Agenda and minutes

Notification of substitute members were recorded as set out below:

Cllr King substituting for Cllr Rogers

Cllr Thomas substituting for Cllr Base

In accordance with Council Procedure Rules 17.5 to 17.9 these Councillors had the same rights as the ordinary member of the committee for whom they were substituting.

Members are reminded of their obligation under the Council’s Code of Conduct to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Other Significant Interests in any matter(s) to be considered or being considered at the meeting. These are explained in the Code of Conduct on the Council’s website at Code of conduct – Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (tmbc.gov.uk).

Members in any doubt about such declarations are advised to contact Legal or Democratic Services in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

To confirm as a correct record the Notes of the meeting of the Finance, Regeneration and Property Scrutiny Select Committee held on 11 October 2022

RESOLVED:  That the notes of the meeting of the Finance, Regeneration and Property Scrutiny Select Committee held on 11 October 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

A report updating Members of the Select Committee on the latest update to the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

The joint report of the Director of Finance and Transformation and the Cabinet Member for Finance, Innovation and Property provided an update on the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and the Savings and Transformation Strategy (STS), as requested by the Finance, Regeneration and Property Scrutiny Select Committee.

It was reported that when the Budget was set in February 2022, the adopted MTFS identified a funding gap of circa £2.15m.  In June 2022, Cabinet was advised that the funding gap was anticipated to be between £2.5m and £3.0m.  Unfortunately, the funding gap continued to grow due to the current global economic issues and rising inflation.  At the meeting of Cabinet on 8 November it was reported that the funding gap was now estimated to be between £2.6m at best case to £3.8m at worse case.

Members attention was drawn to the report presented to Cabinet on 8 November (attached at Annex 1) which set out in detail the financial challenges faced by the Borough Council.  These included rising inflation, uncertainty around the Fair Funding Review and the future of the New Homes Bonus and a potential reform of business rates.   It was also noted that unless central Government recognised the scale of pressure on local authorities in future finance settlements and council tax referendum principles, a number of councils finances would be under severe strain.  Partner organisations representing local government continued to lobby Government on these matters.

Significant savings were required by April 2028 in order to preserve the integrity of the Borough Council’s financial plans.  Members recognised that these were extremely challenging times and it was important to focus firmly on the delivery of the necessary savings.  It was the view of Officers that plans to deliver savings of £1.5m within the next 3 years, inclusive of the tranche of savings already identified had to be escalated.

Savings achieved so far in meeting Tranche 1 were summarised in 1.4 of the report and totalled (to date) £164.300.  In addition, Cabinet had recommended increases in Fees and Charges which would generate £50,000 to contribute to Tranche 1.  However, this still left in excess of £100,000 to be achieved before the start of 2023/24.

Members welcomed the opportunity to comment on potential areas of cost saving and/or income generation.  A number of issues were discussed in depth, including the potential to increase council tax if central Government changed the referendum principles, a further review of garden waste charges, the introduction of charges in car parks in the north of the Borough, potential development of Borough Council owned land, the Business Rates Retention Scheme, the use  and review of the Borough Council’s  earmarked reserves and whether there was benefit in using the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) rather than s106 developer contributions.  There was also general discussion on the Leisure Trust utility cost sharing agreement and the management agreement. 

It was recognised that the discussion on council tax referendum principles was speculative, that any proposals might not benefit borough or district councils and any  ...  view the full minutes text for item FRP 22/19

The Work Programme setting out matters to be scrutinised during 2022/23 is attached for information.  Members can suggest future items by liaising with the Chair of the Committee.  

The Work Programme setting out matters to be scrutinised during 2022/23 was attached for information.  Members were invited to suggest future matters by liaising with the Chair of the Committee.

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

There were no items considered in private.