Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors Barnes, Burrows, Edwards, Hosker and Parr.

 

County Councillors Clarke, Green, H Khan, Motala and Yates, joined the meeting virtually.

 

Name of Councillor	Agenda Item Number	Nature of Interest (non-pecuniary unless stated)
Julie Gibson	4 (Labour Group Amendment)	Employee of Royal Mail
John Potter	4	Paid contract with Lancashire County Council

 

County Councillor Alan Schofield moved a report setting out the external auditor's annual report on Lancashire County Council for 2020/21 and, in doing so, introduced Paul Dossett and Stuart Basnett, Grant Thornton UK, who presented the report to Full Council.

 

Resolved: - That the report setting out the findings in the auditor's annual report on Lancashire County Council 2020/21 and the improvement recommendations made, as set out in the report, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson, Leader of the County Council, moved the recommendations of the Cabinet regarding the:

 

-  Revenue Budget 2022/23 and Financial Strategy 2022/23 to 2025/26

-  Capital Delivery Programme 2022/23

-  Capital Strategy 2022 to 2042

-  Council Tax and Precept 2022/23

-  Fees and charges 2022/23

 

Together with the recommendations of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee from its meeting on 31 January 2022 in respect of the:

 

-  Treasury Management Strategy and Non-Treasury Investment Strategy 2022/23

-  Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement 2022/23

 

The motion was seconded by County Councillor Alan Vincent, Cabinet Member for Resources, HR and Property (Deputy Leader).

 

In moving the report, County Councillor Williamson outlined an adjustment to the proposals contained within the report.

 

A copy of the Adjustment was circulated to all Members and is set out at Annex 1 to these minutes.

 

Following a brief adjournment, County Councillor John Fillis, on behalf of the Labour Group, then made his Budget speech and moved an Amendment to the Budget proposals on behalf of the Labour Group which was seconded by County Councillor Usman Arif.

 

A copy of the Amendment was circulated to all Members and is set out at Annex 2 to these minutes.

 

Following a period of debate, a recorded vote on the Amendment was taken in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order B45(7). The names of those Members who vote for or against the Amendment, and those who abstained, are set out below.

 

For (30)

 

Aldridge	Brown	Dowding	Holgate	Oakes
Ali	Clifford	Fewings	Iqbal	Pate
Arif	Collinge	Fillis	Khan, N	Pattison
Aziz	Cox	Gibson	Lewis	Serridge
Beavers	Dad	Hennessy	Malik	Snape
Berry	De Molfetta	Hindle	Mein	Tomlinson

 

Against (44)

 

Ashton	Gooch	Kay	Rigby, P	Swarbrick
Bailey	Goulthorp	Maxwell-Scott	Rigby, S	Towneley
Britcliffe	Hartley	Mirfin	Riggott	Turner
Buckley	Haythornthwaite	Morris	Salter	Vincent
Cheetham	Hind	O'Toole	Schofield	Westley
Clempson	Howarth	Pope	Shedwick	Whittam
Couperthwaite	Hurn	Potter	Singleton	Williamson
Cullens	Iddon	Purcell	Smith	Woollam
Gardiner	Jones	Rear	Sutcliffe

 

Abstain (0)

 

The Labour Group's amendment was therefore LOST.

 

The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Lian Pate and seconded by County Councillor Terry Aldridge:

 

Community speed watch as per original amendment - cost neutral

 

Following a period of debate, a recorded vote on the Amendment was taken in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order B45(7). The names of those Members who voted for or against the Amendment, and those who abstained, are set out below.

