Agenda item

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Blamire, Hanson and Sands)

Report of the Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning)

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Blamire, Hanson and Sands)

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning) which provided options for service reductions in discretionary areas to address the potential budget deficits for 2015/16 and enable Cabinet to give direction in advance of the need to remove posts and budgets and any operational closure of service areas to take place before year end 2014/15 in preparation for the challenges of budget setting for 2015/16. 

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

The officer preferred option is Option 3.   If a balance can be gained between making savings elsewhere within the Council’s operations and this sector there will remain the ability to support a more limited intervention in the visitor economy and the districts cultural offer.    .

Cabinet is asked to give officers a clear indication of the service areas which they have the option to reduce in the service areas outlined in paragraph 1.1 of the report.  This will then enable steps to be taken to work up the detail of those reductions, consult with Trade Unions and the staff affected, and prepare a report for Personnel Committee to implement the changes.  

Councillor Sands proposed, seconded by Councillor Hanson:-

(1)     “That having considered the options available it is proposed that the status quo is maintained throughout 2014/15 but with the following related efficiency measures:

·                Redirect the resources associated with the Heritage Open Days as this falls too close to Vintage By The Sea

·                Replace the Sandcastle Festival with involvement in the major outdoor exhibition Profiling Morecambe Bay.  Note:  This would not be a replacement event provided by the City Council, but one delivered in partnership with other organisations around The Bay subject to available funding.

·                Changes to the opening times for Lancaster and Morecambe Visitor Information Centres with the emphasis on being open during the busiest periods for visitors and closed during the quietest times. Further work will be undertaken to examine how this can be done to achieve the budget reduction.

·                Move towards on-line forms of marketing and reduce associated staffing costs.

·                Retain the Council’s residents magazine, but for only one publication each year which will be combined with the annual Council Tax Leaflet.”

(2)     “That expenditure to support the Arts and Tourism industries be subject to a fundamental review during the next 12 months which is to include a commissioning approach as to what the Council wishes to see from Arts activities.”

(3)     “That the Chief Officer (Resources) be authorised to update the General Fund Revenue Budget to reflect the management changes set out in Appendix A of the report, and the measures listed under (1) above.”

Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1)     That having considered the options available it is proposed that the status quo is maintained throughout 2014/15 with the following efficiency measures:

·                Redirect the resources associated with the Heritage Open Days as this falls too close to Vintage By The Sea

·                Replace the Sandcastle Festival with involvement in the major outdoor exhibition Profiling Morecambe Bay.  Note:  This would not be a replacement event provided by the City Council, but one delivered in partnership with other organisations around The Bay subject to available funding.

·                Changes to the opening times for Lancaster and Morecambe Visitor Information Centres with the emphasis on being open during the busiest periods for visitors and closed during the quietest times. Further work will be undertaken to examine how this can be done to achieve a budget reduction.

·                Move towards on-line forms of marketing and reduce associated staffing costs.

·                Retain the Council’s residents magazine, but for only one publication each year which will be combined with the annual Council Tax Leaflet

(2)     That expenditure to support the Arts and Tourism industries be subject to a fundamental review during the next 12 months which is to include a commissioning approach as to what the Council wishes to see from Arts activities.

(3)     That the Chief Officer (Resources) be authorised to update the General Fund Revenue Budget to reflect the management changes set out in Appendix A of the report, and the measures listed under (1) above.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning)

Chief Officer (Resources)

Reasons for making the decision:

Maintaining a vibrant visitor economy and developing the arts is deemed important to ensure a thriving local economy which is attractive to visitors and quality of life for its citizens alike.  The decision recognises the importance to the District’s economy of both the Arts and Tourism evidenced by the contribution of more than half a million pounds that the City Council makes to support these industries and enables a fundamental review to be taken over the next twelve months to consider to what extent the City Council can continue to support the Arts and Tourism industries in the face of further proposed Government funding reductions.