Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive

Further to Minute No. 183 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 27 January 2011, the Council considered the report of the Chief Executive which provided an update on the Transformation Programme and set out recommendations on the relative priority of Council services in the light of the forecast savings required following the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review.  This prioritisation informed the identification of further budget options which would reduce the 2011/12-2013/14 budget gap.

 

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

 

It was moved by Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Brodie-Browne:

 

That

 

(1)      approval be given to the activities of the Economic Development Division being directly funded from successful bids for external funding, realising a core budget saving of £714,000, and the Economic Development Division be allowed to reinvest future “other achievements” of external funding into maintaining and further developing service provision;

 

(2)      approval be given to officers being mandated to continue the consultation process with employees and Trade Unions with a view to realising the reduction in costs identified for the Specialist Transport Unit including the issue of relevant statutory and contractual notifications;

 

(3)      approval be given to the further tactical savings options set out in Appendix B of the report subject to:

 

          a)       the amendment of option SCL4A to a budget saving of £40,000 to be achieved across the Borough including a reduction in winter bedding

 

          b)       the deferral of option CM60

 

          c)       a revised charge of £10 for Option CM61 achieving a saving of £10,000 (to be confirmed); and

 

          d)       the deletion of option CM62;

 

(4)      approval be given to the package of terms and conditions proposals identified in paragraph 4.3 of the report for negotiating purposes and to officers being mandated to continue negotiations with Trade Unions in this respect;

 

(5)      the activities to cease/reduce as outlined in Appendix C of the report be noted and approval be given to officers being mandated to commence a consultation process with partners, employees and Trade Unions with a view to ceasing the activities identified including the issue of relevant statutory and contractual notifications;

 

 (6)     approval be given to:

 

a)              all Tier 3 Services detailed in Appendix E being

          de-commissioned to achieve savings of £3.0m in 2011/12;

 

          b)       subject to the review of Neighbourhoods/Safer Stronger Communities (Tier 1 Service), savings of £1.2m being assumed from these areas from improved co-ordination and the rationalisation of functions. (The detailed achievement of this saving to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011);

 

          c)       a saving of £400,000 to be identified in Leisure Centres to reflect smarter ways of working (Tier 1 Service).  (The detailed achievement of this saving to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011);

 

          d)       the deferral of any decision on all stages of the Sure Start Programme - Children’s Centres pending a Strategic Review which will consider the national policy direction, local priorities and the need to engage communities to deliver priority outcomes with fewer resources.  (The terms of reference and the timescale of this review to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011);

 

           e)      the previous assumption on Management and Support savings being rephased to achieve 20% in 2011/12 and a further 5% in 2012/13, thereby increasing the savings in 2011/12 by £1.5m with a corresponding reduction in 2012/13.  (The detailed achievement of this saving to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011);

 

          f)        a further review of Tier 2 services being undertaken to determine if and how 50% cost savings can be achieved in 2011/12.  (The outcome of this review to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011 and to include a detailed assessment of the relative priority of service outcomes and implications); and

 

          g)       note the potential to use one off resources to balance any remaining savings requirement subject to the outcome of the above reviews; and

 

 (7)     approval be given to officers being authorised to engage in consultation with employees and trade unions as appropriate and to prepare and issue relevant notifications under Section 188 of the Trade Union Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and form HR1 to the Secretary of State.

 

An amendment was then moved by Councillor P. Dowd and seconded by Councillor Maher that the motion be amended by the addition of the following text:

 

"All current Children's Centres in all phases continue to receive funding and specifically in relation to those Children's Centres under threat in phases 2 and 3, that current funding totalling £1.84m for 2011/12 be provided using one-off resources if necessary" 

 

The requisite number of Members having then signified their wish that the voting on the amendment should be recorded in accordance with Rule 18.4 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules, the voting was duly recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:

 

FOR THE AMENDMENT:

 

Councillors Bradshaw, Brennan, Byrom, Carr, K. Cluskey, L. Cluskey, Cummins, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Fairclough, Friel, Gustafson, Hardy, Kelly, Kerrigan, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, Moncur, Tweed, Veidman and Webster

 

AGAINST THE AMENDMENT:

 

Councillors Barber, Blackburn, Brodie-Browne, Byrne, Cuthbertson, Dodd, Doran, Dorgan, Dutton, Lord Fearn, M. Fearn, Fenton, Gibson, Glover, Griffiths, Hill, Hough, Howe, Ibbs, Jones, C. Mainey, S. Mainey, McGuire, McIvor, Papworth, Parry, Porter, Preece, Preston, D. Rimmer, Robertson, Shaw, Tattersall, Tonkiss, Sir Ron Watson and Weavers.

 

The amendment was lost by 36 votes to 22.

 

At this point, the Mayor indicated that the meeting be adjourned for a short period of time for a refreshment break.  Following the adjournment, the meeting resumed.

 

A further amendment was then moved by Councillor Maher and seconded by Councillor P. Dowd that the motion be amended by the addition of the following text:

 

"The proposed closure of the Centre Based Youth Services be deleted from Appendix E (Tier 3) and the identified saving be found from other one-off resources"

 

 The requisite number of Members having then signified their wish that the voting on the amendment should be recorded in accordance with Rule 18.4 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules, the voting was duly recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:

 

FOR THE AMENDMENT:

 

Councillors Bradshaw, Brennan, Byrom, Carr, K. Cluskey, L. Cluskey, Cummins, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Fairclough, Lord Fearn, Friel, Gustafson, Hardy, Ibbs, Kelly, Kerrigan, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, Moncur, Tweed, Veidman and Webster.

