Minutes:
Further to Minute No. 32 of the meeting of the Self Regulation Select Commission held on 21st November, 2013, Karl Battersby, Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services, and Stuart Booth, Director of Finance, gave a presentation on the budget consultation and budget process, the opportunities for members of the public to have their say and the various questions that were asked.
The presentation referred to:-
· Money Matters and the Council Priorities.
· The Methodology.
· Questions for the Money Matters Consultation Process 2014-16.
· Online Forum.
· Headline Matters.
· Consultation Events covering:-
o Universal – v – Targeted.
o Empowering communities to help themselves.
o Stop or reduce.
o Which services should be delivered differently.
o Making money go further.
The Director of Finance made reference to the current budget position, the individual savings proposals now being put forward by Directorates and the revisions that had already been made arising from discussions with Elected Members.
Discussion ensued about the use of staff forums for suggested efficiency savings and how these could feed into the budget process.
The Strategic Directors were invited to explain each of their savings proposals in detail and the rationale behind each suggestion.
Karl Battersby, Strategic Director for Environment and Development Services, reported on a further two savings proposals.
The Select Commission asked a number of questions about Parking Services and whether this affected the contract in out of centre areas and the proposals for the exit payments at Wellgate Multi-Storey Car Park.
Shona McFarlane, representing the Strategic Director for Neighbourhoods and Adult Services, accompanied by Councillor Rose McNeely, Cabinet Member for Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods, Councillor John Doyle, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, and Councillor Ken Wyatt, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, reported on the various savings proposals from within the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Directorate.
The Select Commission asked a number of questions about the re-commissioning of services and terms of conditions for staff and the degree of monitoring of such contracts and the fact that predominantly women staff were affected.
Reference was also made to the accounting arrangements for furnished homes and the previous inflexibility around public sector to public sector collaboration.
Stuart Booth, Director of Finance, accompanied by the Chief Executive and Councillor Jahangir Akhtar, Deputy Leader, reported on the various savings proposals from within the Resources Directorate.
The Select Commission asked a range of questions about the expectations for attracting external funding and the confidence this could be achieved, flexibility of the savings proposals, number of voluntary redundancies, DWP’s suspension of benefits and optimistic support from Trades Unions for staff savings proposals.
Joyce Thacker, Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services, accompanied by Councillor Paul Lakin, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families Services, had not further savings proposals to put forward, but were present to answer questions should they be asked.
The Select Commission also welcomed the opportunity to put forward their views and comments about the budget setting process and requested that further information be provided on what services were statutory and non-statutory and suggested that the written proposals be provided in a more timely manner.
Resolved:- (1) That Stuart Booth, Shona McFarlane, Karl Battersby and Joyce Thacker, and the relevant Cabinet Members that accompanied them, be thanked for their input.
(2) That the information as presented be noted.