Falkirk Council Meeting – 27 September
Elected members are set to consider three key strategies that will support the delivery of Falkirk Council’s priorities, at a meeting of the Council next week (27 September).
Its Financial Strategy for 2024-2029 sets out the challenging financial position facing the Council, with a funding gap estimated at c£64.4m over the five-year period. The Strategy outlines how the Council could tackle this gap through Council Tax, savings in services, fees & charges as well as service concessions.
In 24/25 it is estimated that £34m will need to be found in savings and additional income, reflecting previous years use of one-off funding. If £34m was identified in 24/25, significantly lower savings would be required in future years.
The report looks at different scenarios for Council Tax rises and the impact that this would have on the funding gap and the need for service savings.
Future Financial Uncertainty
Members will also hear how Council expenditure could be affected by future unknown factors such as interest rates, global situations such as war, the cost-of-living crisis and increasing demand for services.
Chief Finance Officer Amanda Templeman said: “The new Financial Strategy being presented? to elected members is a comprehensive look at the projected financial position that Falkirk Council faces over the next five years.
“It spells out the difficulties in tackling the projected deficit and it is important that members have a clear understanding of the financial position of the Council when it comes to the financial choices they will have to make as part of our budget process.
“More detailed information will be brought forward as the year progresses.”
A revised Council Plan is also being presented to the meeting. The Vision and Priorities of the Council remain as approved in September 2022 however the Council will review and improve both its actions to achieve its priorities and the methods it uses to assess its performance.
Proposed revisions to the Plan include (across its three main priorities):
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Supporting Stronger and Healthier Communities: The updated plan suggests adding new ways to measure success in addressing community issues like housing quality, homelessness, and children's mental health.
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Promoting Opportunities and Educational Attainment and Reducing Inequalities: The plan includes a focus on the attendance and educational progress of Looked After Children. It also strengthens efforts to promote equality throughout the Council with support from the Equalities and Human Rights Group.
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Supporting a Thriving Economy and Green Transition: The revised plan simplifies success measures for clearer reporting and introduces new measures relating to environmental sustainability, reflecting the Council's commitment to a greener future.
A Workforce Strategy and Plan will also be presented to the meeting. These documents aim to support the delivery of the Council Plan and Financial Strategy by ensuring key themes such as recruitment, capacity, diversity and safety are all considered. The Workforce Strategy aims to ensure that the Council has the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right level and at the right cost.