The Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change (Section 151 Officer) presented to the Town and Community Council Forum, a copy

of the report that went to Cabinet on the draft Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2022-23 to 2025-26 on 18 January 2022, for information.

The Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change (Section 151 Officer) explained that due to the delay in the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review for 2021, the Welsh Government did not publish its draft budget until 20 December 2021, or the Provisional Local Government Settlement until 21 December 2021. This was in line with the previous year but still approximately 2 months later than normal. As a result of the delay in announcements, the draft Medium Term Financial Strategy was not presented to Cabinet until 18 January 2022, prior to being submitted for scrutiny by the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The final Medium Term Financial Strategy would be presented to Cabinet and Council on 22 and 23 February 2022, respectively, for approval. The proposed council tax for 2022-23 would also be presented to Council for approval on 23 February 2022.

The Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change (Section 151 Officer)

explained that in seeking to continue to meet the Council’s identified priorities and protect its investment in Education and early intervention, Social Services and Wellbeing, and prioritise the most vulnerable in our society, they were proposing a number of changes in the 2022-23 budget. She referred to opportunities to raise additional income, alternative delivery models to ensure greater sustainability and efficiency, efficiency and property savings and changes to service provision. 

The Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change (Section 151 Officer) explained that the Council’s MTFS was set within the context of UK economic and public expenditure plans, Welsh Government’s priorities and legislative programme. The MTFS articulated how the Council planned to use its resources to support the achievement of its corporate priorities and

statutory duties, including the management of financial pressures and risks over the next four years. She outlined the Welsh Government Provisional Local Government Settlement 2022-23, the settlement implications for 2023 to 2026, transfers into and out of the 2022-23 Revenue Settlement and specific grants.

The Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change (Section 151 Officer)

explained that there were a number of significant cost pressures they needed to fund within the increase, including additional funding to meet the teachers pay deal for the remainder of the current year and for next year, to meet the new requirements in relation to National Insurance contributions and to fund the introduction of the real living wage for care workers. During the current financial year and last year, the Council received monies from Welsh Government via a hardship fund which helped the authority to meet the additional costs and lost income experienced as a result of the pandemic. This grant would no longer be available in 2022/23, so the budget that was set would need to take account of any additional spend that they may still have in relation to the pandemic.

The Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change (Section 151 Officer) concluded that the report was considered by cabinet on the 18th January and had now been to all of the scrutiny committees during January. The final budget proposals would go to cabinet on the 22nd of February and then to Council for final resolution on the 23rd of February.

The Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change (Section 151 Officer) thanked the Town and Community Councils for forwarding their agreed precepts for the coming financial year as requested. These would be included as part of the final report to Council at the end of February.

A member referred to appendix B to the report, COM2 which related to the cessation of the tourism contract with AMA Associates who promoted Bridgend with a range of publishers. He said that it appeared that news coverage about Bridgend would reduce with potential implications for visitor numbers and the local economy. He asked if this was the only way tourism in the area was promoted and the impact at a time when staycations had increased by 40%.  The Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change (Section 151 Officer) replied that the Council used a number of ways to promote tourism and this was just one aspect. Work was ongoing to ensure Bridgend was promoted as much as possible both internally via the website and externally. This was having a positive impact and there were now more visitors coming to Bridgend. 

A member was concerned that there was very little promotional material around South Wales, including in the train stations and in service stations on the M4.

The Leader confirmed that this was one strand of work that was undertaken to promote Bridgend as a tourist destination and they would continue to use the others. The number of tourists visiting Bridgend had reached record high levels over the last 12 months and the contribution to the Bridgend economy had reached a record high as well.

RESOLVED                     The Town and Community Council Forum received and considered the report that went to Cabinet on 18 January 2022 on the draft Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2022-23 to 2025-26 (Appendix 1).