Issue - meetings

Before the Council began discussing this item, the Chair noted, in line with the Constitution, that the Head of Finance Department must receive notice of any amendment to the budget in writing in advance, and that this amendment must lead to a balanced budget, if it was to be discussed.  All members of the Council had been reminded of this the previous week, and as the Head of Finance Department had not received any notice of an amendment by the specified deadline, it would not be possible for the Council to consider any amendment to the budget.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Huw Wyn Jones presented:-

·         A report recommending a budget for the Council to approve for 2025/26;

·         The draft decision on the Council Tax based on the Cabinet's recommendation to the Council (based on an increase of 8.66%), along with tables showing the Council Tax level and the increase per community.

The Cabinet Member thanked the staff of the Finance Department for all their work in preparing the budget.

The Leader thanked the Cabinet Member for his presentation and for making the case for the budget clear.  She thanked the officers for guiding the Council through the process, and for their expertise and their skills.  She also thanked the members of the Governance and Audit Committee for their work scrutinising the budget, and thanked her fellow members for attending the budget workshops.  She further noted:-

·         ⁠That the budget reflected the Council's values as it prioritised the most vulnerable people in society by protecting care for children and adults social services, earmarking funding to try to reduce waiting lists for care, and protected schools from cuts next year.

·         The pressures on the services increased every year with the county's population ageing, more people requiring care, more vulnerable children requiring care and more people becoming homeless.

·         Despite the increase in the demand for services, the Council had to set a balanced budget.

·         As a result of pressing on the Senedd Cymru Finance Committee through the Welsh Local Government Association, a guaranteed minimum was secured for the settlement, otherwise the situation for Gwynedd would have been even more perilous.  However, this was not a long-term solution, and for the benefit of the people of Gwynedd, we had to ensure fair funding to local government.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and make observations.

A member enquired how confident the Head of Finance Department was that the budget was robust and that the Council would not have to make use of balances again this year.  In response, the Head of Finance Department referred to the contents of Appendix 10 to the report, namely the statement he was required to complete as a Statutory Finance Officer on the robustness of the estimates in accordance with Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003.

Regarding the part of the question relating to the use of balances, the Head of Finance Department stated that he believed that the additional resources included as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9