Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of Financial Services .

   Recommended to full Council that the revised steady profile of savings, described at Annex B and the saving items set out in Annex A of the report of the Head of Financial Services be supported; that Officers be directed to robustly review all budgets and Medium Term Plan schemes (revenue and capital) to identify any further opportunities for savings.

Further to Minute No. 06/41 and by way of reports by the Heads of Financial Services and of Administration (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet were acquainted with work on the preparation of the draft budget and Medium Term Plan (MTP) for the period to 2018/19, together with the deliberations of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Corporate and Strategic Framework) thereon. 

In discussing the content of the report and in particular the need to identify and implement savings to achieve a balanced plan,  Members reiterated their disappointment that the Government continued to withhold some £547 k in grant due to the Council as a way of a safety net in light of future grant reductions.  With regard to possible savings and in addition to those listed in Annex A, Members’ attention was drawn to a “Reserve List” of suggestions made by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel.  Having noted that Officers had been asked to review the suitability of the Panel’s suggestions as part of the ongoing review of budgets and Medium Term Plan schemes and in noting references by the Executive Councillor for Finance as to the extensive range of grants made available by the Council in addition to those for community initiatives, it was 

RESOLVED

  that full Council be recommended to;

  (a)  support the saving items set out in Annex A to the report now submitted.

  (b)  support the strategy for a steady profile of savings as represented by Annex B to the report now submitted; and

  (c)  request Officers to review all budgets and Medium Term Plan schemes (revenue and capital) to identify any further opportunities for savings.