Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Executive

Further to Minute No. 81 of the meeting held on 19 January 2012, the Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Executive detailing the progress made towards the establishment of the budget for 2012/13 and the reviews of services and consultation processes completed and in progress, as part of the Transformation Programme.

The report comprised of three parts and incorporated the following information:

Part A - Low and Medium Impact Options

·                     Introduction/Background

·                     Work Programme and Prioritisation

·                     Consultation and Engagement Overview

·                     Impact Assessment Overview

·                     Risk Management Overview

·                     Options not to be progressed

·                     Options to be redefined

·                     Reviews

·                     Low and Medium Impact Options to Progress

·                     Options requiring further consideration

·                     Conclusion

Part B - Progress made in relation to Landscape Services

Part C - Progress made in relation to Supporting People Commissioned Services

The Chief Executive introduced the content of the report which contained details of the consultation feedback (20,000 responses from service users and the public), the equality analysis assessment, risks and the mitigating actions for each budget saving proposal set out in the report. She referred to the extensive consultation exercise undertaken by the Council on the options and made Members aware that the report contained a range of implications for service users and Members of staff affected by the proposals in the report.

The Chief Executive outlined to Members that the report contained complex, comprehensive and detailed information.  In light of the scale of information being presented to Members, the Chief Executive confirmed that all Members had a further opportunity to seek additional information or clarification.

The Chief Executive requested the Cabinet to consider the low and medium impact options in

the report at this meeting and the proposals relating to Landscape Services and Supporting

People Commissioned Services at the next Cabinet Meeting on 16 February 2012. Mitigating actions had been identified by consultees and wherever possible, Officers had sought or would seek to incorporate these suggestions.  Overwhelmingly, the consultation responses did not support some of the difficult decisions that Members faced.  However, the Council must set a balanced budget and the level of Council Tax for 2012/13 at the Budget Council Meeting on 1 March 2012.  

The Leader of the Council, in furtherance of the Chief Executive’s introduction, re-iterated the significance of the consultees’ responses and took the opportunity to thank respondents for their various contributions.  Cabinet Members acknowledged the receipt of further communications received by them in their capacity as ward Members.

Members of the Cabinet expressed their appreciation for the high volume of responses received from service users, partners and the public in general to the consultation exercise undertaken on all of the budget savings options and thanked the Officers for the quality of the consultation work.

The Leader of the Council reminded Cabinet Members to ask questions about the reports in front of them, with particular reference to the outcome of consultation, equality analysis reports, risks and mitigating actions.

A Member of Cabinet sought clarification on the consequences should the Council fail to set a balanced  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94