Agenda item

That the Executive:

a)    Approved the budget setting process set out within this report to allow a balanced budget to be set by the Council; and in consideration of the comments of the Finance and Resources Scrutiny Committee as set out in Section 6 of the report;

b)    Noted the proposed timeline for the setting of the budget may be subject to change in line with Government announcements;

c)    Endorsed the proposed scrutiny arrangements as set out in Section 6 of this report following comments from the Finance and Resources Scrutiny Committee also shown in Section 6.

d)    Approved the consultation proposals set out in Section 7 of the report.

e)    Delegated authority, on an equal basis, to the Leader and Executive Member for Finance and Transformation, in consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive and the Executive Director of Finance, to determine the final arrangements for the consultation process.

Reason for Decision – To seek approval for the budget strategy process for the 2022/23 budget and the medium-term financial plan top 2025/26.

The Chair, Cllr Jason Smithers invited Cllr Mark Pengelly to address the meeting. Cllr Pengelly stated the importance of public consultation as part of the budget setting process and referenced the need to continue lobbying government in light of the saving requirements facing the Council. The Chair thanked Cllr Bunday for his comments.

Cllr Lloyd Bunday, Executive Member for Finance and Transformation introduced a report that set out the draft budget strategy for 2022/23 and covered the period to 2025/26. Members were asked to consider and approve the approach to consultation and Equality Impact Assessments as part of the budget setting process, alongside the process to scrutinise the draft budget and Medium-Term financial assumptions. The timeline for the process leading up to the setting of the budget was also included.

It was noted that public consultation in relation to the budget setting process was of great importance, with public accessibility to the scrutiny element of the budget also required to ensure that the Council was delivering best value for its residents. 

Councillor Bunday thanked the former North Northamptonshire Shadow Authority for their work in setting the 2021/22 budget and stated that the Council’s ongoing Transformation Project was critical to allow for the setting and delivering of a balanced budget going forward.

It was heard that when considering the report at its meeting on 30^th November 2021, the Council’s Finance and Resources Scrutiny Committee had generally approved of the contents but requested an additional reserve budget scrutiny session be put in place for each Directorate to allow for additional scrutiny if required. In addition, the Committee had requested that a dedicated scrutiny session be allocated specifically for the Children’s Trust and that public consultation on the draft budget should be as wide as possible, with the option to access consultation documents made available at all libraries in North Northamptonshire, not just those of the Council.

As a consequence of these recommendations, Cllr Smithers, as the Leader of the Council and Cllr Bunday, in consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive and Executive Director of Finance would be working together to put together the most robust budget consultation process possible.

RESOLVED:-

That the Executive:

a)    Approved the budget setting process set out within this report to allow a balanced budget to be set by the Council; and in consideration of the comments of the Finance and Resources Scrutiny Committee as set out in Section 6 of the report;

b)    Noted the proposed timeline for the setting of the budget may be subject to change in line with Government announcements;

c)    Endorsed the proposed scrutiny arrangements as set out in Section 6 of this report following comments from the Finance and Resources Scrutiny Committee also shown in Section 6.

d)    Approved the consultation proposals set out in Section 7 of the report.

e)    Delegated authority, on an equal basis, to the Leader and Executive Member for Finance and Transformation, in consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive and the Executive Director of Finance, to determine the final arrangements for the consultation process.

Reason for Decision – To seek approval for the budget strategy process for the 2022/23 budget and the medium-term financial plan top 2025/26.