Issue - meetings

This report presents the 2009/10 budget proposals for the Resources Directorate.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)                 That the budget proposals were in line with the Council’s priorities.

(ii)        That the budget proposals for savings and growth contained within the report be noted and referred to the Budget Executive on 16 February 2009 for consideration together with Members’ comments.

(iii)       That the budget proposals for the revenue budget contained within the report be noted and referred to the Budget Executive for consideration together with Members’ comments.

(iv)              That the budget proposals for the Resources Directorate for 2009/10 contained in the report and including:

·        2009/10 Base Budget as set out in paragraph 7 of the report

·        Savings proposals as set out in Annex 2 of the report

·        Fees and charges as set out in Annex 3 of the report

be noted and referred to the Budget Executive for consideration together with Members’ comments.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      As part of the consultation for the 2009/10 budget setting process.

Members received a report presenting the 2009/10 budget proposals for the Resources Directorate.  The report included:

• The revenue budget for 2009/09 (Annex 1) to show the existing budgets
• The budget adjusted and rolled forward from 2008/09 into 2009/10
• The provisional allocation of pay and price increases for the portfolio
• Proposals for budget service pressure costs and savings options for the portfolio area (Annex 2)
• Fees and charges proposals (Annex 3)
• The existing approved capital programme (Annex 4)

As part of the consultation process, Members of EMAP were asked for their comments or alternative suggestions on the proposals shown in Annexes 2 and 3.

Consideration was given to the proposed budget allocation of £350k for the IT Development Plan.  It was noted that the funding was based on a required budget level of £450k, as agreed by the Executive on 2 December 2008.  However, since there was regularly slippage on this budget, a one-off credit of £100k was proposed to reflect this.  Members queried whether it would be possible to further increase the credit in view of the previous level of slippage.  Officers explained that changes had been  made to the way in which schemes were planned and monitored in order to improve delivery and that major projects such as the planned upgrade to Citrix would need to be delivered.  If the funding was reduced even further there would be concerns as to whether it would be possible to implement the plan effectively.

Clarification was sought as to the basis on which the figure for pay inflation had been set at 2.25%.  Officers explained that the negotiations for the 2009/10 settlement had not yet started but that a survey of unitary authorities had indicated that the majority were estimating awards of between 2%-2.5%.

Clarification was sought as to why the Capital Budget – 2008/09 to 2010/11 included funding allocated to the Admin Accommodation project when this was a turnkey scheme. Officers explained that the expenditure profile for the project would need to be revisited but that there were different models of turnkey schemes.  

Members of the Labour Group reserved their position for Budget Council.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)                 That the budget proposals were in line with the Council’s priorities.

(ii)        That the budget proposals for savings and growth contained within the report be noted and referred to the Budget Executive on 16 February 2009 for consideration together with Members’ comments.

(iii)       That the budget proposals for the revenue budget contained within the report be noted and referred to the Budget Executive for consideration together with Members’ comments.

(iv)              That the budget proposals for the Resources Directorate for 2009/10 contained in the report and including:

·        2009/10 Base Budget as set out in paragraph 7 of the report

·        Savings proposals as set out in Annex 2 of the report

·        Fees and charges as set out in Annex 3 of the report

be noted and referred to the Budget Executive for consideration together with Members’ comments.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38