The Council resolved:-
(i) to note the feedback collated from officers and elected members on the Budget Protocol in its first year of operation, summarised in the report;
(ii) to instruct officers to develop budget options and Integrated Impact Assessments during Quarter 1 as the basis for (1) elected member engagement; (2) Phase 1 engagement with the public both online and face to face; and (3) a second phase of engagement during quarter 3 after the Medium Term Financial Plan was reported to Council; and
(iii) to note that the Protocol formed part of the Scheme of Governance and as such would be reviewed by the cross-party Governance Reference Group in April and May and submitted to Council in July for approval of any proposed revisions, including giving effect to the improvements outlined at (ii) above.