Agenda item

The Chamberlain to be heard.

Members received a report of the Chamberlain relative to the budget setting approach for 2023/24.

The Chairman highlighted the briefing meeting to be held with senior Members in December, before the budgets were submitted to the Finance Committee, and suggested that members of the Efficiency and Performance Working Party should be invited to this once the date had been set.

Members noted a developing trend in which departments were overspending more frequently than underspending. At the request of the Chairman, the Chamberlain clarified the processes by which overspends and underspends were handled. Service committees and chief officers were expected to manage within their budgets, but there was scope for conversations on overspends in particular risk areas. Although any change from the decision made by the Policy and Resources Committee was a change in resource allocation, the Chamberlain said that if it was a reasonable request, and the Finance Committee was sympathetic, there were two methods. The budget could be revised, or the Chamberlain could try to accommodate the request in the overall envelope. Some judgements could be made at the revised budget stage. This had not occurred previously as there had mainly been underspends, but the Chamberlain expected to see it happen far more. Some of the risks in budgets would have numbers addressed. There was a contingency budget for inflation.

At the request of a Member, Officers undertook to provide a road map setting out the Corporate Plan timeline alongside the budget timelines.

RESOLVED, that – the report be received and its contents noted.