Agenda item
The Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) Regulations: Local Area Agreements
To agree the allocation of responsibility for functions relating to the Council’s Local Area Agreement as set out in the attached report of the Assistant Chief Executive.
Decision:
DECISION
1. That the Authority’s functions under sections 106, 110, 111 and 113 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, including functions relating to the preparation, submission and modification of a Local Area Agreement, be the responsibility of the Council’s Executive; and
2. That Part 3.2.2 of the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly.
(Action by: Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services), I. Freeman)
Minutes:
Councillor Ohid Ahmed MOVED and Councillor Lutfur Rahman SECONDED the recommendations as set out in the report.
The recommendations were put to the vote and were agreed. Accordingly it was
RESOLVED
1. That the Authority’s functions under sections 106, 110, 111 and 113 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, including functions relating to the preparation, submission and modification of a Local Area Agreement, be the responsibility of the Council’s Executive; and
2. That Part 3.2.2 of the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly.
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BUDGET REQUIREMENT & COUNCIL TAX 2009/10
CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2009/10
AGENDA ITEM 5.1 REPORT OF THE CABINET MEETING HELD ON
11TH FEBRUARY 2009
AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY: COUNCILLOR TIM ARCHER
AMENDMENT SECONDED BY: COUNCILLOR DAVID SNOWDON
This Council
1. Notes that in the current economic environment Councils across London are trying to minimise the impact of the recession on residents by keeping Council Tax rises as low as possible. As a result the London average increase is just 1.2% (London Councils figure). The proposed LBTH increase is 2.3%
2. That the London Mayor Boris Johnson has proposed a zero increase in the Mayor’s precept this year, leading to an overall proposed increase for Tower Hamlets residents of 1.69%.
3. The concerns of the Home Secretary that crime rates will rise further as the country suffers its worst recession since the 1930s.
4. That there are some 23,000 people on the Tower Hamlets housing waiting list, a figure that is rising not falling.
5. Of the shared ownership homes that have been built in the borough since April 2006, some 523 homes remain empty and unsold (44%).
6. Notes the budget proposals recommended by the Cabinet and amends them as set out below.
7. That the following additional savings be implemented;
Budget |
Description of saving |
2009/10 budget saving implication (£) |
East End Life |
Discontinue publication of East End Life and request officers to negotiate with other local newspaper to provide pre-booked pages at lower cost. |
673,000 |
Press Office |
Reduce the size of the press office to the minimum level. |
278,852 |
Members’ Allowances |
Scrap the planned inflation rise and cut by 1% |
26,985 |
Lead Members |
Reduce the number of Cabinet Members from 10 to 9 by merging the roles of Lead Member for Housing & Development and lead Member for Regeneration, Localisation and Community Partnerships. |
14,300 |
Deputy Mayor |
Scrap the planned increase for the Deputy Mayor role |
2,000 |
Senior Officers |
Merge the roles of Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer |
215,000 |
Senior Officers |
Half the number of Assistant Chief Executives. |
195,000 |
Subscriptions |
Cancel membership of the Local Government Association and the Local Government Information Unit. |
67,000 |
Recycling |
Scrap the recycling advertising campaign |
20,000 |
Recruitment |
Freeze recruitment and screen all vacancies Committee comprising the Chief Executive and Leader to reduce new recruitment by an expected 18 roles |
540,000 |
Contractors and agency staff |
All contractors and agency staff to take a 10% pay cut, except those on living wage. |
500,000 |
Advertising |
Reduce advertising budget by 20% |
90,000 |
Communications |
Scrap the ‘In the news’ press cuttings service |
7,500 |
Travel costs |
10% saving on all staff travel costs. |
35,000 |
Conferences |
End all attendance at conferences |
167,000 |
Food costs |
Discontinue the serving of food at Council meetings save for Civic functions |
15,000 |
Administrative support |
Delete the post of Leaders executive assistant |
46,827 |
Administrative support |
Delete the posts of the political advisors |
76,742 |
Administrative support |
Remove administrative support to Lead Members |
93,452 |
Fines |
As a result of investment in more Animial wardens and litter wardens, increase revenue generated from fines |
10,000 |
Asset Management |
Request officers to outsource asset management, with a view to containing the cost within existing budgets, removing the need for growth included in the Cabinet’s budget. |
300,000 |
Total additional savings |
3,373,658 |
4. That the following additional growth be agreed;
Special Constables |
Apply a 50% Council Tax discount for all Special Constables paying Council Tax in the Borough |
44,000 |
Community Safety |
Engage a further 17 Police Officers in addition to those announced, increasing the allocation to the equivalent of 2 per ward. |
600,000 |
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Wardens |
Provide an additional 2 dog wardens, 2 park wardens and 2 litter wardens in the Borough |
260,000 |
Use of Reserves |
Provide in the budget for the loss of investment income as a result of using £5.5m in Reserves (see 5 below) |
165,000 |
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Recycling |
Introduce a scheme to make pink recycling bags available at local shops |
10,000 |
Total additional growth |
1,079,000 |
5. That the Capital Programme be increased by £5.5m as follows;
Scheme |
Description |
Amount 2009/10 £ |
CCTV |
Double the allocation for investment in CCTV to £1m. |
500,000 |
Social Housing |
Scheme to assist RSLs to bring intermediate housing into use as social rented housing. |
5,000,000 |
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5,500,000 |
6. That, noting the advice of the Corporate Director, Resources, £5.5m be set aside from General Fund balances in 2009/10 to fund the proposed capital schemes above.
