Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests;

·        any prejudicial interests;

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

The Executive Members were asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests, not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that he might have had in respect of business on the agenda. They confirmed they had none.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Monday 13 January 2020. Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the Executive Member’s remit.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be filmed and webcast ,or recorded, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at

https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809

It was reported that there had been two registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Cllr Webb spoke as the Labour Shadow Executive Member for Children and Education. He suggested that there was a lack of detail in the papers and he expressed concern over the effect of budget cuts on young people. He noted that there several areas in which savings were proposed suggesting that there would be no negative impacts on CYC as it would receive grants. He then outlined his areas of concern in regard to the budget for children and young people noting his concern in particular on the effects of the budget cuts on vulnerable people.

Gwen Swinburn thanked the Executive Members for arranging their budget meetings. She raised concern that there was not enough information in the papers, that there was no Equalities Impact Assessment, that there was £150k of cuts with no detail on the impact of those cuts, that some capital programme reports were missing and that there was too little information on the one-off growth items.

This report provides background information for the overall Financial Strategy and presents the savings proposals and growth assumptions for Children, Young People and Education, and Culture, Leisure and Communities portfolios, for consideration by the Executive Members before finalisation of the overall Financial Strategy, which will be presented to Executive on 13 February 2020.

Resolved: 

(i)      That the feedback from consultation for Children, Young People and Education and Culture, Leisure and Communities portfolios, as set out in Annex 3 to the report, be noted.

(ii)    That the following be agreed for inclusion within the overall financial strategy to be presented to Executive on 13 February 2020:

a)      The 2020/21 revenue savings proposals for Children, Young People and Education and Culture, Leisure and Communities portfolios portfolios, as set out in Annex 1 to the report.

b)      The 2020/21 revenue growth proposals for Children, Young People and Education and Culture, Leisure and Communities portfolios, as set out in Annex 2 to the report.

Reason:     To ensure that stakeholders have the opportunity to feed into the budget process in advance of the finalisations of the Financial Strategy 2020/21 to 2024/25.

The Executive Members considered a report that provided background information for the overall Financial Strategy and presented the savings proposals and growth assumptions for their portfolios. This provided an opportunity for them to obtain feedback in advance of the finalisation of the overall Financial Strategy which would be presented to Executive on 13 February 2020.

The  Head of Finance Adults, Children & Education and the Principal Accountant were in attendance to present the report. They outlined the report noting the key investments across both portfolios and the proposed growth and savings as detailed in annexes 1 and 2. The Executive Members thanked Officers noting that it was hard to find revenue savings.

The Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities commented that he was pleased to see the growth proposal for a new Safer and Inclusive Communities Fund to be allocated to Ward Committees to enhance safer communities, and he added that the savings regarding the proposals for two community centres was a saving borne out of investment. The Corporate Director for Adults Children and Education noted that the proposed savings outlined were challenging and where there had been an opportunity to maximise the use of grants these were used effectively. She reported that the central government grant funding for Troubled Families had been confirmed. She noted that there had been an examination of how to align services across the directorate so that less children need a higher level of intervention.

The Assistant Director Culture and Communities then outlined the savings in the Culture, Leisure and Communities portfolio in detail. He was asked and noted that the first grant help was core to the delivery of key outcomes. The Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities noted the benefits of Arts Council income to York.

The Corporate Director for Adults, Children and Education then detailed the budget savings and grant income in the Children, Education and Young People portfolio noting that there was to be a realignment in the management of services. She then outlined the areas of growth in detail. The Executive Member for Children, Education and Young People reported that the budget would come into effect from March and there would be full consultation. He clarified that the Public Sector Equality Duty was the responsibility of the S151 Officer and not the Chief Executive.

The Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities commented that it was good to see ideas borne from residents. He added that there was investment in different types of culture, citing the investment in the community stadium, and investment in Acomb and Clifton libraries as examples of a wider cultural offer.  The Executive Member for Children, Education and Young People commented that the strategies put forward would be effective in terms of partnership working. It was then:

Resolved: 

(i)      That the feedback from consultation for Children, Young People and Education and Culture, Leisure and Communities portfolios, as set out in Annex 3 to the report, be noted.

(ii)    That the following be agreed for inclusion  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.