and condition issues in the local caremarket;

(vii)     that the 2020/21 – 2022/23 budget proposals presented at Sections 6a – 6c be approved subject to Cabinet receiving detailed implementation reports whereappropriate;

(viii)    that the changes to the schools funding formula including the transfer of funding from the schools block to the high needs block and the proposed 2020/21 schools block budget as set out at Section 6d be approved;

(ix)      that the new General Fund capital investment of £10.4M (Section7 Appendix and £13.5M (Section 7 Table 7) of specifically funded schemes be included within the capital programme and released subject to further detailed reports on the proposals for theiruse;

(x)       that the Aggregated Equality Impact Assessment (Section 9) of the proposals be noted and the proposed mitigation actions in the report beapproved;

(xi)      that the Chief Executive and SMT, in consultation with Cabinet Spokespersons, be required to submit reports into Cabinet, as a matter of urgency, in relation to the detailed General Fund Revenue Budget for 2020/21 on any further action required to achieve an appropriately balanced budget in addition to those proposals set outabove;

(xii)     that the Chief Executive and SMT be responsible for managing their respective budgets including ensuring the implementation of savingsproposals;

(xiii)    that the Authority's SMT be charged with ensuring that the budget remains in balance and report regularly into Cabinet on budget/savings monitoring  including any action required;

(xiv)    that Cabinet and the Section 151 Officer be authorised to make any necessary technical adjustments to form the 2020/21budget; and

(xv)     that appropriate consultation on the budget proposals takes place with the Trade Unions and representatives of Non Domestic Ratepayers and that the views of consultees be considered by Cabinet and the Council.

B)        COUNCIL TAX 2020/21

RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL ON 27^TH FEBRUARY, 2020:-

(i)        that the Council Tax Collection Fund net surplus as at 31^st March 2020 relating to BMBC of £3.200M be used to reduce the 2020/21 Council Tax requirement, in line with statute;

(ii)       that the 2020/21 Band D Council Tax increase for Barnsley MBC’s services be set at 3.90% (1.90% for Barnsley MBC services and an additional 2.0% for the Chancellor’s Adult Social Carelevy);

(iii)      that the Band D Council Tax for Barnsley MBC’s areas be determined following confirmation of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner and South Yorkshire Fire Authority precepts for2020/21; and

(iv)      that the Band D Council Tax for areas of the Borough with Parish/Town Councils be determined following confirmation of individual parish precepts for2020/21.

C)        TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND POLICY STATEMENT2020/21

RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL ON 27^TH FEBRUARY, 2020:-

(i)        that the 2020/21 Treasury Management Policy Statement at Section 2e Appendix A be noted;

(ii)       that the 2020/21 Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement detailed at Section 2e Appendix B be approved;

(iii)      that approve be given for the 2020/21 Borrowing Strategy at Section 2e including the full suite of Prudential and Treasury Indicators (Section 2e AppendixC); and

(iv)      that the 2020/21 Annual Investment Strategy at Section 2e be approved.