7. That in consequence of the above changes, the budget requirement for 2009/10 be amended to £295,632,000
8. The remaining amount £2,292,000 be used to reduce the proposed increase in Council Tax, so that the Council Tax for Tower Hamlets for 2009/10 is £856.95 at Band D, a decrease of 1%.
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1. This Council notes that:
Liberal Democrats have identified the following priorities for the budget of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 2009/2010
A. Reducing overcrowding
B. Raising GCSE results (especially for looked after children)
C. Reducing levels of unemployment
D. Tackling crime and the fear of crime
E. Reducing the generation of waste
F. Tackling childhood obesity
Liberal Democrats have listened to residents and propose a 0% increase in Council tax with no reduction in services or financial reserves. This motion makes no amendment to the Cabinet proposals for the capital programme.
In relation to the Cabinet’s proposals and our priorities:
A. Liberal Democrats know that living in grossly overcrowded housing affects many people directly and indirectly, and we believe that the current level of overcrowding in Tower Hamlets is unacceptable. We welcome the substantial additional investment that this budget proposes to tackle this problem.
B. Despite improvements we are still failing to meet our targets for GCSE results and increased resources in this area are needed and welcome. The results for looked after children are a concern, and we would ensure there is an increased focus on academic support for this small but vulnerable group of young people.
C. Liberal Democrats have listened to residents’ demands for a more visible police presence in public spaces and a faster and more reliable system of response to residents’ calls – both emergency and non emergency. We consider that this requires more than the purchase of additional officers and more CCTV provision, welcome though these are. Liberal Democrats believe that in order to reduce crime and fear of crime this Council should work with partners to increase informal and recreational contact between people of different ages. Reducing the fear of crime is not achieved just through having more police or CCTV cameras – it is achieved through the creation of communities where people know and trust each other and are not afraid of challenging inappropriate behaviour.
D. Liberal Democrats believe that the Cabinet’s priority of reducing levels of youth unemployment is unjustified, uneconomic and discriminatory. An unemployed person of any age deserves this Council’s support as much as a young person entering the job market for the first time. Liberal Democrats would ensure that Council efforts to reduce unemployment are targeted at residents of all age groups.
E. This Council is spending a great deal of time, effort and money in its efforts to raise levels of recycling. That is admirable and we support this continued effort. But recycling is not the best thing we can do to support the environment as recycling requires resources of transport and energy which contribute to global warming. It is much better to reduce the amount of waste that is generated in the first place. Liberal Democrats would re-direct this Council’s attention towards making Tower Hamlets the London borough that produces the least amount of waste.
F. Liberal Democrats recognise that there is ongoing work with partners in the NHS to address the crisis that we are facing with obesity. Through medium term financial planning we would investigate the opportunities for creating a healthier community by exercising controls on the licensing of fast food outlets, exploring the potential of providing free school meals for all secondary students, supporting parents who are obese to prevent their children from becoming obese, increasing natural activity (walking to shops, schools, etc.) and encouraging physical activity that is not competitive sport (e.g. dance and climbing).
2. This Council proposes:
In addition to the proposals of the Cabinet;
I. To provide funding for the Skillsmatch programme from the Working Neighbourhoods Fund contingency instead of from the Council's Budget Requirement, saving £428,000.
II. Subject to a separate Council decision, to freeze all Members Allowances and to reduce all Special Responsibility Allowances by 50%, saving £156,000.
III. To promote existing social enterprise organisations operating locally who facilitate the exchange, repair and re-use of electrical and other office equipment, household furniture and other items. To ask officers to investigate the feasibility of establishing a commercial and/or domestic re-use centre to reduce the amount of waste generated in the borough thus reducing the amount and cost of waste that is recycled or sent to landfill.
3. This Council proposes:
In place of the proposals of the Cabinet;
IV. To set the inflation amount for 2009/10 at £5.209m, representing a 2% inflationary increase on all budgets (except for Children's Services non-pay budgets which, at the Director of Children's Services recommendation, under savings proposal SAV/CS/03 (Running Costs) is already set at 0% for 2009/10).
V. In consequence of the above, to set the Budget Requirement at £296,329,000 and the Council Tax at band D at £865.64 for 2009/10, with no increase in the Council Tax for 2008/09.
Moved by Councillor Stephanie Eaton
Seconded by Councillor Timothy O’Flaherty
Supporting documents: