Issue - decisions

Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy update

26/11/2021 - Update on the Council's financial position and Medium-Term Financial Strategy

RESOLVED

 

i)     That the changes in the Council’s financial position in 2021/22 and the medium-term be noted.

 

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

 

ii)    That the charges from 1 April 2022 for the garden waste subscription service are increased from £42 for the first bin to £44 and for any subsequent bin increased from £33 to £35.

 

iii)    To approve the creation of a £2,500 revenue budget for a short breaks funding grant from West Sussex County Council and matching expenditure in the 2021/22 leisure services budgets.

 

iv)   To approve the creation of a £99,271 revenue budget for Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) grant funding from West Sussex County Council and matching expenditure in the 2021/22 environmental health service budgets.

 

v)    To approve the creation of a £139,000 revenue budget for Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) grant funding from West Sussex County Council and matching expenditure in the 2021/22 housing services budgets.

 

vi)   To approve the creation of a £78,946 revenue budget for Winter 2021 COVID-19 rent arrears financial support grant funding from Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities and matching expenditure in the 2021/22 housing services budgets.

 

vii)  Subject to the safety net being put in place, recommend to Council that it approves the Council joining the West Sussex Business Rates pool in 2022/23.

 

REASON

 

ii)    The Council needs to acknowledge the effects of the local situation occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued impact this is having on its financial position both in the short and medium-term. This has moved the council from what has been a long-term healthy financial position to one with predicted deficits.  However, given the level of uncertainty in the projections, the economy and proposed Government action the report does not recommend direct action to reduce expenditure at this stage.

 

ii)    The costs of running the garden waste service increase by inflation, and this price increase is passing this cost onto users of the service.

 

iii)    The short breaks grant will be spent on a Family Fun Day at Chanctonbury Leisure Centre for disabled children and young people before the end of March 2022. This will form an additional part of the Reaching Higher project.

 

iv)   The COMF grant will be spent preventing health inequalities and on COVID-19 risk management.

 

v)    The housing COMF grant will be spent on a range of interventions and housing solutions to support those affected by homelessness and risk of homelessness associated with COVID-19

vi)   The Winter 2021 COVID-19 rent arrears financial support grant will support low-income private renters with COVID-19 related arrears to avoid eviction or find a new home.

 

vii)  Joining the West Sussex business Rates pool should benefit the County and therefore the district by retaining locally generated business rates, using it to further support the economic regeneration of the wider West Sussex area.