Decision details

To provide the Executive with an update on the current year’s predicted spending against budget and an outline of future financial prospects.

       i.         notes the identified best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Council’s

current year financial position summarised in Table 1 and detailed in Annex A of the Executive Director: Resources report.

     ii.         approves drawing the full £1.5m from the earmarked reserve for Inflationary

Costs to support the current year’s budget, as proposed in paragraph 5.3 of the Executive Director: Resources report.

    iii.         Endorses the actions agreed by the Corporate Management Team to help

contain expenditure in the current year as set out under paragraph 5.5 of the Executive Director: Resources report.

    iv.         Supports the proposed responses to immediate budget priorities set out in the

report and specifically:

a) approves drawings from reserves to meet time-limited costs proposed for

core foster care allowances (£0.154m in 2022/23, paragraph 5.10), social

worker recruitment and retention subject to detailed review by the

Employment Committee (£0.190m, paragraph 5.15) and SEND support

service staffing (£0.271m + £0.197m + £0.022m, paragraphs 5.25, 5.27 and

5.28); and

b) approves inclusion in the Commitment Budget 2023/24 funding of £0.371m

for core foster care allowances (paragraph 5.10), additional funding and

associated savings of £0.115m and -£0.179m respectively related to the

enhanced foster care approach, £0.456m for social worker recruitment and

retention proposals (paragraph 5.15) and £0.052m for SEND support service

staffing (paragraph 5.28).

     v.         Notes the Council’s predicted medium-term financial prospects detailed in

paragraphs 5.29 to 5.53 and summarised in Table 3 of the Executive Director: Resources report.

    vi.         Reaffirms its support for the 7 key principles to guide budget preparations set

out under paragraph 5.54 of the Executive Director: Resources report.

The recommendations are intended to ensure that the Executive is aware of the

Council’s current and predicted future financial position.

The Executive could choose not to support expenditure on the proposed priority

areas. This is not recommended as the measures proposed are viewed as

preventing more significant cost increases in the period ahead.

None

None.