Morgan’s Musings

AS a Councillor you know Christmas is getting close because the Welsh Government budget is due to be announced this week.

Yes, that time of year has arrived and once we have assessed the detail and the potential implications for RCT, the Council will begin consulting on a potential approach to ensure the Council sets a legally balanced budget.

Proposals on exactly how we consult over a six week period to support the development of the 2017/18 budget strategy will be considered by Cabinet next week.

We know that cuts to public spending imposed on Wales by the UK Government result in incredibly difficult circumstances for the Welsh Government to decide how to slice up an ever decreasing cake between all of Wales’ vital public services.

When I first became a Cabinet Member I can fondly recall, at the same time of year, the dilemma being very different; we would have received a healthy increase and would be deciding which services to invest in instead of considering how we make savings when pressures on services continue.

While we know we will face a budget gap moving forward as a result of austerity, the level of this gap will be determined by the details of the financial settlement and our continued focus to target and deliver efficiencies and savings year round is securing one off funding to make the investments we are making in areas such as highways, leisure, schools, parks and regeneration still possible.

■ Next Wednesday (October 26) I will conduct my Leader’s Annual Debate. This debate as part of the Council meeting offers the opportunity for me to present on what the Council has delivered upon over the last 12 months and what we intend to achieve moving forward. The recent publication of Council Performance by the Local Government Data Unit, which highlighted RCT’s performance as one of the most improved in Wales, provides a positive backdrop for this meeting.