Agenda item

To approve the CJC’s budget for 2022/23 and to approve the levy on the constituent authorities.

To confirm the Budget of no expenditure for 2021/22 and therefore no levy will be charged.

To approve the Budget for 2022/23 for the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee (CJC) as presented in the appendix, with totals:

·         Strategic Planning £87,950 (vote 1)

·         Other Functions of the CJC including Transport £274,310 (vote 2)

To approve the levy on the constituent authorities, allocated based on the relevant population, with the amounts as presented below:

·         Strategic Planning (vote 3)

·         Other Functions (vote 4)

The report was presented by Dafydd L Edwards (Lead Officer Joint Committee Project).

DECISION

To confirm the Budget of no expenditure for 2021/22 and therefore no levy will be charged.

To approve the Budget for 2022/23 for the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee (CJC) as presented in the appendix, with totals:

·         Strategic Planning £87,950 (vote 1) 

·         Other Functions of the CJC including Transport £274,310 (vote 2) 

To approve the levy on the constituent authorities, allocated based on the relevant population, with the amounts as presented below:

·         Strategic Planning (vote 3) 

·         Other Functions (vote 4)

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted, noting that it was a statutory requirement for the Corporate Joint Committee to approve its budget for its first financial year, namely 2022/23, by 31 January 2022. It was noted that there was a need for an early decision to place a levy on county councils before they set their own budgets.

It was noted that the budget was based on the 'initial functions' of the Joint Committee and the two statutory projects were highlighted. It was explained that the Regional Transportation Project needed to be completed by July 2023, whilst the second strategic plan, the Strategic Development Plan, had a longer timeframe. It was noted that the budget reflected this timetable.

It was added that the budget for this year continued to keep the Economic Ambition Board's budget separate to that of the Joint Committee. It was explained that this was despite the six authorities having agreed in principle to transfer the NWEAB to the Joint Committee in time, but that a definite governance agreement needed to be agreed.

Attention was drawn to the budget headings, noting under the employee budget that it was based on the minimum number of staff to generate the work for the plans. It was explained that more officers would be needed ultimately but that a minimum would be funded in the short-term. In terms of the Regional Transportation Plan, it was noted that a sum of money was included for consultants. It was stressed that consultants would need to be appointed in order to progress the work if the work is to be produced by July 2023.

It was noted that the budget had been created jointly with the Treasurers of all authorities and was noted based on a practical minimum, and it was hoped that it would not be necessary to introduce a supplementary budget this year. It was added that the contributions of all authorities were based on the proportion of the population.

Observations arising from the discussion

¾     It was noted that it was understood why the decision was sought for this item, and it was asked if the members had delegated rights from their Authorities to make decisions about the budget. It was explained that, as Leaders of their authorities, they had been appointed as Members of the Joint Committee and, consequently, they had a statutory right to act as full members with operational rights of the Joint Committee and not delegated from their Authorities.

¾     It was asked, if the budget for this year would be agreed, would that set a precedent for coming years. It was explained that the budget would need to be set annually and that there would be annual discretion regarding the size of the budget together with how it would be allocated. 

¾     It was noted that Councillors of the authorities would be unhappy that they did not have the opportunity to discuss the budget and that arrangements would be needed to discuss it in future.  It was noted that the decision needed to be made today, but that the members within the authorities, who felt that democratic rights were being taken further away from them, needed to borne in mind.

¾     It was explained that if this decision was not made today, Welsh Government would set the budget on behalf of the Joint Committee.

¾     The need to work on the governance of the Joint Committee was highlighted, stressing the need to discuss and formalise the scrutiny procedure in order to safeguard local members.

¾     It was expressed that the Joint Committee was an immature body at present and that work needed to be done to set out arrangements to ensure meaningful discussions about the subsequent years' budget.

¾     It was asked whether the decision could be passed today subject to discussions with the local authorities. It was explained that it would not be possible to make a conditional decision. It was noted that it would be possible to make the decision and then ask the Leaders to share the information with their local members for the sake of transparency about the Joint Committee's budget.