Issue - meetings

This report sets out the Council’s budget proposals for 2025 - 26.  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 27 February 2025.

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 2025-26:

1.     Councillor Conneely, as Chair of the Scrutiny 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 2025 - 26 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 evidence sessions as part of the scrutiny process.  In emphasising the ongoing nature of the financial challenges and pressures faced by the Council, Councillor Conneely reiterated the need for fundamental reform of the current way in which local authorities were funded, given the inadequacy of the existing funding regime.

In outlining the comprehensive nature of the process undertaken by the Task Group in reviewing the budget proposals, it was hoped Cabinet would actively seek to take forward the recommendations made as a result which, it was highlighted, had included a focus on:

·             The impact of the proposed changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme and package of support being provided for more vulnerable residents in seeking to manage the impact, which it was noted the Resource & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee would continue to monitor.

·             The need to review the way in which the use of funding generated through Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy could be maximised to provide optimal community benefit; and

·             The way in which the Council’s commissioning and procurement arrangements could be enhanced to provide greater cost efficiency, value for money and social value.

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

2.     Councillor Lorber who, whilst recognising the financial crisis faced by local government, felt it important to highlight the £150m reserve of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) funding held in Brent.  Whilst aware of the restrictions in the permitted use of this funding, Councillor Lorber felt stronger representations needed to be made to the Government in seeking to ease the restrictions and provide greater flexibility and autonomy in how the Council could use this funding given the wider pressures and demands faced by key local services and in addressing what he felt to be the current poor state of the borough.  In closing, he felt the £150m SCIL reserve identified could make a significant contribution towards addressing the issues residents were concerned about and therefore was keen to encourage ongoing lobbying of Government to allow Councils to decide how to spend that money and avoid the need for further cuts to services.

Having noted the comments made by Councillor Lorber and welcoming and supporting the approach taken and recommendations made by the Budget Scrutiny Task Group, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)        To recommend to Full Council an overall  ...  view the full decision text for item 8

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

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. 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 the ongoing nature of the financial challenges and pressures faced by the Council, Councillor Conneely reiterated the need for fundamental reform of the current way in which local authorities were funded, given what was widely regarded to be the inadequacy of the existing funding regime.

Having outlined the comprehensive nature of the process undertaken by the Task Group in reviewing the budget proposals Cabinet was advised that the key recommendations made had included a focus on:

·             The impact of the proposed changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme and package of support being provided for more vulnerable residents in seeking to manage the impact, which it was noted the Resource & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee would continue to monitor.

·             The need to review the way in which the use of funding generated through Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy could be maximised to provide optimal community benefit; and

·             The way in which the Council’s commissioning and procurement arrangements could be enhanced to provide greater cost efficiency, value for money and social value.

In concluding, Councillor Conneely once again thanked all those involved for their participation in the Task Group 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 the Scrutiny Budget Task Group, Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) commended the thorough nature of the approach and robust challenge undertaken by the Task Group with the recommendations made as a result now subject to active consideration in terms of how they could be taken forward and way in which progress would be reported and monitored by scrutiny.  The Leader thanked all those involved for their contribution as a key part of the budget consultation process.

As a further contribution the Leader then invited Councillor Lorber to speak who took the opportunity, in also recognising the financial crisis faced by local government, to highlight the £150m reserve of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) funding held in Brent.  Whilst aware of the restrictions in the permitted use of this funding, Councillor Lorber felt stronger representations needed to be made to the Government in seeking to ease the restrictions and provide greater flexibility and autonomy in how the Council could use this funding given the wider pressures and demands faced by key local services and in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8