Issue - meetings
General Fund Capital and Revenue Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan (Revised Proposals)
Meeting: 10/02/2015 - Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Item 3)
3 General Fund Capital and Revenue Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan (Revised Proposals) PDF 49 KB
Additional documents:
- General Fund Capital and Revenue Budgets, Medium Term Financial Plan 2015-2018, item 3
PDF 442 KB
- MTFP Appendices, item 3
PDF 3 MB
- Tower Hamlets Multi-Faith Burial Ground, item 3
PDF 124 KB
- Multi Faith Burial Ground EA Checklist, item 3
PDF 67 KB
- Decisions 04th-Feb-2015 17.30 Cabinet, item 3
PDF 255 KB
- Key changes to MTFP since Jan report, item 3
PDF 186 KB
- Cover Sheet, item 3
PDF 17 KB
- DR Growth Bid - Multi Faith Burial Ground - 6 February 2015, item 3
PDF 70 KB
- Growth Additional Police 2015-16 060215 amended, item 3
PDF 71 KB
- LPG Savings Proposal - Vacant Chief Executive Post, item 3
PDF 86 KB
Minutes:
The Committee received and noted a report that outlined the General Fund Capital and Revenue Budgets, Medium Term Financial Plan 2015-2018; Tower Hamlets Multi-Faith Burial Ground; Cabinet Budget Decisions 4th February 2015 and Movements in the 2015-16 Budget since January, 2015 Cabinet Report. The main points of the discussion may be summarised as follows:
The Committee:
Additional Police OfficersRef: GRO/CLC/07/15
- Noted that this proposal demonstrates the Council’s continued commitment to addressing residents’ key concerns around crime and ASB while counteracting cuts to local policing levels imposed at regional level. In addition, in so far as the MOPAC subsidy arrangements allow the Council to secure additional police at reduced rates this can be argued as being value for money.
- Expressed concern with regard to what happens when these officers are abstracted from normal duties in the Borough for events going on, in and around London e.g. Football resourcing; demonstrations, Carnivals etc. Is this good value for money or should LBTH make more use of the Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers (THEOs) to provide an additional uniformed presence on the borough’s streets within the Council’s control which helps residents to feel safer.
- Noted that whilst resources could be used to expand the numbers of THEOs the funding of additional police officers through Council resources gives LBTH greater influence in being able to direct these resources to Council Priorities. In addition, the MPS are the sole provider of policing services. Therefore, the incidences of abstractions will need to be monitored closely.
- Noted that Police officers have more powers than THEOs to tackle local issues (e.g. mid-level drug dealing), which justifies this expenditure.
- Wanted to see the removal of the wording in the report “buy 5 Police Constables and one Sergeant” and insert the wording “match fund the cost of 5 Police Constables and one Sergeant”.
- Was advised that these officers would go through an induction.
- Would wish to see a Service Level Agreement in place before any funding was agreed with the MPS. In addition, it would wish to see the “targeting” of those police officers to include a focus on mid-level drug dealers operating in LBTH.
- Was concerned that the funding for these officers would be realised through those savings achieved through the deletion of the post of Chief Executive from the staffing structure.
Tower Hamlets Multi-Faith Burial Ground
- Noted that within the 2013-14 budget, the Council had set aside £3 million of funding for the provision of a multi-faith burial ground. An Executive Mayoral decision (on 17th June, 2013) subsequently authorised officers to enter into an agreement to acquire a site on a 125 year lease and to establish a management agreement for its operation.
- Was informed that due to difficulties encountered in the planning process, it was considered unlikely that the original option will be able to progress, and rather than delay the process, Cabinet had agreed that the existing Agreement to Lease be terminated and alternative arrangements entered into at another existing cemetery.
- Noted that it ... view the full minutes text for item 3