 

For (31)

 

Aldridge	Clifford	Fillis	Lewis	Serridge
Ali	Collinge	Gibson	Malik	Snape
Arif	Cox	Hennessy	Mein	Tomlinson
Aziz	Dad	Hindle	Oakes
Beavers	De Molfetta	Howarth	Pate
Berry	Dowding	Iqbal	Pattison
Brown	Fewings	Khan, N	Potter

 

Against (42)

 

Ashton	Gooch	Maxwell-Scott	Riggott	Turner
Bailey	Goulthorp	Mirfin	Salter	Vincent
Britcliffe	Hartley	Morris	Schofield	Westley
Buckley	Haythornthwaite	O'Toole	Shedwick	Whittam
Cheetham	Hind	Pope	Singleton	Williamson
Clempson	Hurn	Purcell	Smith	Woollam
Couperthwaite	Iddon	Rear	Sutcliffe
Cullens	Jones	Rigby, P	Swarbrick
Gardiner	Kay	Rigby, S	Towneley

 

Abstain (0)

 

The amendment was therefore LOST.

 

The following amendment was proposed by County  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

There were no Notices of Motion to be considered.

Annex 1

 

ADJUSTMENT PROPOSED BY THE CONSERATIVE GROUP TO THE 2022/23 BUDGET

 

 

(1)  Proposed adjustments to the revenue budget

 £m

 

Lancashire Levelling Up Investment Fund (22/23 only)       5.000

 

Platinum Jubilee Addition to Members Grants (22/23 only)    0.042  

Increased support for Active Travel (22/23 only)    0.100   

Additional Funds for Emergency Welfare Support (22/23 only)  0.100    

New Best Start in Life Scheme (22/23 only and funded from  0.100

Public Health Grant Reserve)

 

Tackling Loneliness and Social Isolation Initiative  0.100 

(22/23 only and funded from Public Health Grant Reserve)

 

Local Nature and Biodiversity Grant Scheme  0.058  

 

 

Total cost of proposed amendments:  5.500

 

 

(2)  Proposed additions to the capital programme

   £m

 

Highways Responsive Maintenance (22/23 only)     2.000

 

Additional capacity of SEND Sufficiency Strategy  0.400

 

Conservation Area Enhancements Scheme  0.300   

 

   

  Total Additions to Capital Programme:          2.700 

 

 

(3)  Proposed amendments to the funding of the Capital Programme

 

£m

 

Transfer from Transitional Reserve     -2.700

 

 

Total amendments to the funding of the Capital

Programme:    -2.700

 

Revenue Budget 2022/23	Net Budget
	£m
Adult Services	418.950
Chief Executive Services	15.470
Children's Social Care	171.440
Corporate Services	23.200
Education and Skills	58.230
Finance Services	18.760
Growth, Environment and Planning	11.290
Waste Management	71.730
Highways and Transport	75.700
Public Health and Wellbeing	2.590
Strategy and Performance	33.650
Organisational Development and Change	1.980
Digital Services	33.510
Sub-Total	936.500
Financing Charges	30.450
Use of one off resources	-18.840
Revenue budget 2022/23	948.110

 

 

 

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson,

Leader of the County Council,

17^th February 2022

 

View of the Chief Executive and Director of Resources (S151)

 

The proposals have been validated as being deliverable financially in 2022/23.

 

In validating the proposals, I have been mindful that:

 

• The additions to the revenue budget in 2022/23 of £5.500m can be funded from a combination of the Transitional Reserve (£5.300m) and Public Health Grant Reserve (£0.2m).

 

• The are no recurrent costs to be built into the MTFS from 2023/24 and therefore no impact on the structural deficit. 

 

• The funding to support the capital programme can be met from the transitional reserve, as a one-off contribution of £2.700m.

 

The transitional reserve is currently forecast to be £211.750m at 31^st March 2022. The additional call on the reserve arising from this amendment will be £8m in 2022/23. The transitional reserve is sufficient to support the structural deficit for 2022/23 – 2024/25 with a revised forecast level of £100.67m at 31^st March 2025.

 

In the intervening period the council will need to take steps to address the structural deficit to ensure it can maintain a sustainable financial position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annex 2

 

AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY THE LABOUR GROUP TO THE 2022/23 BUDGET

 

Even though there appears to be a budget underspend of £23.46m for 2021/22 due to COVID there has been a supressed need building up over the last 2 years across all services from children's services to fixing roads. It is difficult to predict has service requirements will develop. Our staff have done a fantastic job and will be working hard to meet the needs of our communities.

 

With the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.