A) 2021/22 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL ON 25 FEBRUARY 2021
a) 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 21/22 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 from ‘Our Be Even Better Strategy’ that ensure the Council’s ongoing financial sustainability in 22/23 and beyond.
b) that the revised Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and Budget Forecast for 21/22 to 23/24 contained at Section 3 (supported by the suite of background papers in Sections 3a – 3f) be noted and monitored as part of the arrangements for the delivery of the MTFS.
c) that the specific ongoing investment in relation to the Glassworks and the resources set aside to address the anticipated ongoing service pressures caused by COVID 19 highlighted in Section 2 are considered and approved.
d)
that the proposed efficiency savings in 21/22
highlighted in Section 3 and detailed at Section 5a
be approved for implementation and that the 22/24 efficiency
savings stemming from ‘Our Be Even Better Strategy’ at
Section 5b be noted with final approval to take place as
part of the 22/23 budget setting process.
e) that the £12.7M of one-off resources identified following the 21/22 local
government finance settlement highlighted in Section 3 be set aside to support the ongoing COVID recovery and to provide additional financial resilience to deal with any challenges posed by the UK’s exit from the European Union.
f) that the Council’s updated reserves position at Section 3c be noted.
g) that the Capital Investment Strategy at Section 3d be approved.
h) that the proposed changes to the 21/22 fees and charges policy and accompanying schedule of charges set out at Section 3f be approved.
i) to submit to Council for approval the cash limited budgets for each service with overall net expenditure for 21/22 of £186.2M as highlighted in Section 6a.
j) to consider the budgets for all services and approve, for submission into Council, the 21/22 – 23/24 budget proposals presented at Sections 6a – 6c, subject to Cabinet receiving detailed implementation reports where appropriate.
k) to consider and approve the changes to the schools funding formula including the transfer of funding from the schools block to the high needs block and approve the proposed 21/22 schools block budget as set out at Section 6d.
l) that the capital investment schemes totalling £6.8M (Section 7 Appendix 1), be included within the capital programme and released subject to receiving further detailed business cases where appropriate.
m) to note the capital investment proposals of £116.6M (Section 7 Appendix 2) which are currently the subject of live external funding bids / specific Government announcements and thereafter to receive regular updates on their progress.
n) that the capital investment proposals totalling £96.4M (Section 7 Appendix 3) be progressed for further detailed feasibility work / business case development.
o) that the Aggregated Equality Impact Assessment (Section 9) of the budget proposals be noted and the proposed mitigation actions in the report be approved.
p) 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 21/22 on any further action required to achieve an appropriately balanced budget in addition to those proposals set out above.
q) that the Chief Executive and SMT be responsible for managing their respective budgets including ensuring the implementation of all approved saving proposals.
r) 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.
s) that Cabinet and the Section 151 Officer be authorised to make any necessary technical adjustments to form the 21/22 budget.
t) 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.
u) that the budget papers be submitted for the consideration of the full Council.
B) Council Tax 2021/22
RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL ON 25 FEBRUARY 2021
That Cabinet note the contents of Section 3b (21/22 Council Tax options) and that:
a) the Council Tax Collection Fund net surplus as at 31st March 2020 relating to BMBC of £3.2M be used to reduce the 21/22 Council Tax requirement, in line with statute.
b) the 21/22 Band D Council Tax increase for Barnsley MBC services be set at 2.90% (1.4% for core Council services and an additional 1.5% for the Chancellor’s Adult Social Care precept).
c) 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 for 21/22.
d) the Band D Council Tax for areas of the Borough with Parish / Town Councils be determined following confirmation of individual parish precepts for 21/22.
e) additional support be provided to all working age claimants of Local Council Tax Support in the form a flat payment of £125 per claimaint.
C) TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND POLICY STATEMENT 2021/22
RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL ON 25 FEBRUARY 2021
That Cabinet approve the 21/22 Treasury Management Strategy and Policy Statement (included in the main papers at Section 3e) and specifically:
a)
approve the 21/22 Treasury Management Policy
Statement (Section 3e Appendix A).
b) approve the 21/22 Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement (Section 3e Appendix B).
c) approve the 21/22 Borrowing Strategy at Section 3e including the full suite of Prudential and Treasury Indicators (Section 3e Appendix C).
d) approve the 21/22 Annual Investment Strategy at Section 3e.