Agenda item

To receive the Leader’s report on the work of the Executive since the Council meeting held on 27 April 2016.

Council is asked to resolve a recommendation in respect of:

·         further savings proposals for the General Fund Revenue Budget 2016/17

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bettison OBE, presented his report on the work of the Executive since that reported at the Council meeting on 27 April 2016. The Executive had met on twice on 10 May and 14 June 2016.

The Leader highlighted the following matters that had been considered:

·         Following the unexpectedly large reductions in Government support through the Local Government Finance Settlement the budget had been based upon £4.5m savings and £5.161m from reserves. The use of reserves is unsustainable therefore further savings were agreed for consultation.

·         The Executive considered the additional savings proposals including revenue savings totalling £3.4m and capital savings of £2.7m together with the consultation responses received (252 on-line and 44 letters/emails). The savings proposals were recommended to Council.

·         The 2016/17 Integrated Transport Capital programme was agreed which supports delivery of Local Transport Plan and includes £5.8m of highway work to facilitate the town centre regeneration.

·         The Comprehensive Local Plan (CLP) – Issues & Options consultation was agreed to establish with the community ‘what sort of Borough do we want?’. The CLP sets planning framework, including housing sites for period up to 2036 but site allocation was not included at this stage.

·         The Overview & Scrutiny Review of Planning had been undertaken to review of the planning application process and enforcement. The majority of the recommendations were accepted and the Working Group were thanked for their positive review.

·         The Emotional Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2016 – 19 was ratified and its underpinning action plan was agreed.

·         The successful first phase of the Family Focus programme had led to an invitation to participate as an early starter for phase 2. The planned programme was approved.

·         The Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) strategies were endorsed.

·         The ‘requires improvement’ outcome of the Ofsted Community Learning Inspection had been noted and an action plan was agreed including a restructure which had already been implemented.

·         The contract for the Coral Reef refurbishment and new flume improvements had been agreed and work was underway for the facility to reopen in Summer 2017.

General Revenue Budget 2016/17 – Further Savings Proposals

On the proposition of Councillor Heydon, Executive Member for Transformation and Finance and seconded by Councillor Allen the recommendations as set out in the agenda report were moved.

On the proposition of Councillor Mrs Temperton and seconded by Councillor Bettison OBE an amendment was put to the meeting that the saving proposals set out in Annexes A to D be approved and the Commitment budget be amended to reflect this, with the following exceptions:

•               No £30k reduction in funding to Homestart;

•               Retention of £17k towards the provision of universal services for young people; and 

•               No deletion of the post to develop and support Childminders which was a proposed saving of £23k

The following alternative savings were proposed:

•               £30k saving by postponing the Residents Survey until the Town Centre is completed;

•               £20k saving by starting the move to a paper-light Council; and

•               £20k saving by putting Town & Country on-line with paper copies available in libraries and public places only

On being put to the meeting the amendment fell.

The meeting considered and voted upon the substantive motion and it was therefore

RESOLVED that the savings proposals set out in Annexes A to D of the agenda report be approved and that the Council’s Commitment Budget be amended to reflect the savings proposals contained in the agenda report.