Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director of Resources

The Assistant Director, Resources, submitted a report (previously circulated), which invited Members to give consideration to the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for 2025/26 to 2028/29, and forward any views.

The submitted report stated that the MTFP had been agreed by Cabinet on 3 December 2024 as the basis for consultation, and Members were asked to discuss and consider the overall contents of the MTFP, however, with particular emphasis on those services and finances within the MTFP which specifically related to those areas within their remit, and forward any views to a Special Meeting of the Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee, to be held on 20 January 2024, for consideration. It was reported that the Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee would then agree a formal response to Cabinet on behalf of all the Scrutiny Committees, as part of the consultation.   

A briefing was delivered to Councillors on 11 December 2024 which provided an overview and highlighted key points in the plan. It was noted that since the MTFP had been published for consultation, the Council had received notification of the draft financial settlement for 2025/26.

Members recognised that the MTFP was subject to change due to the confirmation of the Central Government Funding, further clarification was sought around the Council’s estimated income for the period of this plan and whether estimates would be updated and circulated.

Discussion ensued around Adult Social Care pressures and the increased overall packages costs. Members wanted to understand whether the expenditure in Children’s services would deteriorate going forward and if this would be monitored.

Members discussed the increased demand in homelessness, it was stated that Durham County Council have developed a Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2024 to 2029. Members wanted to know whether this had been considered for Darlington Borough Council.

Members recognised that the Council would receive payment for Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging, further clarification was sought around whether this would benefit Street Scene area. It was explained that this grant funding was not included in the draft MTFP as the allocations had not been confirmed at the time of publishing.

Members requested more information in relation to the costs around the provision of the Council’s statutory and non-statutory services and explored whether there were any further savings to be achieved in terms of how the Council provided its statutory functions.

Members scrutinised the additional pressures around the crematorium and whether this had been looked at to reflect in the MTFP and how frequently this is reviewed.

RESOLVED – (a) that the Scrutiny Committee accepts the Draft MTFP.

(b)That the minority view of this Scrutiny Committee is that it could not support the MTFP in its current form due to the increase of Council Tax and the choices that had been made. 

(b) That the report be noted, and that the Chair of this meeting, in consultation with the Lead Scrutiny Officers supporting this Scrutiny Committee, be given authority to agree the Minutes of this Ordinary Meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, in order to enable the Minutes to be considered at a Special Meeting of the Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee, scheduled to be held on 20 January 2025.