Issue - meetings

This report presents the Cabinet's draft medium term financial plan, and revenue and capital budgets for the 2012/13 financial year together with a proposal for a Council Tax level for 2012/13

The Chair introduced Councillor John Bull, Chair of the Resources PDS Panel, who referred to the Summary of the Panel’s Budget Recommendations to Cabinet [a copy of which had been placed in the public gallery before the meeting, and is attached to these Minutes as Appendix 9 and on the Council’s website].  Councillor Bull drew the Cabinet’s attention to each point in turn. He called in particular for the Cabinet to ensure rigorous monitoring of the effects of the Budget on vulnerable young people, because the Panel had been concerned that the Equalities Impact Assessment for Adult Social Care and Housing, People and Communities had not properly considered this.

Councillor Charles Gerrish made an ad hoc statement in which he expressed concern that the Heritage Services business plan had been based on the depressed visitor figures from the bad winter of 2010.  He also asked Cabinet to delay any decision on the mobile library service until the consultation period had completed.  He emphasised the Council’s responsibility to isolated communities and vulnerable people.  He suggested that the Council’s recycling facilities should open and close an hour later on Sundays, because more people would be likely to use it later in the day.

Councillor John Bull made an ad hoc statement in which he welcomed the allocation of extra funds for affordable homes and the funding for transferring Paulton Library to a community-run facility in a vacant shop.  He expressed big doubts, however, about the proposed reduction in the social care budget.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson made an ad hoc statement in which she agreed that the quality of the equality impact assessments was a cause for concern.  She referred to the cuts to the Equality Team and to the Policy and Partnerships Team, who were responsible for monitoring.

Councillor David Bellotti, in moving the recommendations, emphasised that the proposals would ensure a reduction in borrowing; a zero increase in Council Tax; improved services; and more local projects.  He was grateful to Councillor Bull for the Resource Panel’s contribution to the debate.  He confirmed that the Cabinet recognised the need for regular scrutiny of all the higher risk savings in the Proposed Budget for 2012/2013 including the £825K for the residential care costs of adults with learning difficulties.  The Cabinet would ask officers to ensure that the progress and delivery of all such high risk savings was included within the quarterly Budget Outturn Monitoring reports.

He felt that the observation made by Councillor Gerrish about the winter visitor figures was a fair comment, although the November figures had also shown the same picture so he was confident about the outcome.  He promised to pass the idea about Sunday Recycling Opening times to the Divisional Director, Environmental Services, for his consideration because he agreed it was a good idea.  He emphasised that the cuts being proposed for libraries was a quarter of the cut being made by central government to the Council’s library funding.  The Budget would protect libraries better than neighbouring authorities  ...  view the full minutes text for item 155

Please see report attached (this report had previously been marked 'to follow' but is now available.

Appendix 1

Councillor Bull questioned the phrase 'listening approach of the Council' (page 4). Councillor Bellotti - Cabinet Member for Community Resources explained that there was further information on page 13 but he acknowledged the point and said that he would get the phrase re-worded.

Councillor Jackson asked what had happened to the £235k dedicated to the homeless. Tim Richens - Divisional Director Finance, explained that this was part of the 'On-going Headroom Allocations'. (page 13).

Councillor Gerrish asked if spending on the Gypsy and Traveller site was being identified too soon in the budget. The officer explained that in theory, the some of the money could be made available as a one off but that the recurring cost had to be shown. Councillor Gerrish asked if there could be a breakdown of the £250k. Councillor Bellotti explained that the Cabinet instructions to officers was that there is a need for a Gypsy and Travellers site as soon as possible and the money is in the budget to do it.

Councillor Jackson asked what the £0.5m for Radstock Regeneration was for (page 23). Councillor Bellotti explained that it was a new scheme for a further boost to the area.

Councillor Gerrish asked about the change in the decision making process regarding Local Transport Improvement Schemes (page 25). He explained that in the previous process, there was a greater degree of openess in the pre-decision stage and that the new process takes away a level of engagement. The Cabinet Member explained that the new administration wanted as few single member decisions as possible. He accepted the point and stated that maybe the following year, a compromise could be reached.

Councillor Laming referred to the 20 MPH scheme (page 25) and asked what the £500k included. The Cabinet Member explained that this would fund the scheme, where required, for whole authority.

Councillor Watt entered the meeting at 6.10pm.

Councillor Laming asked about the £100k for River Safety (page 27). He explained that there had been ongoing efforts to find out who the relevant land belongs to so he was not sure how the Council would proceed with the safety measures. The Cabinet Member explained that the RoSPA report was clear and that where necessary, the authority would take legal advice.

Councillor Jackson asked why the estimated reserves had gone into sharp decline (page 40). Andrew Pate - Strategic Director Resources, explained that some of the reserves had been used in 'invest to save' projects. There was a plan to recover the reserves.

Councillor Watt explained that when the three parishes were separated, Charlton Road was put into the Westfield area in the precept budget in error. The Strategic Director explained that the adjustment had been made and the Equalisation Grant was there to avoid any impacts in the first year.

Councillor Watt asked about 'Other Miscellaneous Budgets' (Appendix 1 Annex 1). The Divisional Director, Finance explained that this was a presentational issue and that there would be a presentation with more  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52