Issue - meetings

B Report of Director of Finance and Support

1.      Cabinet’s General fund draft budget proposals for 2010/11 and indicative budgets for 2011/12, and 2012/13 as summarised in Annex A and B was approved for public consultation.

2.      Cabinet agreed that the proposed council tax freeze for 2011/12 be approved for public consultation.

3.      Cabinet’s draft capital programme and financing as detailed in annexes F1, F2, and G, was approved for public consultation

4.      Cabinet approved the draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget excluding charges, subsidy and rents for public consultation.

5.      Cabinet agreed that the draft Capital Strategy at appendix H be approved for consultation.

6.      Cabinet agreed that the consultation leaflet be delegated to the Assistant Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance for approval.

7.      Cabinet agreed that the Chief Executive and Management Board, in consultation with the relevant portfolio holders, undertake the preparatory work in relation to the savings and efficiencies built into the draft budget proposals, subject to any actions being rescinded should any budget options not be approved by 23 February 2011 Council. 

8. Cabinet noted that the Council’s response to the formula grant settlement would be prepared by the Director of Finance and Support in consultation with the Chief Executive, the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets and The Leader of the Council.

Councillor Mildren observed that Council would have more information about fees and charges and savings. He referred to Annex B and made the assumption that Planning would stand alone; in respect of Annex C noted that the Sheltered Housing Review assumed savings of £180,000 before that review had started; and that in respect of Annex D1 noted that £5.5m was assumed for the buy out of Stagecoach from the Bus Station without knowing if this funding would be forthcoming (what would the affect be on the Council’s budget be if it had to be found from within the Council’s resources?).

Councillor Clarke commented that he was incredulous that the Council had spent the previous three years saying that the Government was underfunding it, but this year was saying that the Government was right to do so. The Council appeared to be accepting the situation in respect of the Formula Grant without fighting back. The Council could challenge it. He queried how the Council could assume savings of £1.6m from the contracting out of Environmental services before tenders had been evaluated; and similarly assuming savings before the sheltered housing review had started. He felt that the figures set out were akin to a “wish list” and that the 217 public responses were suspect. The public appeared to want less events and more street cleansing, the opposite of the Administration’s policy. He felt it would be difficult for the Cabinet to put together a budget that would gain support and felt that there should be more honesty about the “ifs and buts”.

Councillor Glynane welcomed the funding for Delapre Abbey and queried why Cabinet was proposing to withdraw funding from CAN and how these services would be provided. He also asked for an explanation as to how the proposals for savings in the Stray Dogs service would work. He compared the Council’s position with that of the County Council who had a £15m black hole without any idea as to how it would be dealt with. He asked if this could have an impact on the Council’s budget.

Councillor Mason commented that this budget was difficult especially with the front loading and congratulated the Officers for their work and in clearly explaining how it would be implemented. She noted concerns about the Environment services market testing, Leisure Trust, sheltered housing review and other services in respect of their impact on staff, especially the need for any compulsory redundancies and any numbers that this might relate to. She asked how services would be monitored if they were outsourced and how much working would there be with the 3^rd Sector? She felt that funding the removal of the Delapre bunding and funding for skateboarding at this time seemed inappropriate. She observed that the public consultation seemed limited but that it needed to be explained in simple terms. With the increases in petrol prices and rents the public deserved a simple explanation of what would affect them. In answer to a question, Councillor Mason  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6