Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2024 were agreed and signed as a true record.  There were no matters arising.

Briefing note

The Board considered a briefing note which proposed a budget engagement process for 3 weeks in October 2024 to inform member choices in the December pre-budget report.

Local authorities were required to set a balanced budget prior to the beginning of each financial year.  Historically in Coventry, Members have approved a pre-budget report in December each year following which a formal public consultation process takes place to inform the final budget setting proposals in February.

The briefing note proposed to create even stronger links between the Council priorities in the One Coventry Plan and the budget setting process by carrying out a pre-budget engagement exercise in October, which would inform the proposals to elected members in the pre-budget report in December

The exercise would not include any financial proposals but would seek views on what taxpayers in the city value most from their Council, and how they would prioritise services, in order that Members and Officers could better shape budget proposals for the following financial year.

A draft survey was attached as an appendix to the briefing note and it was hoped that by promoting the survey widely, it would attract more members of the public and other stakeholders to take part in shaping how the City spends and deploys its resources.

The Board was requested to consider the draft documents and provide feedback to the Cabinet Member of Strategic Finance and Resources, in order to inform the process to aid its effectiveness.

The Board noted the content of the briefing note and the proposed budget engagement questionnaire and asked that the proposed questionnaire be amended to in advance of its publication to include a question to allow participants to state their socio-economic group.

The Board questioned Officers and received responses on a number of matters arising from discussion and asked that they receive a copy of the document referred to on the SIGOMA article, and, arising from discussion around ensuring that the survey is promoted widely, asked that officers ensure that Residents’ Associations were included in the circulation list.

RESOLVED that the Board note thecontents ofthe proposed pre budget engagement included at Appendix A, and that the proposed questionnaire be amended to in advance of its publication to include a question to allow participants to state their socio-economic group.

Report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

The Board noted the Work Programme and an oral update from Councillor Kelly on the work of the Task and Finish Group on the Home to School Taxi provision.

There were no outstanding issues.

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved

There were no other items of public business.