Agenda item

The draft Place Medium Term Service & Resource Plan (MTSRP) update is presented for consideration by the Panel:

(1)  To ensure all members of the Panel are aware of the context for Service Action Planning and budget setting.

(2)  To enable comment on the progress being made on this 3 year plan.

(3)  To enable issues to be referred to the relevant Portfolio.

The Panel is asked to:

1.  Comment on the update to the 3 year medium term plan for Place, focusing on matters affecting 2014/15, and note that will be the second year of the plan.

2.  Identify any issues requiring further consideration and highlighting as part of the budget process for 2014/15.

3.  Identify any issues arising from the draft plan it wishes to refer to the relevant portfolio holder for further consideration.

The Chairman invited Louise Fradd (Strategic Director for Place) to introduce the report.

Louise Fradd introduced the report by saying that this is the second year of a three year plan.  Page 32 of the agenda had some of the key issues addressed in the directorate.

Members of the Panel confirmed that they had all received an updated version of page 35 of the report (as amended and published on the Council’s website).

The Panel asked about the latest on the Victoria Art gallery.

Louise Fradd responded that the Council is constantly reviewing this matter, though at the moment, the gallery was not doing that badly and hopefully it will continue to do well.

Louise Fradd also informed the Panel that the Divisional Directors interviews will happen before this Christmas.

The Panel asked about linkage between planning, building control, highways and environmental services together with the economic development drivers and the ability for the Council to create money.

Louise Fradd responded that she will be holding a workshop with the managers from her directorate, and one of the key aspects of that workshop will be what are the income drivers and what is it that the directorate needs to do to fit in the new environment (Enterprise Area, City Deal, West of England, etc.).  The aim of the workshop will be to make everyone think about their budgets and how to work together. Louise Fradd also pointed out that services are working with each other from other directorates.

Some Members of the Panel asked Louise Fradd if she would commit not to close the Victoria Art gallery.

Louise Fradd responded she could not answer that comment though she will do everything to deliver the targets.

Councillor Stevens added that the Council is working quite close with the gallery to ensure that their footfall is maintained and that the Council will continue to work with the gallery to make sure that they are looked after.

The Panel asked Louise Fradd how confident she was that there could be further efficiency savings.

Louise Fradd replied that her priority is to meet statutory requirements in service provision.  It is also all about officers thinking around wider picture, thinking more imaginatively on what the Council does and whether it can be done in other, more visionary ways.  For example, the Council is now charging pre-planning application and that works quite well.

The Chairman summed up the debate by saying that the whole issue is about generating money ourselves if we don’t have as much money to spend, and looking at ways we can bring in other sources of funding. 

Discussions last year were if the cuts from last year were sustainable and whether or not entrance charging, for example in Victoria Art gallery, would generate income and increase footfall.  Last year’s discussions also looked at the possibility of some capital investment to increase the amount of income that is generated through the shop, such as a coffee shop, at the gallery.

The Chairman also pointed out that there is external funding that is not accessible by Local Authorities and what reference was made to 3^rd/voluntary sector working in partnership with Local Authorities.

Louise Fradd reminded the Panel that this is just an update on where the directorate are with the budget this year.  Louise Fradd also said that the next year, and specifically the year after that, will be very difficult years.

The Chairman closed the debate by saying that the recommendations 2.2 and 2.3 of the report could not be supported by the Panel.  Those issues will be discussed at the Full Council meeting in February 2014 (Budget meeting).

It was RESOLVED to note the report.