Agenda item

Cabinet:

1.            Approved the final schedule of proposals, set out in Appendix A to the report.

2.            Reviewed the alternative proposals submitted and accepted by the Chief Finance Officer and agreed their inclusion or omission within the consultation process.

3.            Agreed that officers should commence consultation on those proposals.

4.            Noted the specific consultation questions being asked in the consultation documents, set out in Appendices J, K, L and M to the report.

5.            Agreed the draft strategies for libraries and parking, set out in Appendices C and D to the report, as part of the consultation process.

6.            Noted the final outturn position for 2013/14 and the initial forecast for 2014/15.

7.            Noted the proposed timetable for reviewing the outcome of the consultation process and the remainder of the budget cycle.

Councillor Roger Ramsey, Cabinet Member for Value, introduced the report

The report to Cabinet on 3 September 2014 set out the background to the development of the Council’s future budget strategy.  It also included a range of proposals to bridge a substantial budget gap over the coming four years.  Those proposals were considered at a joint meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committees on 8 September.

The report before Cabinet summarised the outcome of that meeting and recommended a final set of proposals, on which consultation would soon commence.  The report also set out - as further background information - the final outturn position for 2013/14, and the initial monitoring position for 2014/15, as this also informed the development of the strategy.

Cabinet was reminded that the report set out the Council’s long term financial strategy to manage the implications of funding reductions and cost pressures over the next four years.  Councillor Ramsey added that the Joint Overview & Scrutiny meeting on 8 September had produced a number of alternative proposals from the other Groups and that these would be considered alongside those contained within the report and that final proposals for the budget would be presented to Cabinet at its budget meeting early in the New Year.

Those present were reminded that this was only the beginning of a lengthy and detailed consultation process; initially with the public, which would commence on 29 September and continue to 29 December and then with staff and the unions.  He encouraged as many people as possible to respond and contribute to the final proposals, but he cautioned against simply rejecting current proposals, adding that savings had to be made and if one proposal were to be rejected, proposals for finding the same savings would have to be put forward as the budget had to be balanced.

He concluded by drawing attention to two minor errors in the report:  The first concerned wording in appendix I, item 5 in relation to the Queen’s Theatre.  It had been brought to Cabinet’s attention that whilst quarterly meetings had taken place, it was not the case that discussions had taken place in relation to the budget. (page 298).

The second error related to a table on page 21 (Appendix A). Line 15 referred to “Trading Services”, this was a typographical error and should read “Trading Standards”.

Reasons for the decision:

It was essential that the Council’s financial strategy took due account of Government plans and any other material factors where these were likely to have an impact on the Council’s financial position.  The report set out proposals for the Council’s budget strategy for the next four years, and reflected the expected continued Government approach of reduced levels of funding.  The scale of these meant that consideration of detailed proposals followed by consultation and implementation at an early stage following the local elections, had been essential.

Other options considered:

None.  The Constitution required this as a step towards setting the Council’s budget.

Cabinet:

1.            Approved the final schedule of proposals, set out in Appendix A to the report.

2.            Reviewed the alternative proposals from UKIP submitted and accepted by the Chief Finance Officer and agreed their inclusion or omission within the consultation process.

3.            Agreed that officers should commence consultation on these proposals.

4.            Noted the specific consultation questions being asked in the consultation documents, set out in Appendices J, K, L and M to the report.

5.            Agreed the draft strategies for libraries and parking, set out in Appendices C and D to the report, as part of the consultation process.

6.            Noted the final outturn position for 2013/14 and the initial forecast for 2014/15.

7.            Noted the proposed timetable for reviewing the outcome of the consultation process and the remainder of the budget cycle.