Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 6th November, 2002
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Bath & North East Somerset Council |
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MEETING: |
COUNCIL EXECUTIVE |
AGENDA |
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MEETING DATE: |
6TH NOVEMBER 2002 |
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TITLE: |
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WARD: |
ALL |
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AN OPEN PUBLIC ITEM |
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List of attachments to this report: |
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1 THE ISSUE
1.1 The Council has an annual review process to update and roll forward its 3-year financial plan. This is the first review following the Council's adoption of executive and scrutiny structures in May of this year. Under this new system the financial plan process is led by the Council Executive and this report presents, for approval, a document for the purpose of public consultation.
2 RECOMMENDATION
2.1 The Council Executive is asked to:
a) Approve the document at Appendix 1 for public consultation
b) Refer the Consultation Document and the technical annex at Appendix 2 to the Resources & Customer Service Overview & Scrutiny Panel to seek their comment
c) Authorise the Executive Member (Resources Planning & Support Services) to make presentational improvements to the Consultation Document and to lead the public consultation exercise
d) Note that the comments of the O&S Panel and public consultation will be fed into the Draft Financial Plan to be considered by this Executive in January 2003.
Printed on recycled paper
3 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
3.1 At this stage the only financial implication of this report is the cost of undertaking public consultation, which can be met within existing budgets.
4 THE REPORT
4.1 This is the first financial plan review following the Council's adoption of executive and scrutiny structures in May of this year. Under this new system the financial plan process is led by the Council Executive.
4.2 There are three key purposes for this document:
· To raise the awareness of and improve the understanding of the Council's financial position and the national funding context;
· To seek views about where the Council should direct services and funding, both for the short and long-term;
· To provide information on the timing and processes for the setting of next year's budget.
4.3 At this stage no decisions are being made on spending nor on levels of Council Tax. The purpose of public consultation is purely to inform future decision-making.
4.4 The draft Consultation Document at Appendix 1 has been drafted in conjunction with Council Executive members. It is deliberately a "wordy" document designed to identify key issues, pressures and to seek views on priorities. It is, at this stage, unable to set firm parameters for the final financial plan given the acute level of uncertainty affecting this year's government grant settlement (as explained in the document).
4.5 It is proposed that public consultation be undertaken on the attached document with key local stakeholder groups and with a series of facilitated focus groups. This process is to be led by the Executive Member (Resource Planning & Support Services) on behalf of the Council Executive and supported by officers.
4.6 It is also intended that the Resources & Customer Service Overview & Scrutiny Panel has the opportunity to comment on the draft Consultation Document. The technical annex at Appendix 2 has been prepared in order to provide additional background information to assist the Panel. It is intended that further background information will be added to the annex prior to the O&S panel meeting on November 13th.
4.7 Comments from both public consultation and the O&S panel will be considered at the next stage of the financial plan review process, which will result in firm proposals being presented to the Council Executive in January 2003 prior to deliberation by full Council as a Policy & Budget Framework item. For information, the key stages of this year's review process are as follows:
· January - Council Executive considers the draft Financial Plan. This will be the "numbers" document proposing an updating of the existing financial plan, incorporating the RSG Settlement and also responding to comments from O&S and the public. The Executive's proposals will go to Council for consideration/approval (23rd January) following further consultation with O&S.
· Service Plans to be approved by relevant Executive members during January
· February - Council Executive to produce Draft Revenue & Capital Budgets for 2003/04 for recommendation to full Council on February 20th . Council may wish, at this stage, to substitute in principle other budget proposals. If so, those other proposals must be referred back to the Leader of the Council (on behalf of the Council Executive) for consideration who would then accept them or indicate to Council how he disagrees. The ultimate decision on the adoption of the 2003/04 Budget is made by full Council.
4.8 Trades Unions will be consulted at each key stage of the review process. The Executive Member (Resource Planning & Support Services) and the Head of Strategic Resource Planning will meet with Union representatives to discuss this paper on November 4th. Any Union comments will be reported to the Council Executive orally.
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Contact person |
Phil Hall, Head of Strategic Resource Planning (01225 477468) |
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Background papers |