To agree consultation arrangements to inform the process for setting the 2019/20 budget and developing the medium term financial strategy (MTFS).

Under the budget and policy framework rules, Cabinet is required to publish its timetable for making proposals to Council for the adoption of the MTFS, its capital budget and setting a budget, and its arrangements for consultation after publication of those initial proposals.

The report proposes the timetable and recommends that Council be requested to move the date of the budget meeting in February by two weeks to provide for consideration of the government settlement usually published at the end of December.

It also requests that the scrutiny committees make appropriate provision in their work programmes to inform the budget setting process.

That:

(a)        the timetable for making proposals to Council for the adoption of the MTFS 2019-23 and the 2019/20 budget be approved as follows:

·       consultation – 5 July to 21 September 2018

·       Cabinet – 31 January 2019

·       Council (approve budget and MTFS) – 15 February 2019

·       Council (set council tax and precept – 8 March 2019

(b)        it be recommended to Council that the budget meeting date be moved from 1 February 2019 to 15 February 2019;

(c)        the approach for consulting on budget proposals for 2019/20 as set out at paragraph 11 be approved; and

(d)        the scrutiny committee chairpersons be requested to make suitable provision in their respective committee work programmes to enable scrutiny members to inform and support the process for making cabinet proposals to Council.

1.          It is open to Cabinet to amend or revise the proposed timetable and consultation arrangements, but in doing so regard must be had to the council’s budget and policy framework procedure rules and the legislative requirements for Council to approve a budget.