Decision details

Further to Minute No. 240 of the Cabinet meeting held on 3 March 2011, the Council considered the report of the Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer on proposals to finalise the 2011/12 Budget within the prioritisation framework agreed by the Council.

The Mayor referred to the copy of the Cabinet resolution on this issue (Cabinet Minute 240 refers) which had been circulated around the Council Chamber, and which incorporated details of the following corrections to the report, which do not affect the total budget figure:

Paragraph 7.1Coast and Countryside value should read £306,000

Arts and Cultural Services value should read £497,000; and

Appendix B - Item 7.1.9            Arts and Culture should read £497,000 in

2011/12

It was moved by Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Parry:

That the recommendations set out in Minute No. 240 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 3 March 2011, as circulated to Members of the Council be approved.

A lengthy debate took place on the content of the Cabinet recommendation. 

On a show of hands, the motion was carried by 36 votes to 23 and it was

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the progress to date on the Transformation Programme be noted;

(2)       the Neighbourhoods and Safer/Stronger Communities Review be approved; it be confirmed that their activities be funded to the value of £1.2m and officers be mandated to commence a consultation process with partners, key stakeholders, employees and Trade Unions, including the issue of relevant statutory and contractual notifications;

(3)            approval be given to the additional savings/budget adjustments outlined in paragraph 3.1 of the report and totalling £0.95m;

(4)            approval be given to the further savings proposals relating to management and support costs set out in paragraph 4 of the report and officers be mandated to continue/commence the consultation process with suppliers, employees and Trade Unions, with a view to realising the reduction in costs identified, including the issue of relevant statutory and contractual notifications;

(5)       the balance of Management and Support savings yet to be identified be noted and officers be requested to report back on specific proposals to meet this target;

(6)       the update on Terms and Conditions and the Social Care Funding be noted and approval be given to the inclusion of the savings within the final approved budget;

(7)       the assessment of Tier 2 services in line with the previous resolution of Council and the specific savings proposals set out in Appendix B of the report be approved subject to the deletion of the savings relating to Targeted Youth and Detached Youth Work, and Officers be mandated to continue the consultation process with relevant stakeholders, employees and Trade Unions, with a view to realising the reduction in costs identified;

(8)       the shortfall of £0.30m on the savings achievable from Tier 3 in 2011/12 only be noted, subject to a combined saving target of £1m being applied to all Youth Service activities in 2012/13 with a part year effect of £500,000 in 2011/12 and a redesign of the Youth Service being undertaken to ensure that the savings are met and that our most vulnerable young people are protected whilst still enabling an element of universal service;

(9)       the cessation of externally funded activity set out in Appendix D of the report due to the reduction in Government funding be approved and Officers be mandated to continue the consultation process with relevant stakeholders, employees and Trade Unions, with a view to realising the reduction in costs identified;

(10)     a savings target of £0.9m in 2011/12 to be applied to the Strategic Review of Sure Start Children’s Centres be approved and that areas identified for saving be brought forward at the earliest opportunity and not left until the final report stage;

(11)            approval be given to any Children's Centre savings target for future years being kept under review;

(12)            approval be given to the Children's Centres savings target in 2011/12 being underwritten by one-off resources;

(13)            approval be given to the value of this reserve being reduced should the 2010/11 underspend be less than £2m;

(14)            approval be given to the Reserve being allocated at the discretion of the Cabinet;

(15)            approval be given to the overall budget as detailed in Appendix C of the report, including the use of £4m of one-off resources funded from the re-appropriation of earmarked reserves, subject to:

·                    the addition of £402,000 in each of the financial years 2011/12 and 2012/13 for the budgets for Items 168 - Targeted Youth Work and 169 - Detached Youth Work

·                    the addition of £500,000 in the budget for 2011/12 only for items 182 - Centre Based Youth Work and 183 - Duke of Edinburgh

·                    the reduction of £900,000 in each of the financial years 2011/12 and 2012/13 for item 193 - Sure Start Children's Centres Cost of Service

·                    the creation of a Budget Pressure Reserve of £1.6m from one-off resources to be used to underpin potential increased demand or pressure in the budget and primarily in adult and children's social care; and

(16)     it be noted that a significant budget gap remains in 2012/13 and that work must begin immediately to identify options for bridging this gap.