Agenda item

To consider key themes and priorities for Environment, Culture and Communities as outlined in the Council’s Draft Budget Proposals for 2017/18.

The Director of Environment, Culture and Communities presented a report on the key themes and priorities for Environment, Culture and Communities as outlined in the draft budget proposals for 2017/18, which the Executive had approved for consultation.  The initial preparations for the budget had focussed on the Council’s Commitment Budget for 2017/18 – 2019/20, bringing together existing expenditure plans, taking account of approved commitments and the ongoing effects of service developments and efficiencies that were agreed when the 2016/17 budget was set.

A number of changes were proposed to the Commitment Budget since it was last considered by the Executive in July 2016, the overall effect of which was to decrease it by £5.107m to £66.988m.  Environment, Culture and Communities spending would decrease as a result of its share in the overall in-year savings agreed by the Council, a lower projection for the Minimum Revenue Provision as a result of changes to capital provision (eg. Coral Reef) and updated Waste Disposal projections based on the latest tonnages and recycling data. 

The Panel noted the draft revenue budget pressures for the Department totalling £387,000 for 2017/18, of which the most significant were £110,000 for increased waste contract costs arising from the additional flats being built in the Borough; £80,000 on waste management costs for disposal of waste from the additional dwellings built; and £70,000 for the cost of developing a joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan over the next four years.  However, these were outweighed by savings proposals amounting to £649,000.  The largest savings arising were £150,000 on the formation of a joint Regulatory Services team with Wokingham and West Berkshire; £100,000 as a result of re3 local initiatives and increased levels of recycling; and £75,000 for Bracknell Leisure Centre through recovery of lost business and changes to membership scheme sales.  All the savings measures had been designed to have the least possible impact on service to the public.  The Panel also reviewed the proposed fees and charges for 2017/18, most of which had been increased by around 2%, unless market conditions suggested that a larger increase was appropriate.

The Panel sought clarification and answers to a number of questions, from which the following arose:

• The possibility of charging commercial interests for consent to attach signage to Council street furniture would be looked into.
• Advice on the Council’s VAT charging process had been sought as part of the Gateway Review of Leisure Services.  Although some VAT savings might arise if certain leisure services were provided through a Trust or a company wholly owned by the Council, greater economies of scale were likely to arise through outsourcing services to a larger contractor.
• A check was requested of the Building Control charges for other work (Plan Charge) for works where the estimated cost was £5,001 to £10,000 or £10,001 to £20,000, each of which appeared to exceed the charge for more expensive works. 

The Panel further noted the 2017/18 Capital Programme bids.  The Panel was assured that adequate publicity and the affixing of notices to parking pay machines would be arranged in advance of the installation of new coin mechanisms in the machines, to advise the position on the acceptance or otherwise of new notes and coins in circulation.  Members were pleased to note the potential for savings and increased opening hours which would flow from the investment in self-service issue apparatus and mobile technology for Borough libraries.