Technical Notes 2023, Issue 11 - Council Budget Meeting – 23rd February 2022

1. The purpose of this Technical Note is to update Members in relation to the arrangements for the Council’s budget setting meeting.  

2. Members will recall that the Diary of Council meetings for the current year, includes two provisional dates for the Council’s formal Budget setting meeting, namely 16th February 2023 and 23rd February 2023.  These dates were included to provide a degree of flexibility given the increasingly complex financial situation and the later announcements and impacts on consequential deadlines at a Scottish Government/Scottish Parliament level. 

3. Members will be aware that the Council’s initial settlement figures were not available until just a few days before the Christmas holidays.  Members will also be aware that these initial figures remain subject to a detailed clarification and refinement process, which is ongoing. 

4. At the time of writing this Technical Note, the timetable for consideration of the Scottish Government’s budget by the Scottish Parliament is confirmed as far as the following –

Stage 1 – 2nd February 2023

Stages 2 – 4 dates will be agreed two weeks in advance

As advised, the dates for later stages are not yet confirmed.  Further information will be issued once these dates are set.

5. In light of the above, and recognising the particularly challenging position facing all Councils in the coming financial year, the Corporate Management Team has liaised with the Council Leader and it is has been determined that the Council’s Budget meeting take place on the later of the two dates, namely 23rd February 2023.  The final Agenda will be issued on 16th February and will include a reminder of the process and deadlines for submission of amendments.  In addition, a further Technical Note setting out the process for submitting Budget amendments and the operation of the Budget meeting will be issued nearer the time.