Agenda item

Report by Chief Executive

54.1    The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Executive, together with further information received following the publication of the Cabinet agenda including a summary of the consultation meeting held with Trade Unions and additional comments from the Adult Social Care and Community Safety Scrutiny Committee and a petition in relation to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

54.2    The following amendment moved by Councillor Elkin and seconded was CARRIED

Delete recommendation 2. (iv) and replace with:

2. (iv) Approve the net Revenue Budget estimate of £365.0m for 2017/18 setout in Appendix2, including the contributiontotheEastSussex BetterTogether budgetof £135.0m and authorisethe ChiefOperatingOfficer, in consultationwiththeChief FinanceOfficer,Leaderand DeputyLeader, to make adjustmentsto the presentationof thebudgetbooktoreflect the final settlement and final budgetdecisions; subject to the amendments set out below:

Deleting the following savings proposals Children’s Services:

Duke of Edinburgh- County Council continues to co-ordinate the D of E award scheme -  £0.029m

Youth Cabinet - continue to organise the election and running of Youth Cabinet - £0.041m

Increase investment into the following areas in support of the County Councils priorities:

1.    Highways: additional investment into highways drainage to support the strategic asset management approach to maintaining the highways infrastructure £1.000m

2.    Highways: Additional investment into highways pavements to support mobility in local communities - £0.300m

3.    Communities: Additional investment into Community Match -  £0.150m

4.    Children’s Services: Additional investment into Youth Services

·         Detached and mobile outreach Youth Work Programmes – working with community safety to identify and then target Antisocial Behaviour hot spots - £0.045m

·         Junior Autistic Spectrum Disorder activity sessions – £0.052m

·         Drop in group work provision in targeted communities - £0.033m

5.    Transition funding for schools for 2017/18: Allocate £0.750m to schools to mitigate impact of changes to High Needs Block

Delete recommendation 2. (vi) and replace with:

2 (vi)   Approve the Capital Programme for 2016- 2023, including a commitment to a 5 year Highways maintenance programme of £91.3m, as set out in Appendices 2 and 8, subject to  an annual reduction in the revenue contribution to the capital programme of £2.0m.

Note:

The additional investment set out in 2(iv)5, transition funding for schools in 2017/18, to be funded by reducing the Transformation and Delivery Risk Provision accordingly.

The remaining additional investment set out in amended recommendation 2(iv) totals £1.650m per annum to be funded by the reduction of the revenue contribution to the Capital Programme of £1.650m. In addition it increases the provision required in the revenue budget to repay borrowing by £0.350m per annum. So the total reduction in the revenue contribution to the capital programme is £2.0m which is to fund the additional investment plus the increased interest costs of borrowing.

54.3    It was RESOLVED to:

1.      Approve the feesand charges set out in Appendix6 and delegateauthorityto the ChiefFinanceOfficerto approve anincreaseto all otherfeesandcharges byup to 2%;

2.      Recommend CountyCouncil to:

i.  Approve in principlethe draftCouncil Planat Appendix 1 and authorise the

ChiefExecutive to finalisethe Planin consultationwiththerelevantLead

Members;

ii  Increase council tax by3% fortheadultsocial careprecept to helpmitigate the pressureson SocialCare;

iii. increasethelevelof the general council tax by 1.99% in linewiththecurrent MediumTermFinancial Plan (MTFP)(Appendix 3)andthenissue precepts accordinglyto bepaidbyBorough and DistrictCouncilsinaccordancewith the agreedschedule of instalmentsat Appendix 7;

iv  Approve the net Revenue Budget estimate of £365.0m for 2017/18 setout in Appendix2, including the contributiontotheEastSussex BetterTogether budgetof £135.0m and authorisethe ChiefOperatingOfficer, in consultationwiththeChief FinanceOfficer,Leaderand DeputyLeader, to make adjustmentsto the presentationof thebudgetbooktoreflect the final settlement and final budgetdecisions; subject to the amendments set out below:

Deleting the following savings proposals Children’s Services:

Duke of Edinburgh- County Council continues to co-ordinate the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme -  £0.029m

Youth Cabinet - continue to organise the election and running of Youth Cabinet - £0.041m

Increase investment into the following areas in support of the County Councils priorities:

6.     Highways: additional investment into highways drainage to support the strategic asset management approach to maintaining the highways infrastructure £1.000m

7.     Highways: Additional investment into highways pavements to support mobility in local communities - £0.300m

8.     Communities: Additional investment into Community Match -  £0.150m

9.     Children’s Services: Additional investment into Youth Services

·           Detached and mobile outreach Youth Work Programmes – working with community safety to identify and then target Antisocial Behaviour hot spots - £0.045m

·           Junior Autistic Spectrum Disorder activity sessions – £0.052m

·           Drop in group work provision in targeted communities - £0.033m

10.  Transition funding for schools for 2017/18: Allocate £0.750m to schools to mitigate impact of changes to High Needs Block

v.  Approve the feesand charges set out in Appendix6 and delegateauthority to theChiefFinanceOfficertoapprove anincrease to all otherfeesand charges byup to 2%;

vi.  Approve the Capital Programme for 2016- 2023, including a commitment to a 5 year Highways maintenance programme of £91.3m, as set out in Appendices 2 and 8, subject to  an annual reduction in the revenue contribution to the capital programme of £2.0m.

vii. Note theMTFP forecastforthe period2018/19to2020/21,as set out in Appendix3;

viii  Note thecommentsof the Chief FinanceOfficeron budget risksand robustness,as set outinAppendix9;

ix  Note thedraft StrategicInvestmentPlanforEastSussex BetterTogetherset out atAppendix5; and

x. Note the comments from engagement exercises set out in Appendix 10

Reason

54.4       Thefinancial challengethe Councilfaces isconsiderableandthechoicesbetween savingand spending areas aredifficult. In making recommendationsto the County Council, the Cabinet has sought to balance the needsofresidentsand businesses in the Countyforservices and the affordabilityof those services.