Agenda and minutes

You are welcome to use Welsh at the meeting a minimum notice period of 3 working days is required should you wish to do so.  A simultaneous translation will be provided if requested.

It was noted that no requests had been received for the simultaneous translation service

To receive any apologies for absence.

No apologies for absence were received.

To receive any declarations of interest or dispensations.

No declarations of interest or dispensations were raised.

To consider the decisions of the Cabinet Meeting held on the 10^th January, 2024.

Consideration was given to the decisions of the Cabinet Meeting held on 10^th January, 2024.

RESOLVED that the decisions be received as a true record of proceedings.

To consider.

Consideration was given to the following:-

2024 Royal Garden Party

Royal Garden Parties – London

8^th May, 2024 and 21st May, 2024

RESOLVED that one nominee plus guest be approved to attend on either the 8^th or 21^st May, 2024.

Consideration was given to report of the Scrutiny & Democratic Officer.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the information contained therein be noted

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Organisational Development.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted, Cabinet reviewed and noted the progress against the 2022/23 delivery plan and endorsed the 2023/25 delivery plan (Option 1).

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Members provided the appropriate challenge to the financial outcomes in the report, continued to support appropriate financial control procedures agreed by Council and noted the budgetary control and monitoring procedures in place within the Capital Team, to safeguard Authority funding (Option 1).

REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING 2023/2024

FORECAST OUTTURN TO 31^ST MARCH 2024

(AS AT 31^ST DECEMBER, 2023)

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Members provided the appropriate challenge to the financial outcomes in the report, noted the application of reserves and challenged the Action Plans as detailed in Appendix 2 (Option 1).

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Cabinet recommended Option 2 to Council, as follows:-

(1)     approved the register of Fees & Charges for 2024/2025     detailed at  Appendix 1 and for discretionary fees &         charges,     as follows:-

(a)   a fee uplift of 5% in line with the proposed business case as detailed in Appendix 4; 

(b)   the alternative fee proposed as detailed in paragraphs 5.1.4 to 5.1.14. of the report; and

(c)   Planning Fees attached at Appendix 2.

(2)     approved delegated power and responsibility to the Interim         Director of Social Services for setting the fees and charges        for 2024/2025 relating to the           provision of external social    care as detailed in paragraph 5.1.6 of the report; and

(3)     approved the core price increases related to Aneurin          Leisure Trust as detailed in Appendix 3.

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and agreed Option 1, as follows:-

1)   Subject to the decisions on the following recommendations, Members considered and recommended to Council the 2024/25 revenue budget as shown in the table in paragraph 5.1.15 of the report.

2)   Members provided comment on the outcomes within the overall provisional RSG Settlement and noted the potential for further change in the Final RSG Settlement (paragraphs 2.6 – 2.17 of the report).

3)   Members provided comment on the outcomes within the BGCBC provisional RSG Settlement and its impact upon the Medium Term Financial Strategy (paragraphs 2.18 – 2.26 of the report).

4)   Members  considered and recommend to Council the updated cost pressures and growth items (£2.8m in total) detailed in Appendix 2 (paragraphs 5.1.10 – 5.1.16 of the report) for inclusion in the Council’s budget.

5)   Members considered and recommended to Council the Bridging the Gap proposals (a summary of which is detailed at Appendix 3 and Business Cases are outlined in Appendix 4) delivering a minimum of £6.27m of financial efficiencies and budget cuts towards the budget gap (paragraphs 5.1.32 to 5.1.37 of the report).

6)   Members considered and recommended to Council the level of funding provided to schools (paragraph 5.1.19-5.1.27 of the report).

7)   Members recommended that any grant/s transferring into the Final Settlement for 2024/2025 be passported to the relevant service/s.

8)   Members considered and recommended to Council the use of reserves up to £2.1m to balance the budget for 2024/2025 (paragraphs 5.1.38 to 5.1.42 of the report). The level would be subject to the recommendations in paragraph 3.1.5 and 3.1.6 above.

9)   Members considered and recommended to Council, a Council Tax increase of a minimum of 5% for 2024/25 (paragraph 5.1.10 of the report) as per the Business Case CS12 (detailed in Appendix 3 and 4).

10)   Approved the updated MTFS for 2024/2025 to 2028/2029 as detailed in Appendix 5.

Consideration was given to the report of the Service Manager Policy & Partnerships.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Cabinet endorsed the updated Codes of Practice for 2023/24 (Option 1):-

Recommendation 2: Cabinet considered the current operating practices and arrangements with Caerphilly Council and IDS; and

Recommendation 3: Agreed to consider the Annual Report 2023/24 as part of the committee’s forward work programme for 2024/25.

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim Corporate Director Education.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the information contained therein be noted (Option 2).

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim Corporate Director Education.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and approved, and the Sustainable Communities for Learning Rolling Programme proposals to be submitted to Welsh Government in March 24 (Option 1).

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim Corporate Director Education.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the information contained therein be noted (Option 1).

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim Corporate Director Social Services.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the information contained therein be noted (Option 2).

Consideration was given to the joint report of the Interim Corporate Director Social Services and Interim Corporate Director Education.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and provided comments on where improvement can be made to the current monitoring processes (Option 2).

To consider the report of the Corporate Director Regeneration and Community Services.

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director Regeneration and Community Services.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the information contained therein be noted (Option 2).