Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of Financial Services.

Recommended to Council the draft Medium Term Financial Plan as the basis for the development of the 2011/12 budget and the revised Medium Term Plan 2015/16 and no increase in Council Tax for 2011. Authorised Chief Officer's Management Team, after consultation with the appropriate Executive Councillors, to prepare and implement plans for changes and reductions in services to achieve targeted savings plans for 2011/12 and future years. 

Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Officers Management Team (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) setting out a draft Budget for 2011/12 and Medium Term Plan (MTP) for the period 2012 -16.

Members were advised that the proposals reflected the results of the recent public consultation on the budget and were expected to generate revenue savings of 6.4m per year by 2014/15 as well as a reduction in the capital programme of 5.3m over five years.

In discussing the contents of the report, Member’s attention was drawn to the conclusions reached by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being).  In that respect, Members concurred with the Panel that consideration should be given to alternative delivery methods for local offices services, such as the customer services centres.  Furthermore, Members were advised that initial discussions had been held with Cambridgeshire County Council with a view to working alongside their library service and that further talks would be held with Town and Parish Councils.

With regard to proposals to reduce the grants paid to voluntary organisations, Executive Councillors concurred with the Panel that these groups are likely to form an important part of the move towards "localism" and the public’s demand on them may increase as a result of changes to the welfare system.  The Cabinet were of the opinion also that these groups should be encouraged to explore a variety of alternative means of funding and revenue generation.

Having considered the Panel’s views on the proposals for the CCTV Service, the Cabinet noted that a number of options were being discussed including the potential to enter into a joint arrangement with Cambridgeshire Constabulary, other Councils and/or Town and Parish Councils.

In relation to the proposals to increase car parking charges from 2014, a number of comments have been made with regard to the staggering of the increases, the lack of adequate public transport, the introduction of civil parking enforcement and the support and ability of residents to pay an increased fee.

In considering the options for the determination of levels of Council Tax for 2011/12, the Cabinet were conscious of the current economic climate, the impact on local residents and the Government’s proposed grant of 2.5% for Council's who decided to freeze their council tax for the coming financial year.  In the circumstances Executive Councillors concluded that this should form the basis of a recommendation to Council and alternative options for Council Tax should not be considered.

Discussion also ensued on proposals put forward by the Liberal Democrat Group, in respect of which the Cabinet noted that review of pay, pay systems and allowances was already underway alongwith the development of shared services initiatives and proposals to sub let spare office capacity.  Areas which required further discussions were noted these included job sharing, members allowances, a reduction in the number of District Councillors - although it was felt that they would unlikely to result in  significant savings during the budget plan period and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53

To consider a report by the Head of Financial Services.

(Councillor T V Rogers, Executive Councillor for Finance and Customer Services was in attendance for this item).

(Councillors Mrs M Banerjee, I C Bates, B S Chapman, S J Criswell, D B Dew, P J Downes, C R Hyams, P G Mitchell, M F Newman, Mrs D Reynolds, L M Simpson, J S Watt,and R J West).

Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Officers Management Team (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which contained a draft Budget for 2011/12 and Medium Term Financial Plan (MTP) for the period 2012-16, prior to their submission to the Cabinet and final determination by the Council.

By way of introduction, the Director of Commerce and Technology gave a presentation on the draft Budget based on the Government’s preference for no increase in Council Tax and a reduction in spending of 11% in the current year. Having been advised of those areas where no significant changes were proposed to services, attention was drawn to the areas where efficiency savings were being sought and the impact on each service of the proposed spending cuts. Members were advised that the final Budget for 2011/12 would be prepared in the New Year with the benefit of further information in relation to the Revenue Support Grant, the impact of changes to concessionary fares and the new reward grant for housing development.

In discussing the contents of the report, Members reiterated the view that the Council should approach the financial planning process strategically through a vision for the District and for the Council. This would enable the Council’s priorities to be weighted and make it possible to take better informed decisions on the budget. In response, the Executive Councillor for Finance and Customer Services explained that the Government was constantly changing the requirements it placed on local authorities and this presented difficulties in preparing a strategy. It was suggested that Government changes should not affect the overarching vision and would only have an impact on the delivery of it.

Comments were made in relation to the Council’s strategic approach to financial planning and on the need for contingency plans to be prepared that addressed a range of scenarios and identified options for future action to respond to changing events. In addition, it was suggested that a rationale should be produced for each of the proposed changes. Members were assured that decisions would be informed by detailed pieces of work as the Council’s plans developed.

Councillor N J Guyatt cited an example of the value of adopting a strategic approach by referring to the proposed closure of the Yaxley Customer Service Centre in the context of the Council’s priority to support vulnerable people. The Executive Councillor for Finance and Customer Services drew attention to figures on claims for Housing Benefit in the area and explained that efforts were being made to identify savings while maintaining services. Attention then was drawn to the recent public consultation exercise, which revealed that the public were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53