Issue - meetings

This report presents the 2009/10 capital budget proposals for Neighbourhood Services and asks Members to consider whether the budget proposals are in line with the Council's priorities. Members are also asked to provide comments on the budget proposals which have been prepared by Officers and contained in this report, which are intended to form part of the Council's budget to be considered by the Budget Executive on 16 February 2009.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

That the revenue and capital budget estimates be noted and that any concerns and comments also be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member

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

REASON:                  To update the Executive Member on the Revenue and Capital Budget Estimates for 2009/10.       

Members considered a report, which presented the 2009/10 Revenue and Capital Budget Estimates for Neighbourhood Services.

The Finance Manager, Neighbourhood Services asked Members to note the main aspects of the report. The Officer also asked Members to note some small changes to figures in the report. In Table 1, under Point 6 of the report, the Total column for Service Pressure proposals which should have read 445, and the Total Column in the Proposed Budget 2009/10 which should have read 14,478.

In response to a question from a Member about the amount of waste and the landfill tax, Officers responded that calculations and assumptions had been made to 2010 and that the question of a reduction in waste had been factored in. On the question of page 46, Annex 2, NSW_S13 and the use of agency staff, Officers confirmed that these would not be used where staff could be provided through the Council’s recruitment pool. It was noted, however, that the cost of using agency staff was not considerably higher than the use of the Council’s pool. Officers reported that there had been an increase in bereavement charges above inflation.

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

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

That the revenue and capital budget estimates be noted and that any concerns and comments also be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member

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

REASON:                  To update the Executive Member on the Revenue and Capital Budget Estimates for 2009/10.