Agenda and minutes

The Joint Executive Advisory Board (EAB)

RESOLVED

that Councillor Angela Gunning be elected as Chairman for this meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Paul Abbey and Masuk Miah.

In accordance with the local Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda.  Any councillor with a DPI must not participate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and they must withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, the councillor must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

Councillors are further invited to disclose any non-pecuniary interest which may be relevant to any matter on this agenda, in the interests of transparency, and to confirm that it will not affect their objectivity in relation to that matter.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests or non-pecuniary interests.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Executive Advisory Board held on 9 July 2020.

The minutes of the meeting of the Joint EAB held on 9 July 2020 were confirmed as a correct record, and would be signed by the Chairman at the earliest opportunity.

The Lead Councillor for Environment introduced and commended a report which updated the Executive on progress made in delivering the parking related recommendations approved in January 2020, reviewed and sought approval for parking pricing structure proposals, reviewed improvement works undertaken and work to be pursued during2021-22, and advised on Parking Services performance in 2019-20.  The views of the Board were sought in this regard.

The Waste, Parking and Fleet Services Manager presented the report which explained changes in service during COVID-19 and the excellent work carried out by the service to support key workers, businesses and residents.  However, due to the reduction in visitors, officers had reconsidered how to manage the Council’s parking resources to best suit Guildford’s needs and bring forward decisions on pricing strategy to increase confidence, footfall and revenue.

A review of parking pricing had resulted in the formulation of the following options:

·             Option 1 - Hold existing pricing for 2021-22 and allow a period of stabilisation from price changes and COVID-19;

·             Option 2 - Continue with a price increase from £1.50 to £1.60 per hour for the following most popular surface car parks in April 2021:

•              Mary Road

•              Bedford Road Surface

•              Commercial Road 2

•              Old Police Station

·             Option 3 – Continue the pre-agreed price increase as per Option 2 and introduce a new £1 per hour shopper offer (minimum 3 hours), Monday to Saturday, with flat rates in Bedford Road Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCP), York Road MSCP, Castle MSCP, G Live, Millbrook and Tunsgate car parks as follows:

•              £3 for up to 3 hours

•              £6 for up to 6 hours

•              £12 for greater than 6 hours

The Waste, Parking and Fleet Services Manager explained the following four recommendations to the Executive contained in the report.  The principal rationale behind the options and recommendations was to offer shopper car parking at a reduced price with a view to encouraging visitors to spend more time in the town centre in order to have an enjoyable relaxing visitor experience whilst boosting the local economy.  This also reflected the current lower demand for town centre parking diminishing the previous need for higher turnover of parking spaces.  The continuing need for short stay parking was also recognised and it was proposed that provision in this area be expanded to include the Leapale Road car park and that a modest hourly tariff increase be applied, subject to review.  This would achieve a balanced offering of shopper and short stay parking in addition to commuter provision.  Officers had consulted widely in respect of the proposals and consultees included local traders and Experience Guildford, the local Business Improvement District.  Amanda Masters, the Chief Executive Officer of Experience Guildford, was present to comment on the proposals and contribute to the related discussion with a view to bringing a business orientated perspective to the parking proposals to balance the Council’s need to increase income.

(1)         To continue with the proposed short stay car park price increase as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

A report to the Executive outlining the current position regarding the 2021-22 outline general fund budget and the business planning assumptions for 2021-22 to 2024-25 was before the Joint EAB for consideration.  The report invited the Executive to note the situation, including areas of uncertainty that would influence the final position, and agree the proposed strategy for savings and efficiencies to be implemented over the period 2021-22 to 2024-25 in order to achieve a balanced budget over the medium term.  The report contained the following five recommendations to the Executive to assist it with the preparation of the General Fund estimates for 2021-22:

1.           Approve the budget assumptions used in the preparation of the 2021-22 outline budget and three year forward projections.

2.           Note the current position on the outline budget for 2021-22 and the budget shortfall anticipated over the 3 years to 2024-25.

3.           Approve the savings strategy for 2021-22 through to 2024-25 (Section 13 & Appendix 3).

4.           Agree to the proposal to Council to make the contributions to/from the Council’s various earmarked reserves for specific purposes as set out in section 9 of the report as part of the budget report in February 2021.

5.           Agree the use of the Council’s earmarked reserves as set out in section 10 to fund the cost of the COVID-19 Pandemic, in line with the supplementary estimate agreed by Council in May 2020.

The Director of Resources gave an introductory presentation which explained the difficulties associated with 2021-22 financial predictions, the core assumptions, the best estimate of the budget gap based on core assumptions and the budget gap sensitivity analysis.

The financial prediction difficulties arose owing to a number of uncertainties including the Government funding settlement, the Fair Funding Review, possible devolution, the ongoing financial implications of COVID-19 and subsequent pace of economic recovery, the impact of the increase in Local Council Tax Support Scheme claims and the future of the Leisure Management contract.  Known factors affecting the budget were the overspend in the current year and possible mitigations, Council Tax and Business Rates collection rates and ability to spread the collection fund deficit over three years, the current level of reserves, interest rates and the cost of servicing debt, and savings resulting from the Future Guildford transformation programme. 

Core assumptions upon which the 2021-22 budget was based consisted of the general inflation rate; staff pay award, pay increments and vacancy factor; increases in fees and charges; income reduction due to COVID-19; Council Tax base and proposed increase; housing rents; and Government Settlement Funding Assessment.

The best estimate of the Council’s budget gap based on core assumptions was £2.692million in 2021-22 rising to £4.417million in 2024-25.

The budget gap sensitivity analysis explored estimates of surplus or deficit in relation to staff pay inflation, capital programme slippage, various income streams, Fair Funding Review reduction in base line spend, changes in investment income and interest rate rise.

The Lead Councillor for Resources and the Leader of the Council highlighted the challenges associated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.