Issue - meetings

Report of Chief Executive

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor Stephen Holt

(Key decision):

(1) To note progress made with delivery of the Stability and Growth programme.

(2) To agree a Productivity Plan for submission to Government by 19 July 2024.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Executive, providing an update on the delivery of the Stability and Growth programme and to seek its agreement to submission of a Productivity Plan to Government.

The Stability and Growth Programme (S&G) was designed to support the council’s work to deliver significant savings for the council, helping to address the financial challenges currently being faced.

Following central government’s agreement to Exceptional Financial Support being offered to the council for 2023/24 and 2024/25, one of the conditions of the loan was that the council was required to establish an Independent Panel to oversee and drive progress towards implementation of the Assurance Review recommendations from Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in the summer of 2023. Three members had now been appointed and they would augment with the already established Stability and Growth Member Board. A further condition of the loan was that an additional Assurance Review would be undertaken with CIPFA and that was due to start shortly.

Cabinet members gave due regard to the Equality and Fairness Analysis in relation to this report and it had been circulated to them in advance of the meeting.

Resolved (Key decision):

(1) To note progress made with delivery of the Stability and Growth programme.

(2) To agree a Productivity Plan for submission to Government by 19 July 2024.

Reason for decision:

The Stability and Growth programme works to drive improvement and efficiency, in line with the needs of the organisation, and also the recommendations made by the Assurance Reviews and the Local Government Association Peer Challenge.