Agenda item

(Councillors with Special Responsibility Councillors Langhorn and Thomas)

Joint Report of Corporate Director (Finance & Performance) & Head of Financial Services (Appendix B to follow)

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Langhorn and Thomas)

(Councillor Archer declared a personal interest regarding Sea Change funding, in view of her involvement with the Friends of the Winter Gardens, and the Chief Executive declared an interest regarding the restructure of senior management. Both matters were referred to during the following item.)

The Corporate Director (Finance and Performance) and the Head of Financial Services submitted a joint report to agree a process for reviewing the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework. 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

i.                     approve the proposals and timetable set out in the report for reviewing and revising the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework and for bringing forward options for savings/efficiencies.

ii.                   approve an amended version of the proposals

The Officer preferred option is option i. as it sets out a structured approach for Cabinet to review the existing Budget and Policy Framework, identify savings/efficiency options,  and for it to bring forward its budget and policy framework proposals for 2010/11 and beyond within the statutory timescales.

The report referred to an Appendix B, being an update on checklists identifying options for savings and efficiencies, from Cabinet Members. In fact, Members provided this information verbally at the meeting with each Cabinet Member present talking about their own portfolio area.

The Chairman noted the work done so far by portfolio holders, the budget allocations relative to priorities and the savings opportunities for the future.

It was moved by Councillor Thomas and seconded by Councillor Langhorn:-

“(1)      That the process outlined in the report and timetabled in Appendix A for reviewing the Corporate Plan, Budget/Medium Term Financial Strategy, and preparing the 2010/11 Budget be approved.

(2)    That Cabinet notes the procedures as set out in Section 3 already in place for reviewing and updating the other Policy Framework documents.

(3)        That Cabinet notes the progress reports from individual Cabinet members as presented and continue to determine service activities and other initiatives that should be developed to bring forward to Cabinet savings and efficiencies options.” 

It was moved by Councillor Langhorn and seconded by Councillor Thomas:-

“(4)      That Cabinet notes that officers will be undertaking an exercise to analyse the current year’s budget against service activity and corporate priorities over the summer for each Cabinet Member to further assist them in bringing forward options for savings/efficiencies.”

Councillor Langhorn proposed and Councillor Fletcher seconded:

“(5)      That a public engagement exercise be undertaken, in respect of the Council’s budget proposals to deliver its corporate priorities, and that officers be instructed to work on a format for the consultation.”

Members then voted: -

Resolved unanimously:

(1)        That the process outlined in the report and timetabled in Appendix A for reviewing the Corporate Plan, Budget/Medium Term Financial Strategy, and preparing the 2010/11 Budget be approved.  

(2)               That Cabinet notes the procedures as set out in Section 3 already in place for reviewing and updating the other Policy Framework documents. 

(3)        That Cabinet notes the progress reports from individual Cabinet members as presented and continue to determine service activities and other initiatives that should be developed to bring forward to Cabinet savings and efficiencies options. 

(4)               That Cabinet notes that officers will be undertaking an exercise to analyse the current year’s budget against service activity and corporate priorities over the summer for each Cabinet Member to further assist them in bringing forward options for savings/efficiencies. 

Note: Councillor Barry was not present for the votes on resolutions (1) and (2).

Resolved:

(8 Members (Councillors Archer, Barry, Blamire, Bryning, Fletcher, Kerr, Langhorn and Thomas) voted in favour and 1 Member (Councillor Mace) abstained)

(5)               That a public engagement exercise be undertaken, in respect of the Council’s budget proposals to deliver its corporate priorities, and that officers be instructed to work on a format for the consultation.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Corporate Director (Finance and Performance)

Head of Financial Services

Reasons for making the decision:

The decision provides a structured approach for Cabinet to review the existing Budget and Policy Framework, identify savings/efficiency options,  and for it to bring forward its budget and policy framework proposals for 2010/11 and beyond within the statutory timescales.