Agenda item

(To receive a report from Keith Noyland, Strategic Finance Lead – Place, Fire & Rescue, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on the budget proposals for the Public Protection and Communities Services, prior to the Executive meeting on 7 February 2023 when it will make its final budget proposals for 2023/24)

Consideration was given to a report from Keith Noyland, Strategic Finance Lead – Place (Fire & Rescue), which invited the Committee to consider the budget proposals for the next financial year 2023/24 for the Council’s Public Protection and Communities services, prior to consideration by the Executive at its meeting on 7 February 2023.

In guiding the Committee through the report reference was made to the background information relating to the local government settlement and the Council’s overall financial position; Table A provided details of the proposed revenue budget for Public Protection and Communities services and identified movements from the current year’s budgets in terms of cost pressures and expected savings.  It was reported that the main change to the budget was the net increase of £326,000 for Fire and Rescue services which resulted from inflationary increases in fuel costs, the facilities costs for the headquarters at Nettleham and increasing FireLink costs, which had been further exacerbated by the withdrawal of the related Home Office grant.

The proposed capital programme was set out at table B, in which no changes to previous versions of the budget had been proposed.

Consideration was given to the report and during discussion, the following points were highlighted:

·       Members asked what the Registration services budget was likely to look like in the 2023/24 to meet inflationary costs and deliver a full cost recovery model. Officers provided assurance that the costs coming into the service would be less as more was being done on-line through the improved digital service offer;

·       The impact of the fluctuation in fuel prices on the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) was queried. The Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) explained that the current decline of fuel prices was not anticipated to remove cost pressures, most of which had already been incurred in the current year;

·       In relation to “unavoidable service specific cost pressures” (para 1.15- relevant to the FRS) that amounted to £487,000, Members asked what this comprised of. Officers explained that the figure included fuel costs, costs of facilities and headquarters related costs and explained that these were partially offset by savings that emerged from the rent savings following the acquisition of the Waddington Training Centre site;

·       Members requested further information about the rolling programme for the replacement of FRS fleet vehicles and associated equipment increase to c£2.6 million. The ACFO explained that this covered vehicles (e.g., fire engines) and operational and specialist equipment (e.g., thermal imaging cameras, cutting equipment, FRS boats etc). It was reported that these had been reviewed to establish their life expectancy to ensure that the service was not needlessly replacing equipment;

·       Reference was made to the withdrawal of the Firelink Grant (para 1.18, second bullet point) which resulted in fire services incurring the costs for communication and mobilising systems used;

·       Assurance was provided that although no new projects were added to the Capital programme (para 1.22), a new developments capital contingency within the programme at £5 million per annum, was available to be used to fund any projects brought forward during the year. This meant that there was £50 million of capital available (over the 10-year capital programme) for other projects in addition to those already featured within the capital programme. Members were satisfied that despite increased costs and inflation rates, the services needs were being met and projects were not being delayed or deferred due to cost pressures;

·       Members noted the absence of an increase in funding to Citizens Advice Lincolnshire (CAL). In line with the cost-of-living crisis and inflation in the market, CAL was a valued source of advice and support to residents that lacked resources and experienced hardships. Members were concerned by the increased pressure on CAL to support residents with restricted funding. Officers gave assurance that there were ongoing negotiations with CAL to look at efficiencies that could be achieved through the better use of resources. In addition, the role of CAL was under review and officers offered to bring back a report relating to the procurement process and the commissioning arrangements with CAL;

·       Members requested that an item be featured on a future agenda for the Committee in relation to CAL, which reflected procurement and commissioning arrangements.

RESOLVED

1.      That the report and recommendations to the Executive be supported.

2.    That comments made, as recorded, be passed on to the Executive for their consideration on 7^th February.

Note: Councillor K E Lee wished it be recorded that she voted against the budget proposals as there had been no increase in funding to CAL.