Issue - meetings

(1)       The Leader updated the Council on events since the previous meeting.

(2)       Mr Carter stated that his report would focus on the autumn budget statement and the progress in delivering the strategic outcomes which were both substantive items being considered later in the meeting.

(3)       Mr Carter noted that there had been continuous improvements to the delivery of services and progress had been made towards achieving the three strategic outcomes: children and young people in Kent getting the best start in life, older and vulnerable residents being safe and supported with choices to live independently; and Kent communities feeling the benefits of economic growth by being in-work, healthy and enjoying a good quality of life.

(4)       Mr Carter referred to unfairness in the current methodology used by the Department for Communities and Local Government and central government in distributing grants to support local government particularly to county councils such as Kent.  He reported that he had been lobbying for additional help, in the form of a two- year transitional fund, prior to the introduction of a new funding methodology for local government in 2020/2021 and the full repatriation of business rates.

(5)       Mr Carter stated that the existing two-year transitional grant, which had provided an additional £6 million of funding a year, would conclude at the end of the financial year; in addition to other grant reductions including the Revenue Support Grant. He reported that good progress had been made in terms of the authority’s submission, in conjunction with the borough and district councils, to become one of the 100% business rate retention pilot areas; the pilot would bring £6 – 7 million of additional funding over the next two years.

(6)       Mr Carter provided figures to highlight the variation in reductions to the Revenue Support Grant. He noted that the average council tax paid per head of population was £185 in Inner London, £241 in Outer London, £260 in metropolitan areas, £290 in unitary areas and £360 in county council areas; £360.09 per head was paid in Kent. He outlined the estimated Revenue Support Grant per head in 2018/19: £109 in Inner London, £58 in Outer London, £87 in metropolitan areas, £54 in unitary areas and £24.31 in county council areas; it was estimated that Kent would receive £24.69 per head.  He stated that there had been a 58.6% reduction to the Revenue Support Grant in Inner London over the past four years, in contrast to county councils in particular Kent whose grants had reduced to 94.6% and 94.4% respectively.  Further, county councils did not fully benefit from the New Homes Bonus, like unitary authorities did, as the bonus was split 80:20 between district and county councils.

(7) Mr Carter stated that despite grant reductions, Kent had modernised and transformed services, so that it delivered the same or better outcomes for less money, through commissioning and procurement; whilst providing a range of non-statutory services such as the £80 million Freedom Pass, £6 million subsidised bus routes and £16  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32