Issue - meetings

·         To accept the information in the report and to note the progress towards realising the savings schemes for 2024/25 and previous years.

·         To approve the deletion of one savings scheme worth £146,910 relevant to 2025/26 in the waste area in the Environment Department, using the provision set aside in the budget in order to do so.

The report was submitted by Cllr. ⁠Huw Wyn Jones.

DECISION

·       To accept the information in the report and to note the progress towards realising the savings schemes for 2024/25 and previous years.

·       To approve the deletion of one savings scheme worth £146,910 relevant to 2025/26 in the waste area in the Environment Department, using the provision set aside in the budget in order to do so. ⁠

DISCUSSION

 A report was submitted summarising the Council's savings situation, noting that £5.6 million of savings had to be implemented in 2024/25. It was explained that 98%, namely £33.8 million of the £34.3 million of savings identified from the 2015/16 period until 2024/25, had now been achieved.  In addition, it was noted that 67% of the new savings schemes worth £12 million had already been realised, with a further 6% on track to be delivered on time. The risks to realise savings in some field such as the Adults, Health and Well-being Department and the Environment Department were noted.

In addition, the intention to combine three savings schemes in the commercial waste field, remove one nappy collection scheme worth £147,000 and offer £300,000 worth of alternative plans from a £400,000 waste scheme. ⁠

To summarise, it was noted that £42 million of savings had been realised, which was 90% of the required £46.6 million over the period. It was anticipated that a further 2% would be realised by the end of the financial year but there was delay and some risks to delivering the remaining plans.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       It was noted that the savings situation was alarming.

·       Tribute was paid and gratitude was expressed to all the staff who continue to deliver daily under pressure and have a high workload as a result of cuts that had already been delivered. 

·       In addition, it was noted that the cuts were the context of setting the 2025/26 budget, remembering that £74 million had been cut from the Council's budgets over the last 14 years, which had led to the situation of overspending or underfunding.