Issue - meetings

To approve the one-off bids of £6,508,260 for 2024/25 to be financed from the Transformation fund and the Financial Strategy Reserve.

The report was submitted by Cllr Nia Jeffreys

DECISION

To approve the one-off bids of £6,508,260 for 2024/25 to be financed from the Transformation fund and the Financial Strategy fund.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted noting that the Council had set the budget last week. It was explained that the bids for one-off resources were being submitted separately to the Budget report as the allocation of a one-off resource did not impact on setting our annual revenue budget and was not a consideration when setting the Council Tax rate.  It was noted annually that departments submitted bids for one-off resources for matters such as coping with temporary pressure, delivering the Council's Plan projects, transforming services or experimenting. It was explained this year that most of the bids were for coping with additional pressure on services, in the hope that  the money would reduce the overspending within departments.

Nevertheless, it was highlighted that there were new schemes as well, such as continuing with the Apprenticeship Scheme and the Graduate Schemes , which was a very successful scheme and assisted with staff recruitment. It was highlighted that it would be possible to extend the Council's Tidying Teams scheme as well as re-starting additional street cleaners’ jobs in urban areas.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·         Support was noted for these one-off bids, but concern was highlighted about the financial situation with many funds being emptied, and with the situation as it was. It was highlighted that more use of funds was needed.

·         The work of the apprenticeship scheme and the graduate scheme was highlighted by noting that there was a bid to establish an adult and children care academy a part of the scheme as well as to look specifically on the challenges that face appointing in the health and care field.