RESOLVED that Cabinet –
a) notes the contents of the Portfolio Holder’s report and requests Officers to explore opportunities to maximise Member engagement in the budget setting process as early as possible in the financial forecast ‘cycle’ for 2023/24;
b) requests Officers to present an updated financial forecast and funding options to the November 2022 meeting of Cabinet;
c) approves the funding allocations set out within Table 2 within the Portfolio Holder’s report, with the associated total cost of £859,200 met from the Corporate Investment “Reserve”;
d) approves a delegation to Officers, in consultation with the relevant portfolio holders, to agree the necessary arrangements to implement / take forward the items set out within the aforementioned Table 2;
e) approves the acceptance of external funding made available by the Council’s Local Health Partners totalling £408,000, and authorises the relevant Portfolio Holder to approve the associated schemes / projects in consultation with the Alliance Board; and
f) approves that the Council continues to be a member of the Essex Business Rates Pool and Council Tax Sharing Agreement with Essex County Council in 2023/24 if it remains financially advantageous to do so.