Issue - meetings

Reporting Person – Leigh Clarke

Councillor Ashall, Portfolio Holder for Corporate Financial Planning and Policy, introduced a report which presented to the Executive the Draft Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2022-23 to 2024/25 and draft General Fund budget for 2022/23.  It was noted that a Member Briefing on the MTFS had taken place on 11 November 2021.  Councillor Ashall highlighted that some £4.9m of savings had been identified, and thanked the Finance Director and her team for their hard work on the draft MTFS and draft General Fund budget.

Discussion ensued on electric vehicle (EV) charging points and the opportunity to increase revenue by installing more charging points in the Borough.  Councillor Davis, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change Strategy, advised that the Council had been quick to respond to providing EV charging points and had installed technology very early on.  However, some of the technology was old and took all day to charge an EV.  Officers were currently looking at the older EV charging technology.  It was noted that proposals were being developed to charge for use of electric charging bays within car parks to include existing charging points and the new charging points which will be provided in the new car parks from Spring 2023.

Regarding the community engagement which was currently taking place around the Borough, Members were advised that a report on the outcomes of the community roadshows would be received by the Executive at its meeting on 20 January 2022.

Following a question regarding the possible impact of a rise in interest rates on Thameswey the Executive was informed that mitigation processes were being put in place by the Finance Director.

RESOLVEd

That  (i)    the draft General Fund Budget for 2022/23 be received;

          (ii)   Managers, Corporate Leadership Team and Portfolio Holders continue detailed budget preparation to secure savings for consideration by the Executive in February 2022; and

          (iii)  the savings and efficiency proposals at Appendix 3 to the report be noted.

Reason:   Consideration of these proposals will enable the preparation of the Council’s budgets for 2022/23 to proceed.