Agenda item

This report presents the revenue budget financial outturn information for the West of England Combined Authority and the Mayoral budget for the financial year 2021/22 based on data for the period April to March 2022.

This report asked the committee to note the latest revenue budget outturn report for 2021/22 and requests an approval of reserves to the general fund.  The recommendations were moved by Metro Mayor Dan Norris and seconded by Cllr Toby Savage.  Councillor Savage moved an amendment for recommendation 3 & 5.

Amendment moved to replace recommendations 3 & 5 moved by Cllr Savage.

Approve the allocation of £699k from the 2021/22 Treasury Management surplus and £87k from the 2021/22 net revenue surplus to the Integrated Transport Authority specific one-off bus earmarked reserve, to invest in further support to regional bus services to protect routes particularly in rural areas and other communities not well served by public transport.

Cllr Savage stated that this amendment was part of the commitment to ‘strain every sinew’ in protecting bus services which he believed was the agreement at a previous meeting.

The Metro Mayor asked for a short adjournment in order that this matter could be discussed with his officers.  Upon resumption of the meeting the Metro Mayor stated that he did not agree with the proposed amendments and asked the Interim Director of Investment and Corporate Services to explain the situation of the Authority’s reserves.  The Director stated that the reserves were currently short of the figures agreed in the Reserves Policy and stated that with the uncertain economic situation coming forward he did not recommend that the Committee agree the amendment.

Cllr Savage stated that he understood the policy on reserves but reiterated that it felt it had been agreed that all possible resource would be used for the bus services. He was therefore not minded to withdraw his amendment.  Cllr Guy seconded the amendment and stated that rather than have reserves there was a need for investment now.  The Metro Mayor stated that all the available bus reserves monies were being used for bus services.

The amendment was voted upon with three in favour (Mayor Rees, Cllr Savage and Cllr Guy) and one against (Metro Mayor Dan Norris).  Therefore the amendment was not carried and the meeting moved to voting on the substantive motion.

[Voting arrangements: Voting Arrangements:  Items 1 - 4:             None required – Recommendations were for noting purposes. Item 5: Decision required a majority agreement of Committee Members in attendance, or their substitutes (one vote representing each Authority) and including the West of England Combined Authority Mayor.] Recommendation 5 was agreed with one vote for (Metro Mayor Dan Norris) and three abstentions (Cllr Savage, Cllr Guy and Mayor Rees).

The Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED to:

1.    Note the Mayoral Fund forecasted revenue outturn as detailed in Appendix 1;

2.    Note the Combined Authority forecasted revenue outturn as detailed in Appendix 2;

3.    Note the allocation of £699k from the 2021/22 Treasury Management surplus to the specific Treasury Management Earmarked Reserve (as agreed at the January 2022 Committee).

4.    Note the transfer of £1,347k, being the net end of year surplus in Integrated Transport activities, to an Integrated Transport Authority Specific One-Off Bus Earmarked Reserve to invest in further support to regional bus services to protect routes, particularly in rural areas and other communities not well served by public transport, during 2022/23 (as agreed at the January 2022 Committee).

5.    Approve the transfer of £87k from the 2021/22 net revenue surplus into the West of England Combined Authority General Reserve.