Budget setting

In many ways, this is the most significant meeting of the council year - where the budget is set for the period from April to the following March.

We have a pre-meeting at half past six - myself, senior officers and the three group leaders - to make sure there's as much clarity as possible about how the business of the meeting is going to be organised. As the budget consists of five different items on the agenda, which is already quite long, I suggest that as we've done in previous years, we have one debate on all five items together, and only treat them separately when it comes to the votes.

This is agreed - which is just as well, as the budget meeting still lasts till about a quarter to eleven. There's a question from a member of the public, and several councillor's questions, as well as lots of references from committees. Under the council's rules, I have to ask the council at ten o'clock, and again at half past ten, if they want to carry on and complete all the business - which it appears they do.