Issue - meetings

Purpose of report: Scrutiny of the Draft Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

Witnesses:

David Lewis, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources

Denise Turner-Stewart, Cabinet Member for Communities and Community Safety

Kevin Deanus, Cabinet Member for Highways and Community Resilience

Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Property and Waste

Dan Quinn, Chief Fire Officer

Marie Snelling, Executive Director of Customer and Communities

Katie Stewart, Executive Director for Environment, Transport and Infrastructure

Lucy Monie, Director of Highways and Transport

Carolyn McKenzie, Director of Environment

Rachel Wigley, Director of Finance- Insight and Performance

Nicola O’Connor, Strategic Finance Business Partner

Tony Orzieri, Strategic Finance Business Partner

Nicola Kilvington, Director of Corporate Strategy and Policy

Louise Lawson, Strategic Finance Business Partner

Steve Ruddy, Head of Trading Standards

Sarah Bogunovic, Head of Customer Strategy

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    A Member asked where interest and depreciation costs were located in the budget. A Strategic Finance Business Partner explained that interest payable costs sat within the central income and expenditure budget which is treated as a separate Directorate budget and that capital borrowing costs form part of the calculation of the budget envelopes.

2.    A Member, in referencing outcomes from the 2021 research noted in paragraph 8, asked what changes had taken place to facilitate resident’s requests for a more active role around what happens in their localities. The Director of Corporate Strategy and Policy said that involving and informing residents to address the findings from the research included the ‘Make it Happen’ campaign where opportunities to get involved locally were shared, online engagement tools to allow residents to find out what was happening in their area in addition to efforts to look at priority neighbourhoods and locality working.

3.    A Member asked if the research completed in 2021 would be compared against the research conducted in November 2022 so that the effects of the work undertaken could be evidenced. The Director of Corporate Strategy and Policy explained that there was not a direct comparison available as the qualitative element of the research conducted in 2021 had not been repeated in November 2022 due to the costs involved. However, the quantitative element of the research was currently taking place and would be compared to the 2021 data.

4.    A Member queried Surrey County Councils current intention on increasing Council Tax through the Adults Social Care precept. The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources said that the draft budget had been set against assumptions made regarding the possible funding formula and levels of efficiencies required. Final decisions would be made following the Local Government Finance Settlement, expected on 21 December 2022; however the Leader of the Council had been clear that the Council did not anticipate taking the full amount of Council tax and Adults Social Care precept permissible without a referendum.

5.    A Member asked what lobbying could take place to encourage more of the business rates paid in Surrey to stay in Surrey. A Strategic Finance Business Partner said the review of business rate retention formed part of the fair funding reforms  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50