Agenda item

The Divisional Director (Finance) will give a presentation on the Council’s forthcoming budget proposals.

The Divisional Director for Finance (Tim Richens) gave a presentation on the Council’s forthcoming budget for 2011/12. He outlined the national situation with regard to the public sector deficit and its implications for the provisional local government settlement. He then went on to detail the local budget impacts and issues and informed the meeting that the Council was planning to save £30m over the next four years. This amount could not be met by efficiencies alone and would mean that there would have to be cuts in lower priority service areas. However, he assured the meeting that the Council Tax rate for 2011/12 would not increase.

Henry Brown (Chairman of FoBRA) thanked Tim Richens for a clear presentation and enquired whether the overall 16% funding reduction for next year had been confirmed. The Divisional Director replied that if some of the government grants did not come through, the percentage could be higher.

Henry Brown further commented that, with regard to making savings, the Association could see possible opportunities for partnership working with residents e.g. in March 2010, following the hard winter, the Association offered to organise residents to clear snow and ice from the pavements. No response had been received from the Council at the time. They were hoping that this offer from residents would have helped cope with the effects of the bad weather which the area experienced in December 2010.

Regarding the cuts to service areas, the Association understood that it was to be a gradual process over the four years. They hoped that the cuts would be identified and discussed with residents at the earliest opportunity.

The Chief Executive (John Everitt) informed Mr Brown that he had noted the offer regarding snow clearing and that an officer would be in contact with FoBRA within the week. Councillor Charles Gerrish ( Cabinet Member for ) added that they weren’t ignoring the residents’ associations, but that the conclusions of the Highways Winter MaintenanceReview were still being finalised. 

Councillor Malcolm Hanney (Cabinet member for) acknowledged the importance of working with the community and informed the meeting that the Council were considering creating a Community Empowerment Fund which would provide funds for local initiatives such as PACT and youth services. He added that many of the efficiency savings had been possible due to good partnership working in many cases and that productive relationships with the business, tourism and residents communities were vital for the future of the city.

Henry Brown replied that the Association was pleased to see that the Council was committed to financing the Public Realm programme but was concerned about the changes to the Bath Transport Package., especially with regard to the proposed changes to the bus services.  Councillor Haeberling assured the meeting that there were no plans to cut bus routes.

Robin Kerr (Secretary of FoBRA) asked how residents could be involved in the Business Improvement District (BID). Malcolm Hanney replied that the  BID was being promoted by the business community itself and that while the Council was a partner in the initiative due to its large commercial estate, it had no democratic power over the members. It would be up to residents’ associations to talk with the BID members.

The Chair thanked Tim Richens for his presentation and the meeting noted the report.