Decision details

To approve proposed charges for 2015/16, and to recommend to the Executive revenue budget proposals, capital funding requests and changes to the Capital Plan.

Matter for Decision: The report detailed the budget proposals relating to Strategy and Transformation portfolio as included in the Budget-Setting Report (BSR) 2015/16. The report also included consideration of any recommendations concerning the review of charges and project appraisals for schemes in the Capital Plan.

 

Decision of the Leader

 

The Leader resolved to:

 

Revenue:

 

       i.          Consider the revenue budget proposals as shown in Appendix B of the officer’s report.

 

Capital:

 

       ii          Consider the capital budget proposals as shown in Appendix C of the officer’s report.

 

     iii          Delete some schemes from the Capital Plan as shown in Appendix C of the officer’s report.

 

    iiii          Adjust capital funding for items 2 (c) to 2 (e) as appropriate.

 

Reasons for the Decision: As set out in the officer’s report

 

Any alternative options considered and rejected: As set out in the officer’s report

 

Scrutiny Considerations:

 

The committee received a report from the Head of Finance.

 

 

 

 

In response to member’s questions Officers and Executive Councillors said the following:

 

     ii.          Budget Reference PROG3558 and 3561 (self-service and electronic enquiry service/voice activated switchboard): The Director of Business Transformation said that callers to the City Council would be given a limited number of voice activated automated choices in order to direct their query to the appropriate person/service. Where required the caller could be connected directly to a member of staff.

   iii.          Budget Reference PROG3747 and 3748 (shared Planning and Building Control Service): The Director of Environment said that these were two separate proposals – one for a Shared Planning Service and one for a shared model for Building Control. Whilst Building Control had been discussed in detail at the Environment Scrutiny Committee on 13 January 2015 the Shared Planning Service proposals were at an earlier stage of development. It was however envisaged that a saving of £50k could be achieved.

   iv.          Budget Reference PROG3686 and 3746 (Support Services): The Director of Business Transformation said that the objective, over a medium term period, would be to tackle legacy support costs. A full analysis and benchmarking had been undertaken and savings were achievable. It was also confirmed that support cost savings had not been ‘double counted’ across numerous budget lines.

     v.          Budget Reference PROG3688 (Shared Legal Service): The Director of Business Transformation said that the savings quoted would be the minimum amount achievable and could increase as the service review progressed.

   vi.          Budget Reference S3528 (contribution to Cambridgeshire Constabulary): The Leader said that the Police and the Assistant Police Commissioner had confirmed that this reduction would not result in fewer PCSO’s on the streets of Cambridge. Other Local Authorities had withdrawn their contributions in 2007/08 and it had had no effect on PCSO numbers. It was felt that the number of PCSO’s in Cambridge was adequate.

 vii.          Budget Reference PPF3539 (Neighbourhood Resolution Panel initiative): The Leader said that this was a positive initiative and he was confident that, long term, it would succeed.

viii.          The Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources said that the Food Bank had only been funded for two years as their property lease was due to expire at the end of this time and they were looking to relocate.

 

 

   ix.          Budget Reference C3703 (Keep Cambridge Moving Fund): The Leader said that whilst an overall commitment of £1.5m remained, this money would not be spent before 2020 and there was therefore little point in allocating it in this budget.

 

The Scrutiny Committee considered the recommendations and endorsed them by 5 votes to 0.

 

The Leader approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Leader (and any Dispensations Granted):

 

Not applicable.