Issue - meetings

This report sets out the Council’s budget proposals for 2024 - 25.  It also sets out the results of the consultation, scrutiny and equalities processes.  Subject to approval by Cabinet, these will form the basis of the budget to be considered at the Full Council meeting on 29 February 2024.

The report also sets out the overall financial position facing the Council for the medium term and highlights the significant risks, issues and uncertainties.

Cabinet NOTED the following comments made in advance of considering the main report on the Budget & Council Tax 2024-25:

1.     Councillor Conneely, as Chair of the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee and Budget Scrutiny Task Group, summarising the main recommendations from the Task Group in relation to the budget process, which had been included as Appendix D to the Budget and Council Tax 2024/25 report. In introducing the report, Councillor Conneely began by thanking all members of the Budget Scrutiny Task Group along with everyone else who had participated in the scrutiny process.  In emphasising that the upcoming financial year would be the most challenging for local authorities across the country, Councillor Conneely reiterated the need for extensive reform of the current way in which local authorities were funded, given the inadequacy of the existing funding regime.

Due to the cumulative impact of funding cuts on local government and other public services as a result of austerity over the previous decade Councillor Conneely, in presenting the outcome of the Task Group review, highlighted the importance placed on collaboration between neighbouring local authorities, partners and the voluntary and community sector to not only deliver vital services to residents, but to also counter the competitive environment imposed by discretionary grant funding which positioned councils against each other.  This emphasis on collaboration had been reflected in the Task Group recommendations, which included the establishment of a shared outcomes framework with the voluntary and community sector to co-design and co-deliver budget proposals. Furthermore, the Task Group had recommended implementing additional shared service agreements with other local authorities with Councillor Conneely also advising that the Task Group had welcomed the decision to retain use of the New Millenium Day Centre, which would be operating under a new shared service arrangement.

Highlighting other key recommendations made as part of the review, Councillor Conneely also referred to the Task Groups support in seeking a better alignment of NHS resources to population need and for increased delegation of budgets and decision making to the Brent Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), in order to better address local need and enable more clinically led collaboration at local level.  As part of the wider approach towards addressing the budget challenges identified the Task Group had also been keen to support and recommend the development of a longer term strategic approach towards income generation including yearly action plans and a robust monitoring process to enable the adoption of a more holistic approach (with dedicated cross departmental resource) to investigate and identify additional opportunities to generate income.

In concluding, Councillor Conneely once again thanked all those involved for their participation in the review process and commended the recommendations made by the Budget Scrutiny Task Group to Cabinet for consideration as part of the budget setting process.

2.     Councillor Georgiou, who began by echoing the concerns expressed at the challenging nature of the financial pressures faced by local authorities, created by a combination of factors such as the significant underfunding of local authorities, Brexit,  ...  view the full decision text for item 7

Prior to consideration of the main report, Councillor Muhammed Butt (Leader of the Council) advised that he had agreed various requests to speak in relation to the budget report and proposals, with the comments received as follows.

As an initial contribution, Councillor Conneely was invited, as Chair of the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee and Budget Scrutiny Task Group, to introduce the main findings and recommendations within the Budget Scrutiny Task Group report, which had been included as an appendix to the Budget and Council Tax report 2024-25.  In introducing the report, Councillor Conneely began by thanking all members of the Task Group and everyone else who had participated in the scrutiny process.  In emphasising that the upcoming financial year would be one of the most challenging for local authorities across the country, Councillor Conneely highlighted what she felt to be the need for extensive reform of the current way in which local authorities were funded, given the inadequacy of the existing funding regime.

Due to the cumulative impact of funding cuts on local government and other public services as a result of austerity over the previous decade Councillor Conneely, in presenting the Task Group report, highlighted the importance placed on collaboration between neighbouring local authorities, partners and the voluntary and community sector to not only deliver vital services for residents, but also to counter the competitive environment imposed by discretionary grant funding which positioned councils against each other.  This emphasis on collaboration had been reflected in the Task Group recommendations, which included the establishment of a shared outcomes framework with the voluntary and community sector to co-design and co-deliver budget proposals. Furthermore, the Task Group had recommended implementing additional shared service agreements with other local authorities with Councillor Conneely also advising that they had welcomed the decision to retain use of the New Millenium Day Centre, operating under a new shared service arrangement.

Highlighting other key recommendations made as part of the review, Councillor Conneely also referred to the Task Groups support in seeking a better alignment of NHS resources to better reflect the local population and need and for increased delegation of budgets and decision making to the Brent Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), in order to enable more clinically led collaboration at local level.  As part of the wider approach towards addressing the budget challenges identified, the Task Group had also been keen to support and recommend the development of a longer-term strategic and more holistic approach towards income generation including yearly action plans and a robust monitoring process with dedicated cross departmental resource.

In concluding, Councillor Conneely once again thanked all those involved for their participation in the review process and commended the recommendations made by the Budget Scrutiny Task Group to Cabinet for consideration as part of the budget setting process.

In welcoming the contribution from Scrutiny Budget Task Group, Councillor Tatler as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Reform supported the view that the 2024-25 budget setting process was likely  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7