Issue - meetings

Dewi A Morgan, CJC’s Chief Finance Officer, Dafydd L Edwards, CJC’s Project Lead Officer and Sian Pugh, CJC’s Group Accountant to present the report.

Resolved to adopt option B with a total of £764,820 for the 2023/24 Budget for the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee, and to approve the relevant levy on the constituent authorities, as noted under Option B.

The report was submitted by Dafydd L. Edwards (the Joint Committee's Project Lead Officer).

DECISION

Resolved to adopt option B with a total of £764,820 for the 2023/24 Budget for the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee, and to approve the relevant levy on the constituent authorities, as noted under Option B.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted, noting that the Corporate Joint Committee was required to approve its budget by the end of January 2023. It was explained that two options had been formulated for different levels of operations, to both fulfil the Planning and Transport functions and to enable the Joint Committee to be administered properly.

It was noted that Option A reflected the Transport and Planning professionals' aspirations to deliver the two strategic plans. It was added that in an ideal situation, Option A would be recommended for the CJC's budget for 2023/24 but in the context of the financial pressures on several authorities this year, option B had been presented as a realistic minimum budget and this was the recommendation.

It was added that option B reflected the Joint Committee's previous decisions in terms of the assumed resource level. It was noted that the 2022/23 estimates included an assumption of employing Transport officers for 9 months and Planning officers for 4 months, while the 2023/34 budget included a full-year effect of employing the above for a full 12 months. In addition, this option included the estimated cost of the Chief Executive's role for two days a week together with the cost of corporate functions to support the Planning Sub-committee and Transport Sub-committee.

It was expressed that the cost of Option B would also be lower than Option A as it assumed a one-off use of reserves worth £80,000, which was the estimated underspend for the 2022/23 financial year. Furthermore, the need to charge separate levies for Planning and other functions was identified. It was noted that Snowdonia National Park would only contribute towards the cost of the Planning element. It was suggested that the levy be apportioned between the constituent Authorities based on the population relevant to the field of work. The levy amounts for the constituent Authorities were detailed in point 2.2 of the report.

Observations arising from the discussion

¾     Option B was supported.

¾     A comment was made that further discussions were required on Planning, the Economy and Transport with the Chief Executives in order to plan for the way forward in the context of the Corporate Joint Committee. Members were keen to discuss the arrangements of the Sub-committees and to have meetings soon. They requested that a meeting be arranged with the Leaders and the Chief Executives as soon as possible to discuss the above.

¾     It was explained that an annual meeting of the Corporate Joint Committee would likely be conducted in May where a Chair would be appointed for the 2023/24 Committees year.