Issue - meetings

This report informs Members of the amount of the base ward committee revenue and capital budget allocated in 2006/7 and asks them to consider, in response to a Council motion proposed by Cllr Potter on 5^th October 2006, the re-instatement of ward committee income budgets to the 2005/6 level.

RESOLVED: (i)         That it be recognised that the allocation of funding, for all activities, forms a part of the budget process.

                        (ii)        That the intention to sustain ward committee budgets in the forthcoming year at the same level as applies in 2006/07 be noted.

                        (iii)       That the mover of the motion be asked to explain from where she would find funding for any additional allocation of resources to ward committees.

                        (iv)       That the Director of Resources be requested to investigate the claims that the actions taken by the Heworth Ward Committee in allocating the 2006/07 devolved budget were inappropriate.

REASON:      To ensure that ward committees are adequately funded, in the context of the Council’s overall budget, and that the funding is properly allocated in accordance with Constitutional procedures.

Members considered a report prepared in response to a Council motion proposed by Cllr Ruth Potter on 5 October 2006 and referred to the Executive under Standing Order 11(ii).  The motion had asked “…that budgets for ward committee funding be restored, making good cuts in this year’s budgets.”

Due to the need to achieve savings targets, the revenue budget for the 2006/07 budget year had been set at £733,570, which was £163,890 less than the 2005/06 allocation.  However, the additional “one-off” allocation made by the Leader in July had effectively reduced this cut to £93,890.  At their meeting on 16 January, the Executive had agreed to make an additional £70k available for ward committee budgets, subject to sufficient budget underspends being available at the end of the year (Minute 137, Resolution (xii) refers).  If these funds were available, then the base revenue budget for 2007/08 would remain at the level set for 2006/07.

The following options were presented for consideration:

Option 1 – restore the entire £163,890 reduction on a recurring, or non-recurring basis;

Option 2 – restore partially the reduction;

Option 3 – maintain the existing budget, giving a 2007/08 budget of £733,570.

Members expressed surprise that the proposer of the motion had not stated how an additional allocation to ward committees could be funded.  They also noted that complaints had been received from residents of Heworth Ward that ward committee funds had not been allocated in accordance with the priorities voted for by residents.

RESOLVED: (i)         That it be recognised that the allocation of funding, for all activities, forms a part of the budget process.

                        (ii)        That the intention to sustain ward committee budgets in the forthcoming year at the same level as applies in 2006/07 be noted.

                        (iii)       That the mover of the motion be asked to explain from where she would find funding for any additional allocation of resources to ward committees.

                        (iv)       That the Director of Resources be requested to investigate the claims that the actions taken by the Heworth Ward Committee in allocating the 2006/07 devolved budget were inappropriate.

REASON:      To ensure that ward committees are adequately funded, in the context of the Council’s overall budget, and that the funding is properly allocated in accordance with Constitutional procedures.