Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

Following the Spending Review announcements and provisional local government finance settlement 2022/23 the Council is forecasting a balanced budget for 2022/23, a gap of £37m in 2023/24 and £58m by 2024/25. This report sets out the high-level position.

Further to minute (ECCSC/21/27) the Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) which provided a further update on the saving proposals being proposed as part of the 2022/23 budget process.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Following the Spending Review announcements and provisional local government finance settlement 2022/23 the Council was forecasting a balanced budget for 2022/23, a gap of £37m in 2023/24 and £58m by 2024/25;

·         The settlement was for one year only and considerable uncertainty remained from 2023/24;

·         A longer-term strategy to close the budget gap was being prepared with an estimated requirement to find budget cuts and savings in the region of £60m over the next three years;

·         £30m of risk-based reserves had been identified as available to manage risk and timing differences;

·         An overview of the headline priorities for the service;

·         A description of the Neighbourhoods Revenue Budget Strategy;

·         A description of the Capital budget and pipeline priorities; and

·         A description of the Climate Change Priorities and Investment.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

·         Noting that the Government had failed to adequately fund the Council and they needed to be held to account;

·         Supporting the reported Climate Change Priorities and Investment;

·         Whilst recognising the varied work and initiatives delivered by officers to tackle climate change and support communities, more needed to be done to publicise this work and communicate this positive work with both residents and Members;

·         The need to improve air quality across the city, making reference to those issues caused as a result of poor traffic flow and cars idling;

·         The continued call for the Council to act as a catalysis and influencer to escalate the activities and actions needed to address climate change;

·         The need to scrutinise the cost effectiveness of the Council’s financial contribution to the Manchester Climate Change Agency; and

·         Calling for the continued, long term funding of the Climate Change Officer posts.

In response to questions, officers clarified the capital spend reporting that had been presented, the rating of Carbon Literacy training, adding that this training was now mandatory for all staff and information relating to the Cargo Bikes referenced within the report.

In considering the budget proposals, a Member recommended an amendment. He recommended that a Capital Budget of £1m be established for the Executive Member for Environment, with this budget specifically used to support work and initiatives to tackle air pollution across the city. He recommended that this budget could be funded by levying a Section 106 charge of £1000 for all new build homes for sale in Manchester (excluding social housing and a reduced charge for affordable housing).

This recommendation was supported by the Committee.

A further recommendation was proposed that funding be provided to permanently fund the Climate Change Officer posts. This recommendation was supported by the Committee.

Decisions

The Committee recommend that the Executive;

1. Establish a Capital Budget of £1m for the Executive Member for Environment, with this budget specifically used to support work and initiatives to tackle air pollution across the city. This budget could be funded by levying a Section 106 charge of £1000 for all new build homes for sale in Manchester (excluding social housing and a reduced charge for affordable housing).

2. That funding be provided to permanently fund the Climate Change Officer posts.