Issue - meetings

After the Cabinet Member for Finance, Administration and Community Wealth Building presented his report, it was proposed by Councillor Yates and seconded by Councillor Albon and Members agreed by recorded vote the recommendations detailed in the report, namely that Council approves:

(i) The General Fund revenue budget 2020-21 forecast position.

(ii) The General Fund Capital Programme 2020-21 forecast position.

(iii) The proposals to fund the budget gap created by Covid-19.

A recorded vote took place on this item due to the nature of the meeting being completely virtual.

The Monitoring Officer conducted a recorded vote on the motion as follows:

47 Members voted in favour of the motion: Councillors Albon, Ara, Ashbee, Bailey, Bambridge, J Bayford, R Bayford, Boyd, Campbell, Coleman-Cooke, Crittenden, Currie, Day, Dexter, Duckworth, Everitt, Farrance, Fellows, Game, Garner, Green, Gregory, Hart, Hopkinson, Huxley, Keen, Pat Moore, Ovenden, L Piper, Rev. S Piper, Rattigan, Rawf, Rogers, Roper, Rusiecki, D Saunders, M Saunders, Savage, Scobie, Scott, Shrubb, Taylor, Towning, Tomlinson, Wing, Wright and Yates.

No members voted against or abstained from this motion.

The motion was carried.

Cabinet discussed the 2020-21 budget monitoring report for General Fund revenue and capital, reflecting the latest forecasts in light of Covid-19. It also incorporates provisional figures for 2019-20. The council was facing unprecedented challenges this year as a result of COVID-19. Throughout this financial year, officers have been estimating the financial impact of the restrictions and initiatives that have been implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monthly Government returns that are based on managers’ projections have captured the estimated impact on revenue budgets. Government support will be essential to delivering a balanced position for this council. The meeting was advised that to date, Council has received £1.505m of emergency funding and at the time of writing the Cabinet report, a further £324k had been received, with a promise of further funding for some income loss. Any residual cost will rely on reserves for remedy, but the council’s reserves were already comparatively low before Covid-19 and therefore this places the council at further financial risk.

Councillor Yates proposed, Councillor Everitt seconded and Cabinet recommended the following to Council:

1.  The General Fund revenue budget 2020-21 forecast position;

2.  The General Fund Capital Programme 2020-21 forecast position;

3.  The proposals to fund the budget gap created by Covid-19.