Agenda item

(NOTE: Councillor A. Vaughan-Owen had earlier declared an interest in this item)

The Committee considered the Revenue Budget Strategy 2019/20 to 2021/22 (Appendix A) which had been endorsed by the Executive Board for consultation purposes at its meeting on the 19^th November 2018.  The report provided Members with the current view of the Revenue Budget for 2019/2020 together with indicative figures for the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 financial years. The report was based on officers’ projections of spending need and took into account the provisional settlement issued by Welsh Government on 9th October 2018.

The Head of Financial Services advised whilst the announced provisional settlement represented a 0.3% reduction as an average across Wales on the 18/19 settlement, the impact on Carmarthenshire, after taking into account factors such as meeting the cost of the teachers’ pay award and free school meals eligibility, was a 0.5% reduction equating to £1.873m.

In summary, the budget proposals would assume full delivery of the £28m identified savings over the plan period. Furthermore, the budget proposals assumed a Council tax increase of 4.89% for 2019/20.

The Head of Financial Services also advised that subsequent to the publication of the council’s budget proposals for consultation, the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance had announced an additional £13m to be added to the Welsh Revenue Support Grant for 2019/20. Whilst specific details of the announcement had yet to be received, it had been estimated the impact for Carmarthenshire would be a reduction in the anticipated funding deficit from 0.5% to 0.3% over the 18/19 settlement. Additionally, the Welsh Government had announced an extra £7.5m grant across Wales to part fund the teachers’ pay award. However, that was for one year only.

The Committee thereupon considered the following detailed budget information appended to the Strategy relevant to its remit:

·       Appendix A(i) – Efficiency summary for the Regeneration, Leisure, Planning and Non HRA Housing Services;

·       Appendix A(ii) – Growth Pressures summary for the Planning Service (none for the Regeneration, Leisure and Non HRA Services;

·       Appendix B – Budget extracts for the Regeneration, Leisure, Planning and Non HRA Housing Services;

·       Appendix C – Charging Digest for the Regeneration, Leisure, Planning and Non HRA Housing Services;

The following questions/issues were raised on the report:-

·       The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Councils’ efficiency savings and to the current position whereby primary schools were responsible for funding the cost of swimming lessons, which had previously been borne by Leisure Services. As schools were facing reductions to their budgets, and the cost of providing the lessons was becoming a cause of concern for some, a suggestion was made that the Executive Board give consideration to the Council funding the estimated £150k cost direct. Should that be possible, it would help improve children’s fitness levels, improve their safety near water by teaching them to swim and have regard to the aims of the Well–being of Future Generations Act.

The Head of Leisure advised that as a result of the above, some schools had reduced the numbers of pupils receiving swimming lessons, in the main to key stage 2 pupils. He also reminded the Committee that the Welsh Government had previously provided free swimming during school holidays for children under 16 years of age and it was currently reviewing that provision.

The Head of Financial Services reminded the Committee that the current proposals represented a balanced budget, and if the proposal was to be endorsed, the additional estimated £150k cost would either have to be met from reductions in other service areas or by increasing the council tax.

·       The Head of Leisure in response to a request for an explanation on the projected 190K operating deficit for the St Clears Leisure Centre in 2019/20, advised that a significant element thereof related to non-controllable costs such as corporate costs, central recharges, repayment of capital loans to fund improvements to the centre together with rates of £36k.  The department, being acutely aware of the need to generate income/reduce operating costs, was developing an options appraisals for the centre with a view to increasing revenue/participation rates that included discussions with the Town and Community Council and various sports organisations/clubs. However, it should also be recognised that the provision of leisure facilities in rural areas would always be more challenging than for urban areas.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that: