Agenda item

To debate the following motion, submitted by Cllr Lord, notice of which was given on 28 November 2023.

‘For 2024/25 and beyond, councils are experiencing budget pressures greater than those experienced at any time before. The Local Government Association (LGA) reports that councils have experienced a 27% real terms cut in core funding central government since 2010. Meanwhile, cost and demand pressures will have added 29% to the cost of delivering council services between 2021/22 and 2024/25.

Cost pressures are particularly acute in adult and children’s services for all councils including West Sussex County Council. These include but are not limited to the cost of increasingly complex care alongside the increasing difficulty of finding appropriate provision within the care market, more requests for Special Education Needs (SEND) support than can be processed each month, and continually rising costs in home to school transport. Children’s services accounts for £22.8m of WSCC’s predicted £26.5m overspend this year.

Despite lobbying of government by the County Councils Network and the LGA and of our MPs by this Council, the Government provided no protection for councils from real terms cuts in the Autumn Statement and there was no increased funding in children’s and adults’ services.

Alongside other county councils, West Sussex County Council is in the invidious position of having to increase council tax by the maximum available during a cost of living crisis whilst also having to find savings from the services it offers to residents. Even with this there is currently a predicted shortfall of £4.4 m in the council’s budget for 2024/25 with a cumulative budget gap out to 2026/27 of £51.1m and of £91.8m out to 2028/29.

Therefore, this Council calls on the Leader to:

(1)        Call upon our MPs to make the cause of adequate funding for West Sussex County Council their top priority in the final year of this government;

(2)        Call upon the Government to urgently address the acute financial challenges affecting councils in order to protect the local services our communities rely on;

(3)        Back the County Councils Network calls for emergency funding for children’s services this year and next;

(4)        Back the LGA’s calls for a long term plan for adequate council funding from government; and

(5)        Write to the Secretary of State and our MPs to lobby for an urgent injection of funding before our budget needs to be set in February 2024 and for the local government financial settlement to guarantee adequately increased funding out to at least 2026/27 to allow for certainty in planning.’

50.1     The following motion was moved by Cllr Lord and seconded by Cllr O’Kelly.

‘For 2024/25 and beyond, councils are experiencing budget pressures greater than those experienced at any time before. The Local Government Association (LGA) reports that councils have experienced a 27% real terms cut in core funding central government since 2010. Meanwhile, cost and demand pressures will have added 29% to the cost of delivering council services between 2021/22 and 2024/25.

Cost pressures are particularly acute in adult and children’s services for all councils including West Sussex County Council. These include but are not limited to the cost of increasingly complex care alongside the increasing difficulty of finding appropriate provision within the care market, more requests for Special Education Needs (SEND) support than can be processed each month, and continually rising costs in home to school transport. Children’s services accounts for £22.8m of WSCC’s predicted £26.5m overspend this year.

Despite lobbying of government by the County Councils Network and the LGA and of our MPs by this Council, the Government provided no protection for councils from real terms cuts in the Autumn Statement and there was no increased funding in children’s and adults’ services.

Alongside other county councils, West Sussex County Council is in the invidious position of having to increase council tax by the maximum available during a cost of living crisis whilst also having to find savings from the services it offers to residents. Even with this there is currently a predicted shortfall of £4.4 m in the council’s budget for 2024/25 with a cumulative budget gap out to 2026/27 of £51.1m and of £91.8m out to 2028/29.

Therefore, this Council calls on the Leader to:

(1)         Call upon our MPs to make the cause of adequate funding for West Sussex County Council their top priority in the final year of this government;

(2)         (Call upon the Government to urgently address the acute financial challenges affecting councils in order to protect the local services our communities rely on;

(3)         Back the County Councils Network calls for emergency funding for children’s services this year and next;

(4)         Back the LGA’s calls for a long term plan for adequate council funding from government; and

(5)         Write to the Secretary of State and our MPs to lobby for an urgent injection of funding before our budget needs to be set in February 2024 and for the local government financial settlement to guarantee adequately increased funding out to at least 2026/27 to allow for certainty in planning.’

50.2     An amendment was proposed by Cllr Wall which was accepted by the proposer.

‘For 2024/25 and beyond, councils are experiencing budget pressures greater than those experienced at any time before. The Local Government Association (LGA) reports that councils have experienced a 27% real terms cut in core funding from central government since 2010. Meanwhile, cost and demand pressures will have added 29% to the cost of delivering council services between 2021/22 and 2024/25.

Cost pressures are particularly acute in adult and children’s services for all councils including West Sussex County Council. These include but are not limited to the cost of increasingly complex care alongside the increasing difficulty of finding appropriate provision within the care market, more requests for Special Educational Needs (SEND) support than can be processed each month, and continually rising costs in home to school transport. It is currently projected that Children’s services will accounts for £22.8m of WSCC’s predicted £26.5m overspend on portfolio budgets this year.

This Council has consistently lobbied the Government for increased funding for all of the services referenced above, especially recognising the need for a considerable increase in the funds needed to provide appropriate levels of services for vulnerable people, alongside adequate funding for those services used by all residents, such as Highways and Library services.

Despite In view of the challenges being faced and the continued lobbying of government by the County Councils Network and the LGA and of our MPs by this Council, the Council is disappointed that the Government provided little or no protection for council services councils from real terms cuts in the Autumn Statement and there was no increased funding in children’s and adults’ services.

Alongside other county councils, West Sussex County Council remains is in the likely invidious position of having to propose an increase in council tax by the maximum available during a difficult financial time for our residents cost of living crisis whilst also having to find savings through efficiencies from the services it offers to residents. Even with this there is currently a predicted shortfall of £4.4 m in the council’s budget for 2024/25 with a cumulative budget gap out to 2026/27 of £51.1m and of £91.8m out to 2028/29.

Therefore, this Council strongly supports calls on the efforts of the Leader and Cabinet to:

(1)         Continue to support Call upon our MPs to make the cause of adequate funding for West Sussex County Council their top priority in the final year of this Parliament government;

(2)         Continue to call upon the Government to urgently address the acute financial challenges affecting councils in order to protect the local services our communities rely on;

(3)         Continue to back the County Councils Network calls for emergency funding for children’s services this year and next;

(4)         Continue to back the LGA’s calls for a long term plan for adequate council funding from government; and

(5)         Write once again to the Secretary of State and our MPs to lobby for an urgent injection of funding before our budget needs to be set in February 2024 and for the local government financial settlement to set out guarantee adequately increased funding out to at least 2026/27 to allow for certainty in planning.’

50.3     The amended motion, as set out below, was carried.

‘For 2024/25 and beyond, councils are experiencing budget pressures greater than those experienced at any time before. The Local Government Association (LGA) reports that councils have experienced a 27% real terms cut in core funding from central government since 2010. Meanwhile, cost and demand pressures will have added 29% to the cost of delivering council services between 2021/22 and 2024/25.

Cost pressures are particularly acute in adult and children’s services for all councils including West Sussex County Council. These include but are not limited to the cost of increasingly complex care alongside the increasing difficulty of finding appropriate provision within the care market, more requests for Special EducationalNeeds (SEND) support than can be processed each month, and continually rising costs in home to school transport. It is currently projected thatChildren’s services will account for £22.8m of WSCC’s predicted £26.5m overspend on portfolio budgetsthis year.

This Council has consistently lobbied the Government for increased funding for all of the services referenced above, especially recognising the need for a considerable increase in the funds needed to provide appropriate levels of services for vulnerable people, alongside adequate funding for those services used by all residents, such as Highways and Library services.

In view of the challenges being faced and the continued lobbying of government by the County Councils Network and the LGA and of our MPs by this Council, the Council is disappointed thatthe Government provided little or no protection for council services in the Autumn Statement and there was no increased funding in children’s and adults’ services.

Alongside other county councils, West Sussex County Council remains in the likely position of having to propose anincrease in council tax by the maximum available during a difficult financial time for our residentswhilst also having to find savings through efficiencies from the services it offers to residents. Even with this there is currently a predicted shortfall of £4.4 m in the council’s budget for 2024/25 with a cumulative budget gap to 2026/27 of £51.1m and of £91.8m to 2028/29.

Therefore, this Council strongly supports the efforts of the Leader and Cabinet to:

(1)         Continue to support our MPs to make the cause of adequate funding for West Sussex County Council their top priority in the final year of this Parliament;

(2)         Continue to call upon the Government to urgently address the acute financial challenges affecting councils in order to protect the local services our communities rely on;

(3)         Continue to back the County Councils Network calls for emergency funding for children’s services this year and next;

(4)         Continue to back the LGA’s calls for a long term plan for adequate council funding from government; and

(5)         Write once again to the Secretary of State and our MPs to lobby for an urgent injection of funding before our budget needs to be set in February 2024 and for the local government financial settlement to set outadequately increased funding to at least 2026/27 to allow for certainty in planning.’