Issue - decisions

       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.