Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor L.M. Stephens.

There were no declarations of personal interest.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Board held on the 16^th December, 2019 be signed as a correct record.

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

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Board considered a report providing an overview of the Revenue Budget Strategy for 2020/21 and the following two financial years. The report provided details of the budget process, the current Welsh Government provisional settlement and the final settlement timetable.  The report also identified the validation and budget pressures that need to be considered by members in setting next year’s revenue budget.  The report would form the basis of the budget consultation process which would be undertaken during January and February 2020.

The report indicated that Carmarthenshire had received an increase in WG grant of 4.4% (£11.5m) taking our Aggregate External Finance to £274.159m for 2020/21. This increase was after certain transfers into the funding for Teachers Pensions and Pay, which were only partially funded within the settlement and accounted for some £5.7m of the overall funding increase.

It was noted that whilst significant work had already been undertaken in preparing the budget, this report was only an initial position statement which would be updated over the coming months as the budget was further developed, council members are engaged, public consultation takes place and the final settlement is received from Welsh Government.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted and the 2020/21 to 2022/23 budget strategy be approved as a basis for consultation, specifically seeking comments from consultees on the efficiency proposals detailed within Appendix A to the report.

The Chair advised that there were no urgent items to be considered.