Issue - meetings

Report to follow

Consideration was given to a report on the Conservative Budget Amendment Proposals 2023/24 which presented to the Committee a series of amendments in addition to those proposals already presented by the Administration to the Scrutiny Committee on the 2023/24 Budget.

Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group and the Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Low Carbon Councillor Woodvine presented the report.

Councillor Woodvine advised that the report proposed, for the second consecutive year, a freeze in Council Tax for General Purposes.  He also advised that while the Conservatives in Opposition do support spending on Adult Social Care across the Borough, they do not support some of the Administration’s policy priorities.

The proposed amendments to the Administration’s 2023/24 Budget contained in this Report take into consideration the international situations such as the Russo-Ukrainian War, the United Kingdom’s (U.K.) withdrawal from the European Union (EU), and the Covid-19 pandemic that have made the financial situation for all Local Authorities worse than in previous times. While the Conservative Group understood and appreciated the difficulties so many Councils are facing, financially, they do believe further economies could be made in Oldham.

The Conservative Group also believes the generous Local Government settlement set out by the U.K. Government in Westminster had improved the financial situation very positively. In addition, thanks to the investment from His Majesty’s Government in the form of the Household Support Fund Grant and the Council Tax Support Fund, which have eased the burden for families and individuals experiencing cost-of-living pressures, the Conservative Group proposes to replenish reserves by discontinuing the Administration’s plans to replicate the same service covered by these grants.

Also taken into consideration during the production of the proposed amendments in the report are the parameters in which Oldham Council have to work within. That is, direction set by His Majesty’s Government, in policy areas such as Education, and the strategic oversight of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority across the Metropolitan County. The main purpose of the proposals in the report  ensure that the people living in Oldham do not have to pay a penny more as they compete with the pressures of the cost-of-living situation. The priority of the Conservative Group at this time is to keep taxation at the lowest possible level.

The proposals, while making further Budget reductions, do not directly impact any of the Council’s statutory services and residents should not feel any direct result of them – that has been the priority of the Conservative Group. The Conservatives in Opposition are retaining resource in statutory services, which residents expect to be delivered well, but asking this Council to feel the pinch for itself and giving residents much-needed relief in freezing Council Tax in these inflationary times.

The Conservative Group consider this is achievable through significant savings proposals identified within two years which will reduce the Council’s base budget requirement by over £3m on an annual basis (of which £2.748m will be delivered in 2023/24). This includes a partial reversal of the Administration’s response to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6

The Committee considered a report of the Finance Manger which outlined the Conservatives’ suggested amendments to the Administration’s budget proposals for 2022/23. The report identified additional savings proposals totalling £0.892m in 2022/23 and £0.013m in 2023/24 which could be considered individually or collectively. It was also proposed that there was a partial reversal of the Administration’s Development Fund investment proposals saving £0.500m per annum. There would also be an additional contribution from reserves of £0.986m in 2022/23 and £0.032m in 2023/24.  Creating a resource of £2.423m, this would therefore support the Conservative proposals to:

·         invest £0.300m in fly tipping enforcement

·         postpone the 10p increase in school meals for 12 months costing £0.154m

·         not increase the Council Tax for general purposes in 2022/23 costing £1.969m

The Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group and Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Low Carbon commended Officers for their assistance in compiling these budget proposals.  As an overview, the aims of the Conservative proposals were to alleviate the cost of living pressures many families were facing, especially from higher gas and electricity bills as well as increases in the price of many other goods and services caused by worldwide supply chain disruption exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help finance the proposals set out at paragraphs 3.2 to 3.4 f the report, the Conservatives recommended the reversal of two Development Fund investment initiatives proposed by the Administration which would reduce expenditure by a total of £0.500m per annum:

• District Partnership Working (£0.300m per annum)

• Improved Customer Engagement (£0.200m per annum)

Conservative Alternative Budget Reduction Proposals

Inclusion of an Additional Vacancy Management factor within the budget estimates to achieve greater efficiency including limiting the present use of agency staff and consultants (£0.550m)

The proposal sought to assist in reducing the number of agency staff and consultants used across the Council further by applying an Additional Vacancy Management factor of 0.75% to all Council mainstream employee budgets. 

Reduction in the amount of stationery purchased across the authority (£0.010m)

The purchase of stationery is completed by individual teams across the organisation on an ad hoc basis which did not always ensure best value for money through economies of scale. The purchase of stationery could be centralised in specific locations across the borough such as the Civic Centre, which would ensure that better value for money was being achieved through increased understanding of which items were required.

Reduction in car allowances and mileage budgets to reflect changes in work practices (£0.087m) in 2022/23 and £0.013m in 2023/24.

It was proposed that due to the increase in Council employees working from home and the increase of Teams based meetings, the requirement to travel on Council business using a personal vehicle had reduced.

It was proposed that a review of the posts which attract essential car user status be undertaken with the intention of removing the lump sum payment from posts where users routinely record zero or very few miles.  It was noted to the Committee that many staff  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7