Decision details

The Service Director, Democratic Services and Communication provided the Cabinet with the proposed approach to resident engagement and consultation in respect of the 2020/21 budget. The Service Director spoke of the increase in the number of people who have engaged with the process since 2016/17, whereby the approach saw 144 people in comparison to 1,560 in 2018/19, and this increasing to over 4,000 people in last year’s 2019/20 consultation process. The Service Director explained that it was the intention for the budget consultation to run alongside and complement a consultation on the new draft Corporate Plan, linking in where appropriate to avoid duplication.

Members were referred to Section 5 of the report, where the proposed approach was outlined.

The Deputy Leader thanked the Service Director for the detailed approach and commented that pre-scrutiny by the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee would be paramount for such an integral process. The Deputy Leader advised that she would be attending a future meeting of the OPAG, where the group would have an opportunity to provide feedback.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Community Services and the Welsh Language praised the success of the previous year’s approach and the proposed approach, commenting that Rhondda Cynon Taf have a widespread consultation process to be proud of.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.     To note the success achieved through last year's approach to the budget consultation, with the ongoing commitment to face to face engagement and increased use of online tools;

2.     That the budget consultation is to run alongside and complement a consultation on the new draft Corporate Plan, linking in where appropriate to avoid duplication, for example the events and forums will seek views on the budget as well as the corporate plan priorities;

3.     To support the Council’s statutory requirements regarding consultation on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Council Tax levels will be met via the proposed approach;

4.     To support the budget consultation process taking place during the autumn of 2019, with the dates to be confirmed following clarification of the likely Welsh Government budget settlement timescales; and

5.     To authorise the Service Director – Democratic Services & Communications to plan the necessary timeline of engagement once the details of the Provisional Local Government Settlement are known, in consultation with the appropriate Cabinet Member & Director of Finance & Digital Services.