Issue - meetings

Report of Chief Executive

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor David Tutt

(Key decision):

(1) To note the progress made with the Recovery and Reset Programme

(2) To agree the Priority Based Budget proposals, set out at Appendix A to the report.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Executive, updating them on progress of the Recovery and Reset Programme.

To ensure that the Council achieved a balanced budget in future years, savings of £6.7 million would be required. The budget planning process for 2022/23 was underway and an updated position would be reported to Cabinet in December.

The proposed savings set out at Appendix A were critical in delivering a balanced budget for 2021/22 and delivering the reductions needed for 2022/23. It was confirmed that future reports containing the programme savings table would illustrate if the target savings rating for a specific area had changed since it was last reported.

A range of key outcomes and benefits had already been delivered through the programme and these were set out in the report. This included the council agreeing a 5-year lease with the Department for Works and Pensions for the vacated space at 1 Grove Road. The arrangement would generate income of £2.37 million for the council over the life of the lease. Thanks were conveyed to officers for their achievements detailed in the report. The Business Rates team were given special mention for their recent “excellence in innovation” award for the online system they developed to ensure a fast and efficient distribution of business grants during the height of the pandemic.

Visiting members, Councillors Shore and Smart, addressed the Cabinet on this item.

Resolved (Key decision):

(1) To note the progress made with the Recovery and Reset Programme

(2) To agree the Priority Based Budget proposals, set out at Appendix A to the report.

Reason for decisions:

The Recovery and Reset Programme provides a structured and accountable approach for delivering the level of significant organisational change needed to respond to current and future challenges.