Decision details

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Whitehead)

Cabinet received a report from the Interim Head of Financial Services, which provided an update on the Council’s budget strategy for 2019/20, and financial outlook up to 2023/24. Specifically the report considered budget and council tax proposals for 2019/20.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

Regarding the budget strategy, Cabinet may approve the proposals as set out in the report, or require changes to be made to the suggested approach.  The overriding aim of any budget setting process is to approve a balanced budget by statutory deadlines, allocating resources to help ensure delivery of the Council’s corporate and service ambitions.  The proposed approach is in line with that broad aim and any changes that Cabinet puts forward should also be framed in that context.

In term of the actual budget position, this report puts forward a balanced budget. If Cabinet agrees the budget then it will form their proposal to Budget Scrutiny Panel on 22 January 2019 and to Council on 30 January 2019. These meetings, in turn, will inform the final budget proposal to be considered by Council on 27 February 2019.

Councillor Whitehead proposed, seconded by Councillor Burns:-

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1)          That Cabinet recommends to Council a 2.99% increase in the Lancaster City Council element of the Council Tax as set out in paragraph 3.4 (option 1) of the report attached to the agenda.

(2)          That the initial budget proposals as set out in paragraph 4.3 and Appendix 1) of the report be recommended to Council.

(3)             That the recommendations and proposals in this report be referred to Council on 30 January for initial consideration as well as being presented for scrutiny by Budget and Performance Panel on 22 January, in order that any feedback can be provided to Cabinet at its 12 February meeting.

Officer responsible for effecting the decision:

Interim Head of Financial Services

Reasons for making the decision:

The budget represents in financial terms what the Council is seeking to achieve through its Framework. The decision enables Cabinet to make recommendations back to Council in order to complete the budget setting process for 2019/20.