HC 64/22
The Committee considered a report that set out the
draft Revenue and Capital Budget Proposals for 2023-24.
In discussion, the following points were
raised:
a)
The Section 151 Officer informed that
Central Government had just published a Policy Statement on the
Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 to
2024/25. In summarising its contents,
the officer committed to providing a detailed breakdown to all
Members outside of this meeting;
b)
A Member sought clarity on the
Council’s involvement in the administration of Devon County
Council’s Better Care Fund. In
reply, it was confirmed that these Funds were passported to the Council and administered in the
form of Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs). The primary purpose of DFGs was to make
adaptations to properties so as to enable residents to remain
living independently within their own homes;
c)
A Member queried the use of New Homes
Bonus Funding by the Council and why this was not being directed
towards the delivery of Affordable Housing Projects. In reply, it was noted that Section 106 Monies and
other funding streams (such as Housing Reserves) were available to
support Affordable Housing development and that the New Homes Bonus
funds were currently used to support other Capital Bids and the
Revenue budget. In recognition of the
recently declared Housing Crisis, the Leader stated that this
current budgeting practice would be kept under review;
d)
Members wished to put on record their
thanks to the Section 151 Officer and her Finance Team for the
monumental effort in producing these budget papers.
It was then RESOLVED that:
i) the
forecast budget gap for 2023/24 of £137,296 (1.6% of the
Projected Net Budget of 23/24 of £8.69million) and the
position for future years be noted;
ii) the timescales for closing the budget
gap in 23/24and future years, to achieve long term financial
sustainability be noted;
iii) the current level of Unearmarked and Earmarked Reserves set out in
Appendix C of the presented agenda report be noted, as well as the
net contributions to Earmarked Reserves modelled for 2023/24 (set
out in Appendix A of the presented agenda report);
iv) the
outline initial proposals for the Capital Programme for 2023/24 of
£905,000 as set out in Appendix D of the presented agenda
report be noted (with Full Business Cases to be presented to
Members as part of the January 2023 budget cycle of
meetings);
v) the views of the Hub Committee on the
draft Revenue Budget Proposals and the outline capital bids for
2023/24 be noted;
vi) the
views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the draft Revenue
Budget Proposals and the draft Capital Budget Proposals for
2023/24, be requested at its meeting taking place on 17 January
2023;
vii)
Council be RECOMMENDED that West Devon Borough Council
continue to be part of the Devon Business Rates Pool for 2023/24,
subject to there being no announcements within the Finance
Settlement (expected to be announced in mid-December), which in the
opinion of the S151 Officer (in consultation ...
view the full minutes text for item *HC 64/21