 

 AGAINST THE AMENDMENT:

 

Councillors Barber, Blackburn, Brodie-Browne, Byrne, Cuthbertson, Dodd, Doran, Dorgan, Dutton, Fenton, Gibson, Glover, Griffiths, Hill, Hough, Howe, Jones, C. Mainey, S. Mainey, McGuire, McIvor, Papworth, Parry, Porter, Preece, Preston, D. Rimmer, Robertson, Shaw, Tattersall, Tonkiss and Sir Ron Watson.

 

ABSTENTION:

 

Councillor M. Fearn.

 

 The amendment was lost by 32 votes to 24 with one abstention.

 

A further amendment was then moved by Councillor Carr and seconded by Councillor P. Dowd that the motion be amended by the addition of the following text:

 

"The Duke of Edinburgh Scheme in Appendix E be deleted and the identified saving be found from other one-off resources"

 

 On a show of hands, the amendment was lost by 35 votes to 21.

 

Following further debate, the requisite number of Members having signified their wish that the voting on the Substantive Motion should be recorded in accordance with Rule 18.4 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules, the voting was duly recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:

 

FOR THE SUBSTANTIVE MOTION:

 

Councillors Barber, Blackburn, Brodie-Browne, Byrne, Cuthbertson, Dodd, Doran, Dorgan, Dutton, Lord Fearn, M. Fearn, Fenton, Gibson, Glover, Griffiths, Hill, Hough, Howe, Ibbs, Jones, C. Mainey, S. Mainey, McGuire, McIvor, Papworth, Parry, Porter, Preece, Preston, D. Rimmer, Robertson, Shaw, Tattersall, Tonkiss and Sir Ron Watson.

 

 

AGAINST THE SUBSTANTIVE MOTION:

 

Councillors Bradshaw, Brennan, Byrom, Carr, K. Cluskey, L. Cluskey, Cummins, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Friel, Hardy, Kelly, Kerrigan, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, Moncur, Tweed, Veidman and Webster.

 

 

The Substantive Motion was carried by 35 votes to 20 and it was

 

RESOLVED:   That

 

(1)      approval be given to the activities of the Economic Development Division being directly funded from successful bids for external funding, realising a core budget saving of £714,000, and the Economic Development Division be allowed to reinvest future “other achievements” of external funding into maintaining and further developing service provision;

 

(2)      approval be given to officers being mandated to continue the consultation process with employees and Trade Unions with a view to realising the reduction in costs identified for the Specialist Transport Unit including the issue of relevant statutory and contractual notifications;

 

(3)      approval be given to the further tactical savings options set out in Appendix B of the report subject to:

 

          a)       the amendment of option SCL4A to a budget saving of £40,000 to be achieved across the Borough including a reduction in winter bedding

 

          b)       the deferral of option CM60

 

          c)       a revised charge of £10 for Option CM61 achieving a saving of £10,000 (to be confirmed); and

 

          d)       the deletion of option CM62;

 

(4)      approval be given to the package of terms and conditions proposals identified in paragraph 4.3 of the report for negotiating purposes and to officers being mandated to continue negotiations with Trade Unions in this respect;

 

(5)      the activities to cease/reduce as outlined in Appendix C of the report be noted and approval be given to officers being mandated to commence a consultation process with partners, employees and Trade Unions with a view to ceasing the activities identified including the issue of relevant statutory and contractual notifications;

 

 (6)     approval be given to:

 

          a)       all Tier 3 Services detailed in Appendix E being de-commissioned to achieve savings of £3.0m in 2011/12;

 

          b)       subject to the review of Neighbourhoods/Safer Stronger Communities (Tier 1 Service), savings of £1.2m being assumed from these areas from improved co-ordinating and the rationalisation of functions. (The detailed achievement of this saving to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011);

 

          c)       a saving of £400,000 to be identified in Leisure Centres to reflect smarter ways of working (Tier 1 Service).  (The detailed achievement of this saving to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011);

 

          d)       the deferral of any decision on all stages of the Sure Start Programme - Children’s Centres pending a Strategic Review which will consider the national policy direction, local priorities and the need to engage communities to deliver priority outcomes with fewer resources.  (The terms of reference and the timescale of this review to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011);

 

           e)      the previous assumption on Management and Support savings being rephased to achieve 20% in 2011/12 and a further 5% in 2012/13, thereby increasing the savings in 2011/12 by £1.5m with a corresponding reduction in 2012/13.  (The detailed achievement of this saving to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011);

 

          f)        a further review of Tier 2 services being undertaken to determine if and how 50% cost savings can be achieved in 2011/12.  (The outcome of this review to be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2011 and to include a detailed assessment of the relative priority of service outcomes and implications); and

 

          g)       note the potential to use one off resources to balance any remaining savings requirement subject to the outcome of the above reviews; and

 

 (7)     approval be given to officers being authorised to engage in consultation with employees and trade unions as appropriate and to prepare and issue relevant notifications under Section 188 of the Trade Union Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and form HR1 to the Secretary of State.

 

( In accordance with Rule 18.5 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules the following Councillors requested that their votes against resolutions (2) to (6) set out above be recorded, namely:

 

Councillors Bradshaw, Brennan, Byrom, Carr, K. Cluskey, L. Cluskey, Cummins, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Fairclough, Friel, Gustafson, Hardy, Kelly, Kerrigan, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, Moncur, Tweed, Veidman and Webster.)