Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Courtenay and Nelson.

The following declaration of interest was made:

Councillor Cowdrey – Minute 51 (Budget Update) – Family member is a user of community response and telecare service.

Report of Executive Director (Finance and Resources)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director (Finance and Resources) presenting a range of proposals for decision to help to address the financial challenges the Council is facing and to allow for sufficient time to develop and make the necessary detailed arrangements, including appropriate consultation.

Resolved:

1.  That the significant financial challenges facing the Council and the immediate action required in-year to mitigate the scale of current year overspending as well as plan for longer term, fundamental re-design of Council service delivery, be noted.

2.  That the work already in progress under existing delegations to the

Chief Executive and senior officers, be noted.

3.  That the decisions outlined in Appendix 1 to the submitted report be approved and authority be delegated to the relevant Executive Director to take all necessary action to realise savings, income generation and cost avoidance measures related to those decisions.

4. That authority be delegated to the relevant Executive Director, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member to agree the consultation document for decisions in Appendix 1 subject to statutory consultation. The outcome of the consultation and resulting recommendations to be taken back to Cabinet for agreement.

5. That officers continue to develop the longer-term service re-design measures as set out in the report and that Cabinet receive a future report on the projected impact of that service redesign on the Council’s finances.

6. That it be noted that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, will develop a new design for service delivery based upon a localities model for approval at a future meeting of the Cabinet.

Reasons for decision:

The key intention behind the report is to seek approval to start to formalise a comprehensive assessment of initiatives to begin to build a package of budget proposals transparently and as early as possible, given the current unprecedented operating and financial pressures. It will also help to inform the decision making needed to ensure the Council’s medium term financial sustainability is maintained and robust budget setting for future years is achieved.

Other options:

The Council could choose not to progress with all or some of the proposals attached in Appendix 1 of the report.  However, that would not be the recommended course of action at this stage given the significant financial challenges currently being faced by the Council.

Note: This is an Executive Function

Referred direct to: Policy and Resources Scrutiny Committee

Cabinet Member: Cllr Cox