Issue - meetings

This report highlights emerging issues related to the Council’s medium term financial planning and seeks agreement in principle to an outline timetable for the 2011/12 budget process, together with plans to commence the budget consultation in September.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the emerging issues highlighted in the report be noted and that the outline timetable, and plans to commence the budget consultation in September, be agreed in principle.

                        (ii)        That it be noted that any communication direct to households will be through Your City , which will need to be timetabled to assist with the process.

                        (iii)       That Officers be requested to develop a process for group public engagement with the business community and residents in the autumn, with detailed information on the 2010/11 budget lines, for recommendations to be included for the 2011/12 budget.

                        (iv)       That Officers be requested to ensure that the communications plan complies with the equalities requirements of the Council.

                        (v)        That the Chief Executive be requested to provide an update report on the work that is being done to relieve York of the burdens of unnecessary red tape, and that these savings be quantified.

REASON:      So that the 2011/12 can be prepared in a timely manner, whilst ensuring that the impacts of the More for York programme and government spending cuts are communicated to York residents and businesses as part of the consultation.

Members considered a report which highlighted emerging issues relating to the Council’s medium term financial planning and sought agreement in principle to an outline timetable for the 2011/12 budget process, together with plans to commence the budget consultation in September.

The main challenge in terms of budget planning related to the new government’s approach to local authority funding, in particular the cuts to Area Based Grants announced on 10 June 2010 and the further public spending cuts contained in the Emergency Budget of 22 June 2010.  The latest projections indicated that the Council would need to identify savings of at least £12m in 2011/12, instead of the £10m estimated in February.  Options for dealing with potential shortfalls, and how these could be mitigated via the More for York programme, would be assessed over the summer.

Annex 1 to the report set out a plan for the 2011/12 budget process which aimed to address the requirements identified by consultation; namely, a clearer timeline, earlier planning, stronger communication with stakeholders and better education on what the process entailed.  The plan was designed to show inter-relationships between milestones and key pieces of work on a month by month basis across four key work areas – the democratic process, reports, key tasks / milestones and the More for York programme.  A budget manual would be produced for stakeholders and public consultation would take place from September to December 2010.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the emerging issues highlighted in the report be noted and that the outline timetable, and plans to commence the budget consultation in September, be agreed in principle. ¹

                        (ii)        That it be noted that any communication direct to households will be through Your City , which will need to be timetabled to assist with the process.

                        (iii)       That Officers be requested to develop a process for group public engagement with the business community and residents in the autumn, with detailed information on the 2010/11 budget lines, for recommendations to be included for the 2011/12 budget. ²

                        (iv)       That Officers be requested to ensure that the communications plan complies with the equalities requirements of the Council. ³

                        (v)        That the Chief Executive be requested to provide an update report on the work that is being done to relieve York of the burdens of unnecessary red tape, and that these savings be quantified. ⁴

REASON:      So that the 2011/12 can be prepared in a timely manner, whilst ensuring that the impacts of the More for York programme and government spending cuts are communicated to York residents and businesses as part of the consultation.