Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 5th September, 2007
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Bath & North East Somerset Council |
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MEETING: |
Cabinet |
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MEETING DATE: |
5th September 2007 |
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER |
14 |
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TITLE: |
Service & Financial Planning 2008/09-2010/11 |
EXECUTIVE FORWARD PLAN REFERENCE: |
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E |
1674 |
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WARD: |
All |
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AN OPEN PUBLIC ITEM |
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List of attachments to this report: Appendix 1: Medium Term Financial Strategy - Resources Appendix 2: Overview of the Framework & Timetable Appendix 3: Information for Medium Term Forecasts - Detail on Key Budgets Appendix 4: Medium Term Financial Forecast Summary |
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1 THE ISSUE
1.1 This report contains a review of the Council's financial planning assumptions to inform strategic planning and resource allocation as part of the budget process for 2008/09 and future years.
2 RECOMMENDATION
The Cabinet agrees that:
2.1 the proposed strategic approach to and timetable for the service and resources planning process as set out in Appendix 2 is adopted
2.2 The Cabinet notes the background, key issues and pressures that will need to be considered when developing service delivery plans and when recommending a financial plan and budget to Council in February 2008 as set out in Appendix 1.
2.3 Requests the Overview and Scrutiny panels to consider and comment on the proposed high level service and financial strategy, including those service planning parameters which will affect the services within the Panels' remit, and in particular to focus on value for money, and service and community impact in relation to their service portfolio.
2.4 Requests the Cabinet member for Resources to make a robust response to a potential further reduction in grant base contained in the consultation on grant changes due by 15th October 2007.
3
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
3.1 These are contained throughout the report and its Appendices.
4 COMMUNITY STRATEGY OUTCOMES
4.1 The proposed framework for service and financial planning aims to ensure that scarce resources are aligned to corporate priorities and improving the delivery of services and cross-Council priorities. Many of the cross-Council priorities are reflected in the Community Strategy.
5 CORPORATE IMPROVEMENT PRIORITIES
5.1 Strengthening arrangements in service planning to demonstrate and improve value for money for service users and taxpayers is a key priority in increasing customer satisfaction.
5.2 The service and financial planning process aims to ensure scarce resources are aligned to corporate priorities and improving the delivery of services and cross-Council priorities, linking performance with resources and value for money.
6 CPA KEY LINES OF ENQUIRY
6.1 The proposed process contributes towards the "Prioritisation of ambitions" Key Line of Enquiry or KLOE (a requirement of the Council's Comprehensive Performance assessment) by ensuring that all objectives and targets are an appropriate reflection of priorities as set out in the corporate plan.
6.2 The service planning parameters reflect the need to increase capacity to deliver the ambition for the community by asking lower/higher priority services to illustrate the impact of increases/decreases to their financial plan targets to facilitate potential redirection of resources to corporate priorities.
7 THE REPORT
7.1 The Council has always strived to improve its corporate processes to ensure an alignment between agreed corporate priorities, resources, efficiency and value for money.
7.2 This report brings together proposals for an integrated service and resources planning framework and timetable which take into account a number of issues which need to be addressed.
7.3 This report sets out to agree the process, parameters and timetable for the service and financial planning process for the period 2008/09 to 2010/11 and to revise the Financial Plan and to set the 2008/09 capital and revenue budgets and Council Tax.
7.4 The guidelines for service planning are contained in Appendix 1. Paragraphs 25-28. This contains requirements that
a) Services should be planning to absorb pressures.
b) Services are to plan for a minimum 3% efficiency saving.
c) All services review their income generating opportunities.
d) Service areas will also need to consider savings beyond the 3% level. Thus all services will need to consider efficiency savings in the range of 3% (minimum) to 6% (or more) in service planning considerations.
7.5 The Cabinet is asked to note that specific efficiency initiatives will be considered within service planning.
7.6 The service and financial planning process is contained in Appendix 2, along with a timetable until March 2008.
7.7 The identified budgetary pressures for the period 2008/09 - 2010/11 are contained in Appendix 3.
7.8 The overall current forecast is contained in Appendix 4.
8 RISK MANAGEMENT
8.1 The report author and Lead Cabinet member have fully reviewed the risk assessment related to the issue and recommendations, in compliance with the Council's decision making risk management guidance.
The proposals are consistent with this guidance and include consideration of risk in:
> Service Plans and service-level risk registers.
> Capital programme project initiation, business cases and Project Execution Plans.
8.2 The Council's overall risk management strategy and processes are regularly reviewed (together with the Corporate Risk Register). This includes formal quarterly reviews of service risk registers and the corporate risk register as part of the Council's performance management arrangements.
8.3 It is also proposed to continue the formal Director's Review for robustness and risks within the Council's capital and revenue budgets and upon which the Council's s151 officer gives assurances and makes recommendations on the adequacy of reserves.
9 RATIONALE
9.1 This report sets out:
> The current known background and context for the review of the financial plan.
> The changes in the service and resources planning process in terms of improvement and to reflect the new and emerging management arrangements arising from the corporate re-structuring of the Council.
9.2 The high level timetable for the service and resources planning process as required under the Council's constitution.
10 OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED
10.1 None. The substance of the report sets out the context and process for the council's service and financial planning, which will enable full consideration of options to meet the challenges faced.
11 CONSULTATION
11.1 Cabinet members; Section 151 Finance Officer; Chief Executive; Strategic Directors, Monitoring Officer via e mail circulation of this report.
12 ISSUES TO CONSIDER IN REACHING THE DECISION
12.1 Social Inclusion; Customer Focus; Sustainability; Human Resources; Property; Young People; Equality (age, race, disability, religion/belief, gender, sexual orientation); Human Rights; Corporate; Health & Safety; Impact on Staff.
13 ADVICE SOUGHT
13.1 The Council's Monitoring Officer (Council Solicitor) and Section 151 Officer (Strategic Director - Support Services) have had the opportunity to input to this report and have cleared it for publication.
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Contact person |
Paul Fox, Assistant Director Finance, 01225 477468. Paul_Fox@bathnes.gov.uk Anne Feakes, Interim Head of Financial Planning & Capital 01255 477320 Anne_Feakes@bathnes.gov.uk |
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Sponsoring Cabinet Member |
Councillor Malcolm Hanney |
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Background papers |
List here any background papers not included with this report because they are already in the public domain |
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Please contact the report author if you need to access this report in an alternative format |
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