Agenda item

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 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.