Skip to Main Content

Agenda and decisions

Venue: Steve Greenslade Room, County Hall, Usk

Contact: Democratic Services 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

2.

Declarations of Interest

3.

To consider the following reports (Copies attached):

4.

SOCIAL JUSTICE STRATEGY pdf icon PDF 500 KB

Division/Wards Affected: All

 

Purpose: Further to the approval of the second phase of the Social Justice Strategy by Cabinet in July 2019, Members are asked to consider the third phase revision of the Social Justice Strategy which now takes a more targeted approach and includes the insertion of the following individual targeted Action Plans namely:

·       Tackling Poverty and Inequality Action Plan;

·       Food Development Action Plan; and

·       Homeless Transition Plan

 

Authors: Cath Fallon (Head of Enterprise and Community Animation)

Jude Langdon (Tackling Poverty and Inequality Manager)

Deserie Mansfield (Rural Programme Food Development Officer)

Ian Bakewell (Housing and Communities Manager)

 

Contact Details: cathfallon@monmouthshire.gov.uk/

judithlangdon@monmouthshire.gov.uk

deseriemansfield@monmouthshire.gov.uk

ianbakewell@monmouthshire.gov.uk  

Additional documents:

Decision:

Cabinet approve the revised Social Justice Strategy (Appendix A) and associated Action Plans (Appendix B, C and D)

5.

REPORT TO FEDERATE THE GOVERNING BODIES OF KYMIN VIEW AND LLANDOGO PRIMARY SCHOOLS pdf icon PDF 292 KB

Division/Wards Affected: Wyesham, Llandogo, Trellech

 

Purpose: To conclude the statutory process on the proposal to federate the Governing Bodies of Kymin View Primary School and Llandogo Primary School.

 

Author: Sharon Randall-Smith – Head of Service Children and Young People Directorate.

 

Contact Details: SharonRandall-Smith@monmouthshire.gov.uk 

Additional documents:

Decision:

That Cabinet agree to federate the Governing Bodies of Kymin View Primary School and Llandogo Primary Schools with effect from 1st September 2021 and in line with the reasons stated within this report.

6.

2021/22 EDUCATION AND WELSH CHURCH TRUST FUNDS INVESTMENT AND FUND STRATEGIES pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Division/Wards Affected: All

Purpose: The purpose of this report is to present to Cabinet for approval the 2021/22 Investment and Fund strategy for Trust Funds for which the Authority acts as sole or custodian trustee for adoption and to approve the 2021/22 grant allocation to Local Authority beneficiaries of the Welsh Church Fund.

 

Authors: Dave Jarrett – Senior Accountant Business Support; Nicola Wellington – Children & Young People Finance Manager

 

Contact Details: davejarrett@monmouthshire.gov.uk

Decision:

That the proposed Investment and Fund Strategy for 2021/22 for the Monmouthshire Farm School Endowment Trust Fund be approved.

 

That the proposed Investment and Fund Strategy for 2021/22 for the Welsh Church Fund be approved.

 

To delegate responsibility for the execution and administration of treasury management decisions to the Chief Officer for Resources (S151 officer) who will act in accordance with the Investment and Funds Strategy (appendix 2).

 

To approve the 2021/22 grant allocation to Local Authority beneficiaries to the Monmouthshire Welsh Church Act Fund of £210,000 to be distributed in accordance with population data in the draft Local Government Settlement 2021/22.

 

That the Monmouthshire Farm School Trust Board determines the 2021-22 grant allocation at its January 2021 meeting based on the previous years’ investment return at the end of March 2020, and any under spends carried forward from the 2020-21 grant allocation, and to avoid eroding the overall fund.

 

To endorse the Welsh Church Fund Principles, Policy Considerations and Grant Allocation Criteria for 2021-22 (Appendix 6) as considered and approved by the Welsh Church Fund Committee on the 14th January 2021.

7.

EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT SERVICE (EAS) BUSINESS PLAN 2021-2022 (2nd draft for consultation) pdf icon PDF 171 KB

Division/Wards Affected: All

 

Purpose: This report asks for members to consider the full contents of the draft EAS Business Plan 2021-2022, as part of the regional consultation process. Through this activity members will ensure that the plan enables appropriate support for schools and settings in Monmouthshire.

 

Author: Debbie Harteveld (Managing Director EAS)

 

Contact Details: ed.pryce@sewaleseas.org.uk

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

That Cabinet approve the EAS Business Plan 2020-2021.

8.

REVENUE & CAPITAL MONITORING 2020/21 FORECAST OUTTURN STATEMENT - MONTH 9 pdf icon PDF 713 KB

Division/Wards Affected: All

 

Purpose: To provide Members with an updated forecast of the revenue and capital outturn position for the current financial year.

 

To provide an update on the financial impact of COVID-19 on the Council.

