Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors E. Dole and L.M. Stephens.

No declarations of personal interest were made at the meeting.

The Chair advised that no questions on notice had been submitted by members. 

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Executive Board considered the above report which provided an overview of the Revenue Budget for 2016/17 and the following two financial years. The report detailed the budget process timetable, summarised the Welsh Government provisional settlement and identified the validation and budget pressures that needed to be considered by members in setting next year’s revenue budget. The report also formed the basis of the budget consultation process that would be undertaken during November 2015 – January 2016 with the Council’s scrutiny committees and the community prior to a report being submitted to the Executive Board and thence to Council.

The report outlined the key elements of the draft budget strategy and highlighted that for Carmarthenshire a 3.3% reduction in the provisional settlement equated to £8.3m. As a consequence, the Council was facing significant budgetary pressures and individual departments had again identified efficiency savings over the three-year budget period as set out in Appendix A to the report. Currently there was a shortfall of £3.1m over the three financial years, assuming delivery of all of the £36.2m savings proposals submitted and further cost reductions would therefore need to be identified to deliver a balanced budget in each of the three years. The current budget proposals assumed a Council Tax increase of 5% in each financial year [a 1% movement in the Council Tax rise equated to +/-£760k].

 Members welcomed the fact that a sum of £3m per annum had been included to meet growth pressures.

The Board appealed to all to engage in the consultation process.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the contents of the budget report be noted and approved as a basis for consultation, and to specifically seek comments from consultees on the efficiency proposals detailed in appendix ‘A’ to the circulated report.

The Chair referred to the tragic incidents which had occurred in Paris on the 13^th November and it was

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the French flag be flown at County Hall as a mark of respect.