Issue - meetings

This report presents the financial monitoring information for the Authority as a whole for the financial year 2021/22, using information available as at the end of June 2021.

Councillor Richard Samuel introduced the report by saying that this was the first quarterly monitoring report of the current financial year. Councillor Samuel expressed his concerns that, following an announcement from central government to ease COVID restrictions from 19^th July, there would be further waves of COVID with a possibility that further variants would occur. Therefore, the Council may encounter further lockdowns which may affect businesses in the area which would also affect the Council’s financial position. Tourist attractions in Bath, such as Roman Baths and the Pump Rooms may be also be affected due to higher COVID case numbers, which were currently higher than they have been since the pandemic started.  This would coincide with the total removal of government assistance, and financial assistance to local authorities, which came to an end on 30th of June. Any support for businesses and employees would also disappear.

Councillor Samuel added that this was a warning to all of us, and that the Council may need to take further action to stabilise its finances and may need to call for further government funds in order to get through this.

Nevertheless, Council Samuel hoped that these measures would not be necessary, yet he hoped that residents of Bath and North East Somerset would understand that the months ahead could be very precarious ones for the Council.

Councillor Richard Samuel moved the recommendations.

Councillor Dine Romero seconded the motion by saying that the Council could expect further lockdowns which could have a devastating impact on Council’s finances, particularly if heritage services had to close again. Councillor Romero did believe government would help even in the limited way it did previously with 75% paid on expected income. 

The Council could be £6million short for funding children with higher needs. Councillor Romero said that she had written to the Secretary of State highlighting these concerns and asked the government to urgently find additional funding for provision of the right services for children with special educational needs.

Councillor Romero also said Mental Health services as well as Public Health would be severely impacted with further lockdowns, as well as Library Services and Free School Meals during summer holidays.

Councillor Romero concluded her statement by saying that the government must fund local councils better; they must fund this Council better.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed to:

1.  To note the 2021/22 revenue budget position (as at the end of June 2021).

2.  To note the revenue virements listed for information only in Appendix 3(i).

3.  To note the capital year-end forecast detailed in paragraph 3.21 of this report;

4.  To note the changes in the capital programme including capital schemes that have been agreed for full approval under delegation listed in Appendix 4(i).