 

Author: Peter Davies, Chief Officer for Resources

Jonathan Davies, Acting Assistant Head of Finance (Deputy S151 officer)

 

Contact Details: peterdavies@monmouthshire.gov.uk

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

That Cabinet recognises a net revenue forecast non-COVID surplus at month 9 of £142k that represents an improvement of £660k since month 7, primarily as a result of the positive action taken during the financial year in curtailing non-essential expenditure and through cost reductions.

 

That Cabinet requires senior officers to continue to bare down on all costs for the remainder of the year and wherever possible seek to take advantage of grant monies that materialise late in the year to further increase the year end surplus and in doing so afford Cabinet headroom for policy choice and that includes strengthening the Council’s limited reserve and useable capital receipt balances to meet future financial challenges.

 

That Cabinet can be reasonably assured based on continued dialogue with Welsh Government and funding received to date that all associated and eligible income losses and cost pressures will be funded noting:

 

a) A total net revenue forecast deficit at month 9 of £5.15m, an improvement of £1.28m from month 7 and inherent within which is a forecast deficit of £5.28m that is directly associated with the extraordinary financial pressures attached to COVID-19;

 

b) That since the budget forecasts have been produced for month 9 that Welsh Government has notified the Authority that a further sum of £2.02m will be made available to the Authority relating to claims made to the Hardship fund to cover additional expenditure incurred in December 2020 and income losses incurred during quarter 3 of the financial year, and that will in turn reduce the £5.28m COVID-19 related forecast deficit to £3.26m. A further £1.53m is also expected to be received for items claimed but not yet approved pending further clarification being provided to Welsh Government.

 

In taking the approach set out above, Cabinet recognises the extraordinary nature of the current year and accepts that significant recurring services pressures have been incorporated into the ongoing budget setting process for financial year 2021/22 unless otherwise mitigated.

 

Cabinet notes the extent of forecast movements in Schools reserve usage contained in appendix 1.

 

Cabinet considers the forecast capital outturn spend of £22.38m alongside significant slippage of £40.45m, and the presumptions made around the financing consequences, as outlined in appendix 1.

9.

FINAL REVENUE AND CAPITAL BUDGET PROPOSALS pdf icon PDF 725 KB

Division/Wards Affected: All

 

Purpose: To update Cabinet with the consultation responses to the draft budget proposals issued by them on the 20th January in respect of the Capital and Revenue budgets for 2021/22.

To update members with implications arising from the Provisional Local Government Settlement announcement of the Welsh Government as well as providing update with regards to the awaited Final Settlement announcement.

To make recommendations to Council on the Capital and Revenue budgets and level of Council Tax for 2021/22.

To receive the Responsible Financial Officer’s Prudential Indicator calculations for capital financing.

To receive the statutory report of the Responsible Financial Officer on the budget process and the adequacy of reserves.

 

Author: Peter Davies – Chief Officer for Resources (S151 officer)

 

Contact Details: peterdavies@monmouthshire.gov.uk

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

That Cabinet considers the responses to consultation and recommends to Council:

 

a) The 2021/22 revenue budget as attached in Appendix I1.

 

b) The 2021/22 to 2024/25 capital programme as attached in Appendix J1.

 

 

That Cabinet acknowledges that the final budget proposals proposed look to support the priorities of the council and specifically seek to recognise:

 

a) In full, all pay and pension-related spending pressures in our schooling system;

 

b) The increasing demand placed on children’s social care services, adult social care and our children with additional learning needs budgets;

 

c) Significant service pressures within the passenger transport unit and within recycling and waste and that look to ensure that the Council supports and sustains key service delivery;

 

d) Investment that ensures that homeless people are provided adequate support, advice and accommodation in their time of need;

 

e) An ongoing commitment to recognise and value the contribution made by the workforce and ensuring that local government staff are paid no less than the wage set by the Living Wage Foundation. And that as a result of the Cabinet decision in January is also extended to apprenticeship roles within the Council.

 

 

That a 3.89% increase in the Band “D” equivalent Council Tax is used as the planning assumption in the budget model and to apply for County purposes in 2021/22, reduced from the previous proposed increase of 4.95% and as a result of public consultation.

 

That Cabinet approves the revised saving and pressure proposals, updated following public consultation, scrutiny and more up to date information being made available since the draft proposals were released on consultation on 20th January 2021.

 

That Cabinet approves the changes and additional investment in the draft capital budget proposals and programme for 2021/22 and indicative capital budgets from 2022/23 to 2024/25.

 

That Cabinet recommends Council to dispose of assets identified in the exempt background paper at best value.

 

That Cabinet considers the Responsible Financial Officer’s report on the robustness of the budget process and the adequacy of reserves issued under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 2003, together with an assessment of the current and future financial risks facing the Council.

 

That Cabinet adopts the Responsible Financial Officer’s report on Prudential Indicators.

 

That Cabinet approves that:

 

a)     Further work is undertaken to develop a balanced Medium Term Financial Plan.

 

b)     Regular review is undertaken of the MTFP to ensure it remains up to date, and that includes an assessment of evidence based pressures and risks, underlying modelling assumptions and the ongoing affordability implications of the Corporate Plan.