Decision details

Further to Minute No. 119 of the Cabinet meeting held on 28 February 2013, the Council considered the report of the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT which:

·         provided an update on the final Local Government Settlement and confirmed the budget gap of £50.8m over the next two years;

·         provided further details on the outstanding budget savings options relating to the Review of the Library Services, Street Lighting and Public Conveniences and the proposed changes to the fees and charges for youth sports pitches; learning and development; car parking and public conveniences;

·         provided updates on the other budget savings options detailed in the report and requested consideration of what should now be included in the final two year Budget Plan;

·         set out the full list of budget savings options to meet the £50.8m budget gap over the two financial years in Annex A to the report.

Following the Cabinet meeting held on 14 February 2013, the proposals for the Transformation Programme and Revenue Budget 2013/15 had been considered in detail at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Performance and Corporate Services) held on 19 February 2013.

The report indicated that the two year budget plan, as summarised in Annex A would enable a budget for 2013/14 to be approved and identified the policy changes required to deliver a sustainable and robust two year budget plan.  Due to the mixture of efficiencies and significant policy changes, some of the options could and would not be realised within a 12 month period and would contribute to the 2014/15 budget as illustrated in the report. This would require the implementation of major change programmes and appropriate capacity would need to be dedicated to ensure deliverability.  Given the scale of the budget reductions any slippage or underachievement would have implications for the financial management of the Council and as such robust management and monitoring arrangements would continue to be operated.

The Mayor referred to the amendment sheet setting out the typographical errors in Annex A to the report, the copy of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Performance and Corporate Services) resolution and the copy of the Cabinet resolution on this issue (Cabinet Minute No. 119 refers) which had been circulated around the Council Chamber. The Mayor confirmed that all documentation relating to the savings options had been published online over the last several months and that there were folders in the room which set out all of that documentation to assist Members in the debate.

Further, Members were reminded of the need to bear in mind the issues raised in the Members briefing on 18 February 2013.

A debate took place on the petition submitted under Minute No. 94 above relating to Churchtown Library and the Leader of the Council, Councillor P. Dowd indicated that the Council was always willing to consider any sustainable and feasible options for the future operation of the libraries and other services impacted by the savings options in the report.

A further brief debate took place on the overall impact of the budget proposals in the report.

It was then moved by Councillor P. Dowd, seconded by Councillor Maher:

That:

(1)       approval be given to the two year budget plan and associated policy changes which incorporate the recommendations set out in Minute No. 119 of the Cabinet meeting held on 28 February 2013;

(2)       it be noted that the detail within the Public Sector Equality Duty analysis reports or statements, the consultation feedback and the mitigating actions within each option had been taken into account and Officers be authorised to prepare for the immediate implementation of the policy changes for both years;

(3)       approval be given to the establishment of a new one-off £1m Community Transition Fund to facilitate where possible, the transfer of certain services to become community run, and self sustaining;

(4)       approval be given to the establishment of a new one-off capital priorities fund of £1m to invest in Council priorities including town centres, youth employment and local economy; and

(5)       approval be given to:

(i)            the proposed amendments to the Pay Policy as set out in paragraph 3.4 of the report;

(ii)          the addition of the following text as the penultimate sentence in paragraph 3.4.4 of the report:

“Members will note that supplementary guidance has been issued by the Secretary of State entitled “Openness and Accountability in Local Pay: Guidance under Section 40 of the Localism Act 2011”. The Pay Policy will be amended so as to make clear that any decision taken with respect to severance payments will adhere to this guidance. "; and

(iii)         the publication of the pay policy as required by Section 38 – 41 of the Localism Act 2011.

An amendment was moved by Councillor McIvor, seconded by Councillor  Jones that the motion be amended as follows:

That the implementation of the Library Review be deferred until 2014/15 and the required savings for 2013/14 be funded by a contribution of £150,000 from the Community Transition Fund referred to in Resolution (3) of the Motion

Following debate thereon, on a show of hands, the Mayor declared that the amendment was lost by 36 votes to 29 with 1 absention.

On a show of hands, the Mayor declared that the Motion was carried by 36 votes to 30 and it was

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       approval be given to the two year budget plan and associated policy changes which incorporate the recommendations set out in Minute No. 119 of the Cabinet meeting held on 28 February 2013;

(2)       it be noted that the detail within the Public Sector Equality Duty analysis reports or statements, the consultation feedback and the mitigating actions within each option had been taken into account and Officers be authorised to prepare for the immediate implementation of the policy changes for both years;

(3)       approval be given to the establishment of a new one-off £1m Community Transition Fund to facilitate where possible, the transfer of certain services to become community run, and self sustaining;

(4)       approval be given to the establishment of a new one-off capital priorities fund of £1m to invest in Council priorities including town centres, youth employment and local economy; and

(5)       approval be given to:

(i)            the proposed amendments to the Pay Policy as set out in paragraph 3.4 of the report;

(ii)          the addition of the following text as the penultimate sentence in paragraph 3.4.4 of the report:

“Members will note that supplementary guidance has been issued by the Secretary of State entitled “Openness and Accountability in Local Pay: Guidance under Section 40 of the Localism Act 2011”. The Pay Policy will be amended so as to make clear that any decision taken with respect to severance payments will adhere to this guidance. "; and

(iii)         the publication of the pay policy as required by Section 38 – 41 of the Localism Act 2011.