Issue - meetings

To accept the information in the report and to note the progress towards realising the savings schemes for 2022/23 and previous years.

The report was submitted by Cllr Ioan Thomas  

DECISION 

To accept the information in the report and to note the progress towards realising the savings schemes for 2022/23 and previous years.  

DISCUSSION 

The report which summarised the situation with the Council's savings was submitted.  It was explained that since 2015/16 £35.4m in savings had been approved to be realised for the period 2015/16 - 2022/23.  It was noted that a total of £33.5 million of savings had been realised since 2015/16, which was 95% of the required amount over the period.  

The current financial year had been looked at and it was stated that 22% of 2022/23 savings had already been achieved and a further 2% were on track to be delivered on time. Reference was made to the Departments with the highest value of schemes that were yet to be achieved namely the Highways and Municipal Department and the Adults, Health and Well-being Department.  

To conclude, the value of the savings that had already been approved for 2023/24 onwards were mentioned and it was noted that additional savings schemes and cuts for 2023/24 were already under consideration by the Council.   

Observations arising from the discussion 

·                  It was stated that it had to be borne in mind that realising the savings would entail a direct impact on the County's residents as a result of the reduction in the standard of some services.  It was explained that it was important to deliver the savings, however, they derived from the Government's austerity policies and not from Cyngor Gwynedd.  

·                  Reference was also made to the impact of all the savings over the years on Council staff.  

·                  It was deemed that a certain amount of savings had to be made annually to be efficient and this was part of the Ffordd Gwynedd principles, however, having to realise so many savings over the years had been difficult.