Issue - meetings

Draft General Fund Budget 2021-22

Meeting: 19/11/2020 - Executive (Item 11)

11 Draft General Fund Budget 2021-22 EXE20-029 pdf icon PDF 231 KB

Reporting Person – Leigh Clarke

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Ashall, Portfolio Holder for Corporate Financial Planning and Policy, introduced the report which outlined the draft General Fund Budget for 2021-22.  Councillor Ashall explained that the report represented an interim stage in the business planning process of the Council.  Attention was drawn to the table on page 187 of the agenda pack which set out the forecast Covid-19 outturn for 2020-21.  The loss of revenues in particular from car parking charges and commercial rents was highlighted.  Councillor Ashall stated that although the Council’s reserves were strong, it was proposed to request permission from Government to spread the Council’s losses over a longer period through use of a Capitalisation Direction.

Following a question, it was confirmed that the Kestrel Way Units had been let.  Regarding HG Wells, Officers reported that discussions were taking place with the owners of the building in order to reduce the cost to the Council of owning the building for longer.

The Executive was advised that the draft General Fund Budget did not include provision for staff pay increases in 2021-22.

RESOLVEd

That  (i)    the draft General Fund Budget for 2021/22 be received;

          (ii)   Managers, Corporate Management Group and Portfolio Holders continue detailed budget preparation to secure savings for consideration by the Executive in February 2021; and

          (iii)  the Finance Director seeks confirmation from the government of continued funding to cover the impact of the pandemic into 2021/22 and requests permission to spread losses on commercial and unfunded service income experienced in 2020/21-2022/23 over 50 years through use of a Capitalisation Direction.

Reason:   Consideration of these proposals will enable the preparation of the Council’s budgets for 2021/22 to proceed.