Agenda and decisions

Division/Wards Affected: All

Purpose: To obtain member approval for the inclusion of a capital budget in 2020/2021 for the Monmouth Chippenham Mead Play Area project.

Author: Mike Moran, Community Infrastructure Coordinator

Contact Details: mikemoran@monmouthshire.gov.uk

That a capital budget of £111,421 be included in the 2020/21 capital budget to fund the construction of a new play area at Chippenham Mead, Monmouth and that this is funded by a corresponding capital contribution from the S106 balances held by the Council from the Croft-y-Bwla development at Rockfield, Monmouth (Finance Code N563).

Division/Wards Affected: All

Purpose:To present members with the outcome of the play value assessment of fixed play provision in the county.

To propose a way forward for future fixed play provision in Monmouthshire.

Author:Mike Moran, Community Infrastructure Coordinator

Contact Details: mikemoran@monmouthshire.gov.uk

Subject to consultation, the council

Rationalises the number of fixed play areas in the county and re-provisions

those that are recommended for closure – the opportunities for rationalisation are more likely to occur in the four main settlements;

Replaces the current Fields in Trust (FiT) classification in favour of a two-tier

classification of Neighbourhood and Doorstep Play Areas and that this is used to rationalise the number of urban-based play areas in the four main towns;

Uses this revised classification when assessing layout plans for new residential developments in the county;

Carries out a rationalisation of fixed play provision in the town of Monmouth as an initial pilot, which can then be rolled out to the other main settlements;.

In future moves towards the provision of play equipment constructed of more

natural materials such as sustainable hardwoods (e.g. robinia), with a greater

proportion of accessible equipment.

Division/Wards Affected: All

Purpose: To set out the wider context, background and reasons for the Bus Emergency Scheme (BES) and to seek Cabinet approval for Monmouthshire County  Council to sign up to the BES2 scheme. It also sets out Welsh Governments (WG) proposed reform of bus services in Wales and seeks Cabinet support in calling for a further report on proposed bus reform relating to future management of bus services in Wales.

Author: Richard Cope

Contact Details: richardcope@monmouthshire.gov.uk

To set out the wider context, background and reasons for the Bus Emergency

Scheme (BES) and to seek Cabinet approval for Monmouthshire County Council to sign up to the BES2 scheme. It also sets out Welsh Governments (WG) proposed reform of bus services in Wales and seeks Cabinet support in calling for a further report on proposed bus reform relating to future management of bus services in Wales.

Division/Wards Affected: All

Purpose: To set out draft revenue budget proposals for financial year 2021/22.

To commence a period of consultation on the draft budget proposals for a four-week period to 17^th February 2021.

To consider the 2021/22 draft budget proposals within the context of the 4 year Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) and the Corporate Plan.

Author: Peter Davies, Chief Officer for Resources

Contact Details: peterdavies@monmouthshire.gov.uk

That Cabinet approves the release of its draft budget proposals for 2021/22 for consultation purposes.

That Cabinet approves that the consultation period, including the opportunity to present alternative proposals that have been assessed for Future Generations and equality implications, commences for a four-week period ending on 17th February 2021.

To update Cabinet on the implications arising out of the provisional settlement

announcement of Welsh Goverrnment and to agree its proposed response as outlined in the letter shown in appendix 5.

That Cabinet recognises unavoidable pressures of some £10.070 million that need to be provided for within the 2021/22 budget.

That Cabinet confirms its intention to fully fund all pay related pressures insofar as they impact schools and to accommodate significant demand pressures caused in particular by increasing numbers of looked after children and pupils with additional learning needs.

That Cabinet proposes a Council Tax rise of 4.95% for financial year 2021/22.

That Cabinet recognises that whilst the draft budget proposals are presenting a balanced budget this includes a one-off contribution of £749k from the Council’s limited general reserve balances (Council Fund). Efforts are to continue to mitigate as much as possible the level of reserve contribution supporting the budget proposals for 2021/22.

Division/Wards Affected: All

Purpose: To set out draft capital budget proposals for financial year 2021/22 and the indicative capital budgets for the three years 2022/23 to 2024/25.

To commence a period of consultation on the draft budget proposals for a four-week period to 17th February 2021.

Author: Peter Davies, Chief Officer for Resources

Contact Details: peterdavies@monmouthshire.gov.uk

That Cabinet approves the release of its draft capital budget proposals for 2021/22 for consultation purposes.

That Cabinet considers whether draft budget proposals are reasonable and appropriate in light of the capital pressures identified in Appendix 1.

That Cabinet reaffirms the principle that new capital schemes can only be added to the capital programme if the business case demonstrates that either:

·       they are self-financing

·       the scheme is deemed a higher priority, utilising the priority matrix in the Capital Strategy, than current schemes in the capital programme and displaces them

·       they do not compromise the core principles of affordability, sustainability or prudence

That Cabinet notes the capital receipt receipts forecast in appendix 6 (exempt), and the prudence not to anticipate further significant additional receipts over this next 4-year MTFP window, until the uncertainties identified in paragraph 3.8 have been resolved.

That Cabinet specifically approves the use of £1.7m of capital receipts, using Welsh Government guidance on the flexible use of capital receipts to fund revenue costs associated with service reform, to support the draft revenue budget proposals for 2021/22.

That Cabinet considers and re-affirms its agreement to the prudential indicators supplied in Appendix 7 and its interpretation in paragraph 3.14 of this report.

That Cabinet issues its draft capital budget proposals for 2020/21 and indicative capital budgets for 2022/23 to 2024/25 for consultation purposes as set out in Appendix 3.