Agenda item
Budget 2012/13 - 2014/15 - Resource Allocation and Budget Review (CAB 027/112)
Decision:
Motion from Councillor A. Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources Tabled.
Decision
1. That the outcome of the review of the budget forecast for 2011/12 and officers advice on the risks of additional costs falling in 2011/12- 2014/15, and also the Medium Term Financial forecast for 2012/13-2014/15, as detailed in Appendix A to the report (CAB 027/112), be noted;
2. That the position in relation to funding for the capital programme, set out in the report (CAB 027/112), be noted, and it be agreed that non-ring fenced capital resources from Government should be treated in the same was as locally generated funding for capital planning purposes;
3. That the position in relation to the Housing Revenue Account set out in the report (CAB 027/112), be noted;
4. That the Chief Executive be instructed to require the Corporate Management Team to prepare service and financial planning submissions in accordance with the key principles of the Mayor;
5. That the approach to be taken to equality analysis of budget decisions in the 2012/13 cycle set out in the report (CAB 027/112) be noted, and it be agreed that all submissions are to be supported by an appropriate Equalities Impact Assessment in line with this approach;
6. That it be agreed that the Mayor and appropriate Cabinet members meet with officers over the next two months to review the budgets that form the basis of the projections in the report (CAB 027/112);
7. That the Chief Executive be instructed, after consultation with the Corporate Director Resources, to initiate and subsequently progress a budget consultation process with the public and the Authority’s key stakeholders; and
8. That the timetable for the Budget Process, outlined at Section 12 of the report (CAB 027/112), be approved.
Action by:
CORPORATE DIRECTOR RESOURCES (C. NAYLOR)
Interim Service Head, Financial Services, Risk and Accountability, Resources (P. Hayday)
Minutes:
The Chair informed members of the Cabinet that Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, had Tabled a Motion in relation to the recommendations set out in the report, a copy of which would be interleaved with the minutes.
Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, at the request of the Mayor, in introducing the report and proposing the tabled motion for agreement by the Mayor/ Cabinet: -:
· Summarised the key points contained therein.
· Commented that:
o In 2010/ 11 the Mayor/ Administration had faced the tough challenge of cutting the Authority’s Budget for 2011/12 by £55 million, but had been able to achieve the agreement of a progressive Budget which had protected youth services, ideas stores, THEO’s and social housing initiatives. He was confident a similar outcome would be achieved in 2011 and called on political opposition colleagues to work with the Mayor/ Administration to this end.
o The Mayor/ Administration were currently engaged with Officers in a robust resource allocation process, underpinned by an integrated strategic and resource planning framework, to ensure that all elements of the Council’s activities were scrutinised to ensure value for money. The focus of this would remain the protection of vulnerable elements of the community and the support they needed (as well as the quality of environment/ place they lived in) and consequently efficiency savings rather than reductions in frontline services or staff redundancies. The Mayor/ Administration were also building on themes developed in 2010/11 to optimise delivery maximum savings including: sweating the Council’s assets, reduction of management layers, squeezing value from the Council’s contractors; but also a strategic partnership to deliver both desired outcomes and required savings.
o The Mayor/ Administration were committed to ensuring that the Authority’s Budget setting process was transparent and would engage in a comprehensive dialogue with the all elements of the community in relation to this process and any difficult decisions that were part of it.
The Mayor commented, in agreeing the motion as tabled, that it was important to remember that he and the Authority were faced with such a difficult Budget position because of ideologically driven cuts to funding, the effect of which was magnified by front-loading, both at the hand of a Conservative led Coalition Government; and the consequences were severe for the vulnerable members of the community.
Decision
1. That the outcome of the review of the budget forecast for 2011/12 and officers advice on the risks of additional costs falling in 2011/12- 2014/15, and also the Medium Term Financial forecast for 2012/13-2014/15, as detailed in Appendix A to the report (CAB 027/112), be noted;
2. That the position in relation to funding for the capital programme, set out in the report (CAB 027/112), be noted, and it be agreed that non-ring fenced capital resources from Government should be treated in the same was as locally generated funding for capital planning purposes;
3. That the position in relation to the Housing Revenue Account set out in the report (CAB 027/112), be noted;
4. That the Chief Executive be instructed to require the Corporate Management Team to prepare service and financial planning submissions in accordance with the key principles of the Mayor;
5. That the approach to be taken to equality analysis of budget decisions in the 2012/13 cycle set out in the report (CAB 027/112) be noted, and it be agreed that all submissions are to be supported by an appropriate Equalities Impact Assessment in line with this approach;
6. That it be agreed that the Mayor and appropriate Cabinet members meet with officers over the next two months to review the budgets that form the basis of the projections in the report (CAB 027/112);
7. That the Chief Executive be instructed, after consultation with the Corporate Director Resources, to initiate and subsequently progress a budget consultation process with the public and the Authority’s key stakeholders; and
8. That the timetable for the Budget Process, outlined at Section 12 of the report (CAB 027/112), be approved.
Reasons for Decisions
Not detailed.
Alternative Options Considered
Not detailed.
Supporting documents:
- Budget 201213 – 201415 - Resource Allocation and Budget Review, item 10.2 PDF 145 KB
- Budget 201213 – 201415 - Resource Allocation and Budget Review Appendix A, item 10.2 PDF 13 KB
- Budget 201213 – 201415 - Resource Allocation and Budget Review Appendix B, item 10.2 PDF 38 KB
- Budget 201213 – 201415 - Resource Allocation and Budget Review Appendix C, item 10.2 PDF 22 KB
- Budget 201213 – 201415 - Resource Allocation and Budget Review Appendix D, item 10.2 PDF 26 KB