Lead Member – Mr Malcolm Pate – Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Financial Strategy, Budget and Business Plan.

Report of the Head of Finance, Governance and Support is attached, marked 6.

Contact: James Walton 01743 255001

RESOLVED:

i)     That the 2016/17 budget of £565.377m including the savings proposals detailed in Appendix 3 and excluding internal market adjustments be agreed and recommended to Council.

ii)    That the changes required to the 2016/17 budget as a result of the Final Local Government Settlement, revised business rates and collection fund estimates and revised Adult Services growth projections, be noted.   

iii)   That the changes required to future years’ budgets as a result of the Final Local Government Settlement and a review of business rates and Adult Services growth projections, be noted.

iv)   That the revised funding gap for the years 2017/18 and 2018/19, be noted.

v)    That the revised Capital Programme as set out in the report be agreed and recommended to Council.

vi)   That the potential requirement for virement between pay and non-pay (contract payment) budgets resulting from the review of ip&e Limited, which are not reflected in this report, be noted.

vii)That the potential for investment and further savings proposals resulting from the review of the Council’s ICT requirements which are not reflected in this report, be noted.

131.1  The Leader presented a report by the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance – copy attached to the signed Minutes – detailing the 2016/17 budget and identifying the proposals for 2017/18 and 2018/19 budgets to be further developed throughout 2016/17. He reiterated the offer previously made to the Opposition Leaders to come forward with initiatives to make savings in 2016/17. The opposition Members raised concerns about their view of the Council’s current financial position and the position of the country as a whole under the current Government.

131.2  Responding to a Member’s concerns regarding the current highways maintenance system and the patching of roads, the Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transportation commented that he would continue the discussion outside of the meeting but stressed that management of assets would be undertaken more robustly with major works being prioritised appropriately and brought to the fore.

131.3  A Member commented on the current Capital Programme and believed it to be lacking.  The Leader responded that he had requested information on the prioritisation of the Capital Programme with a view to identifying income through investment.  He re-iterated the need for a fair settlement of the money that was available from Government to be able to provide good services for the local community.

131.4  RESOLVED:

i)     That the 2016/17 budget of £565.377m including the savings proposals detailed in Appendix 3 and excluding internal market adjustments be agreed and recommended to Council.

ii)    That the changes required to the 2016/17 budget as a result of the Final Local Government Settlement, revised business rates and collection fund estimates and revised Adult Services growth projections be noted   

iii)  That the changes required to future years’ budgets as a result of the Final Local Government Settlement and a review of business rates and Adult Services growth projections be noted.

iv)           That the revised funding gap for the years 2017/18 and 2018/19 be noted.

v)    That the revised Capital Programme as set out in the report be agreed and recommended to Council.

vi)  That the potential requirement for virement between pay and non-pay (contract payment) budgets resulting from the review of ip&e Limited, which are not reflected in this report be noted.

vii)That the potential for investment and further savings proposals resulting from the review of the Council’s ICT requirements which are not reflected in this report be noted.