Agenda and draft minutes

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Contact: Anthony Clements 01708 433065  Email: anthony.clements@oneSource.co.uk

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Items
No. Item

36.

DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting.

 

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

 

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of interest.

37.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 289 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 24 November 2021 and 7 December 2021 (attached) and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meetings of the Board hekd on 24 November and 7 December 2021 were agreed as a correct record.

38.

2022/23 BUDGET SETTING CYCLE pdf icon PDF 276 KB

Reports attached for scrutiny by Board.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Officers summarised the economic context of the budget reports. Public sector debt had gone up as a result of the pandemic and the Government wished to reduce borrowing. Rises in the fuel and power cost base had been higher in London and this had led to pressure on staff retention. Homelessness costs were also higher in London than the rest of the UK.

 

The budget report set out a balanced budget for 2022/23 but there remained a deficit of £26.4m for the four years up to 2026. A 1% rise in the adult social care precept was proposed together with a 1.99% increase in core Council Tax.

 

There remained uncertainty over the level of Government funding beyond the next year and the planned Fair Funding Review had not commenced yet. The levelling up agenda was likely to see a move of funds away from London and there remained inflation and energy cost pressures.

 

There had been some reduction in cost pressures due to savings from use of the Freedom Pass but demographic pressures were likely to increase costs. Savings had been identified by bringing more properties back into eligibility for Council Tax and a new model of cross-London procurement. The Spans and Layers review would see a reduction of around 400 posts by the end of September. A voluntary release scheme was operating in most areas and less use was being made of agency staff. Savings had also been identified by use of the Better Living project for social care and a review of high cost placements. Details of savings achieved by the Better Living project could be circulated.

 

Risks included it being increasingly difficult to find further savings, that income expected from the Health Sector may not come through and the emergence of any further Coronavirus variants. The Council’s reserves had also reduced to £8m.

 

The budget consultation had run from November 2021 to January 2022 and received a total of 456 responses. The priorities identified by the consultation had been social care, NHS services and crime/community safety. Respondents had been supportive of most savings proposals with some concern (32% of respondents) being expressed about the planned staffing reductions. 43% of respondents to an on-line survey supported a Council Tax increase of up to 2%. Some extra funding for social care was also favoured.

 

The level of capital finance required was likely to rise significantly in 2022/23 due mainly to increased investment in housing. This funding was linked by to the Medium Term Financial Strategy by the Treasury Management Strategy Statement which was reviewed by Audit Committee three times a year.

 

Rent levels would increase by 4.1% but no more than a 10% rise in gas charges would be passed on to tenants. It was clarified that the national Council Tax rebate for energy costs was a separate payment from the main Council Tax account.

 

Enhanced IT systems had previously been introduced with reducing staff numbers, partly due to the impact of the pandemic. Examples included Fusion covering HR,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

39.

APPROVAL TO AWARD THE CONTRACT FOR SUPPORT, SUPPLY, INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CCTV CAMERAS FOR ENFORCEMENT OF MOVING TRAFFIC CONTRAVENTIONS pdf icon PDF 461 KB

Completed Executive Decision report attached for scrutiny by the Board (exempt appendix not available to press or public).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Due to time constraints, this item was not considered.