SNP Group Budget Motion
North Lanarkshire Council · 23 February 2023
Back to Council — 23 February 2023 and its agenda
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1 NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL SNP GROUP BUDGET MOTION 2023/2024 The North Lanarkshire SNP Group accept the figures in the latest financial outlook provided by the Finance Team, which covers the figures from the Medium Term Financial Plan and subsequent updates. In keeping with the advice received, we have provided a one year balanced budget that identified future years savings will be temporarily met by reserves, totalling £8.053m (£6.410m in 23/24 and £1.643m in 24/25). This confirmation will also allow Officers to complete the necessary planning to allow the changes to be delivered. Our primary goals in choosing our Budget Options were to ensure: • No NLC colleagues faced compulsory redundancy in 23/24 • minimise any impact on frontline services To that end: • We have accepted the Base Budget Adjustment Savings proposals which are documented in Appendix 3 of the Revenue Budget 2023/24 to 2025/26 and Council Tax 2023/24 report on today’s agenda. We have utilised the year 2 and year 3 savings of £0.682 to contribute to the 23/24 budget gap, thus leaving a budget gap of £31.320m and £16.300m in financial years 24/25 and 25/26 respectively. • We have chosen savings options that balance the Budget and also cover the required £2.000m Active and Creative Communities savings that has not been realised in previous years. • We felt it was more beneficial to our local Communities to minimise the savings to ensure a balanced budget rather than take more substantial savings and propose additional spending options. • We welcome the financial flexibilities made available by the Scottish Government, which allowed alterations to accounting for school PPP Contracts providing scope for expenditure in this and future years. • We propose an increase in Council Tax of 5% which will mean an increase for Band D of £1.21 per week. • We would like to confirm our commitment to utilise 1% of Council Tax increases to support the Community Investment Fund. • The SNP Group notes that there was an increase in the Scottish Government funding this year and can confirm that for a number of years, the overall funding North Lanarkshire has received has increased annually.
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2 SNP Group Financial Proposals 23/24 £000 24/25 £000 25/26 £000 Total £000 Budget Shortfall MTFP 37,897 20,620 16,300 74,817 Reversal of 1.25% NI increase (3,500) (3,500) Increase in General Revenue Grant (6,143) (6,143) Revised Budget Gap 28,254 20,620 16,300 65,174 Agreed Action Base Budget Adjustments & Operational decisions 6,510 472 210 7,192 Use of balances - energy costs 10700 - 10700 0 Revised Shortfall / (Excess Resource) 11,044 30,848 16,090 57,982 Solutions: Council Tax @ 5% (6,400) Remaining gap to be managed 4,644 30,848 16,090 51,582 Chosen Savings options - SNP Group: 23/24 24/25 25/26 Total £000 £000 £000 £000 EC12 Removal of growth Budget 234 0 0 234 EC19 Brown bin charges 0 1428 0 1428 ECF01 Single Status Employee costs re ELC operating staff 0 2000 1000 3000 ECF11 EC&F clerical review 0 867 433 1300 Total Savings Options 234 4295 1433 5962 Total savings options 5,962 Excess savings over 23/24 Budget Gap 1,318 Base Budget Adjustments for future years savings 682 Overall savings 2,000 Offset ACC outstanding saving 2,000 Budget/ Savings options gap 0