Agenda and minutes

1.1       The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 April 2022 were agreed as a correct record.

2.1       An apology was received from Councillor Claire Dowling.

3.1       Copies of the reports referred to below are included in the minute book.

Report by Chief Executive

3.1       The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Executive.

3.2       It was RESOLVED to:

            1.         Note the latest monitoring position for the Council.

            2.         Note the removal of the Covid-19 risk from the Strategic Risk register.

Reason

3.3       The report sets out the Council’s position and year-end projections for the Council Plan targets, Revenue Budget, Capital Programme, and Savings Plan, together with Risks at the end of March 2022.

Report by Chief Executive

4.1       The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Executive.

4.2       It was RESOLVED to:

1.         Note the evidence base on demographics as set out in Appendix 1 and the national policy outlook as set out in Appendix 2.

2.         Agree:

a)         the officers update the Medium Term Financial Plan as the basis for financial planning when more information is available, as set out in paragraph 5 of the report;

b)         the officers update the Capital Strategy and Programme as set out in Appendix 4;

c)         to review the priority outcomes and delivery outcomes, as set out in Appendix 3, and agree these as the basis of the Council’s business and financial planning, subject to the proposed amendments set out in paragraph 4.4 of the report;

d)         to receive reports on more details plans for 2023/24 and beyond in the autumn when there is greater certainty about future resources; and

e)         to endorse draft criteria for the use of one-off investment as set out in paragraph 5.9 on the report for consultation with scrutiny committees, and request officers bring forward final criteria and investment proposals for consideration in the autumn.

Reason

4.3       Work will continue over the summer to further refine our understanding of the medium term impacts on our services of national reforms, economic volatility, changing demand for services and the financial resources that will be available to us in the coming years. We will continue to press the case for a multi-year financial settlement which enables us to plan ahead with more certainty but if there is a further one year settlement we will use our RPPR process to plan accordingly.

4.4       We will report back to Members in the autumn with an updated assessment of our service demand and funding expectations to inform more detailed business and budget planning for 2023/24 and beyond.

4.5       Members will continue to be consulted on plans as they are developed through Cabinet, County Council, Scrutiny Committees, Whole Council Forums and specific engagement sessions throughout the 2022/23 Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources process. 

Report by Chief Operating Officer

5.1       The Cabinet received a report by the Chief Operating Officer.

5.2       It was RESOLVED to note the report and the Ashdown Forest’s Trust Income and Expenditure Account for 2021/22 and Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2022.

Reason

5.3       The Trust made an operating surplus of £4,376 during 2021/2022. The General Reserve as at 31 March 2022 amounts to £167,069. The fund is available to finance expenditure which meets the Trust’s objectives.

5.4       Cabinet noted the final accounts for the Ashdown Forest Trust.

6.1       It was agreed that items 3, 4 and 5 should be reported to the County Council.

[Note: the items being reports to the County Council refer to minute numbers 3, 4 and 5]