Agenda item

To consider the Council’s draft budget proposals for 2010/11 in particular:

a)         Relating to the Corporate Services Department and Chief Executive’s Office, and,

b)         Feedback from the overview and scrutiny panels;

with a view to drawing overall conclusions and advising the Executive accordingly.

The Council’s draft budget proposals for 2010/11 had been agreed by the Executive as the basis for consultation with the Overview and Scrutiny Commission and Panels and other interested parties.  The proposals were submitted for the Commission’s comment.  The Borough Treasurer’s report attached the Revenue Budget and Capital Programme reports which had been presented to Executive.  The annexes to each report set out the budget proposals in detail. 

The relevant pages of the report for the Commission and the O&S Panels were highlighted.  Members of the Commission had also received extracts of the Panels’ considerations of the budget papers.  Panel Chairs presented their Panel’s minute and the following issues arose –

Adult Social Care

• Funding in the Supporting People budget was declining.  Guidance was in place to find alternative sources of funding and the aim was to keep the same level of service at a reduced unit cost.  The annual review of Supporting People was likely to take longer than usual and would be presented to the Environment, Culture and Communities O&S Panel.

• The comment that there was spare capacity for alternative day care services  at Age Concern was disputed.  Councillor Ward confirmed spare capacity at Sandhurst Day Centre and that under the flexible personalisation agenda people could choose what services they wanted.

• The lease for Eastern Road day services (formerly BROC) could not be altered but alternative uses for the building were being investigated.  Councillors Leake and Mrs Shillcock expressed the view that alternative accommodation should be sought as soon as possible.

• Councillor Mrs Shillcock asked what deferral was necessary to save £10,000 in the current year on the purchase of Forestcare equipment. An answer would be sought and sent to the member.

Environment, Culture and Communities

• EC&C service pressures and development amounted to £726,000 whilst the Department was also responsible for the greatest service economies of £1,318,000.

• The proposals for savings relating to surface dressing highways were noted.  The Chief Officer: Financial Services confirmed that highway improvements were capital works and may not represent savings to the revenue budget.  He would provide information to members on the proposed revisions to the highway improvement budget.

• Councillor Virgo raised the issue of what he regarded to be the serious problem at Swinley Forest and asked if the proposed scheme to cut down some of the trees to open up the area would proceed.

• One member supported the Panel’s view that the proposal to discontinue the resource to collect stray dogs and to patrol for dog fouling issues could potentially damage partnership working.

Children’s Services and Learning

No comments were added to the draft minutes of the Panel meeting when the budget had been considered.

The Commission then looked in detail at their areas of their responsibility, Corporate Services/ Chief Executives Office/ Council wide and the following comments points arose in discussion –

• There was a projected overspend on the devolved staffing budget in 2009/10 for Corporate Services as that budget assumed a vacancy rate of 3% to 4%.  In the current financial climate there had been very little staff turnover and therefore very little scope for savings.

• With the downturn in the economy the rate of property vacancies had increased and income had reduced.

• Councillor McLean urged members to fully appreciate the consequences to the overview and scrutiny function of the deletion of one full time post which would at least impact upon the quantity of output of work, if not the quality.

• The transfer of all programmed building maintenance work as appropriate  from the revenue to the capital budget.

• The cross cutting review of organisational and back office services with the objective of saving £350,000.

• The proposed increases to fees and charges were noted.

• Dr Josephs-Franks raised the issue of inconvenience caused by increased car park charges but the Chief Executive pointed out that the Council was in a difficult budget position and therefore the suggested increases were necessary.

• Reference was made to the virement of £0.034 million from the Council’s LABGI receipt to support the business community.

In considering the Capital Programme, members of the Commission had concerns about the deferral of £3.2 million of urgent repairs and the impact on income generation and general deterioration of infrastructure. 

The Commission had no other general comments on the proposals.