The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Enfield Council met on Monday 15 January 2024 to discuss the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for 2024/25 to 2028/29 and receive an update on the North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Enfield Borough Partnership. The committee agreed to defer the ICB update to a future meeting.

Medium Term Financial Plan 2024/25 to 2028/29

The committee considered the council's Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for 2024/25 to 2028/29, which outlines proposals for savings, income generation, funding, and spending assumptions. Councillor Ergin Erbil, Deputy Leader, highlighted the significant financial pressures faced by the council due to reduced central government funding, inflation, and the cost of living crisis. Despite these challenges, a provisionally balanced budget for 2024/25 has been set, contingent on proposed savings, a Council Tax increase, changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme, and grant funding for Adult Social Care.

Councillor Tim Leaver, Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement, elaborated on the budget, noting that while the 2024/25 budget is provisionally balanced, future years show significant gaps. He emphasised that Enfield Council is not fairly funded by the government, receiving only 8% of its overall budget from central government, making it one of the worst-funded local authorities in London and the country.

The committee heard that the Council Tax Support Scheme (CTSS), which supports over 30,000 low-income households, has had to be adjusted to align with the London average due to budget pressures. Despite this, it remains a strong scheme, offering discounts to around one-third of the borough's households. The council is also implementing an exceptional hardship scheme and a dedicated support team to assist struggling families.

Significant financial pressures were highlighted in Temporary Accommodation, with a forecast overspend for 2023/24. The council is working to mitigate these costs by reducing reliance on hotels and bringing accommodation under its direct control. However, the allocation of national homelessness prevention grants is still awaited. Adult Social Care and Children's Social Care also face considerable pressures due to demographic growth, increased demand, and inflation.

The report detailed proposed savings and income generation totalling £7.026 million for 2024/25, comprising £4.210 million from efficiencies and £2.816 million from receipts and income generation. These proposals are subject to consultation and equality impact assessments. The council also plans to increase Council Tax by 4.99% (2.99% core and 2.00% Adult Social Care Precept), the maximum allowable without breaching referendum limits.

The committee was informed about the proposed increases to fees and charges across service departments for 2024/25, with a general focus on strengthening income streams. The strategy is to increase charges by 9% based on the July 2023 RPI, with some exceptions for services aiming to build market share.

The committee noted the significant investment required across Adult Social Care, Children's Services, and Education, amounting to £13.703 million gross and £6.257 million net of efficiency savings. These pressures significantly impact the council's financial position.

The committee agreed to recommend the consideration of these savings, income proposals, funding, and spending assumptions to Cabinet and subsequently to the Council on 22 February 2024.

ICB Clinical Commissioning Update

The committee agreed to defer the report on the North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB) Clinical Commissioning update to the next meeting on 4 March 2024, due to the in-depth discussions required for the MTFP.

Work Programme 2023/24

The committee noted the Overview & Scrutiny Committee Work Programme for 2023/24.

Dates of Future Meetings

The next business meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled for Tuesday 6 February 2024 at 7:00 pm.