Issue - meetings

Having considered an officer report, and presentations by the Chair of the

Children & Young People Select Committee, Councillor Luke Sorba and the

Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the

Mayor and Cabinet agreed that:

(1) the progress with identifying budget cuts, the £2.9m shortfall against the

target for 2020/21, and the possible implications for the use of reserves be

noted;

(2) the new cuts proposals presented in Section 9 and Appendices 1 to 3,

totalling £9.178m and referenced as below be determined as follows:

COM1a,2a,3a  be delegated to the Executive Director of Community Services

to implement on receipt of a full report at the earliest opportunity

COM 18 be approved

CUS7 be deferred

CUS15 be approved and officers asked to consider the findings of the NRPF

service review

CUS16 be approved

RES19 be deferred

RES20 be deferred

CUS11a be approved

CUS14a be approved

RES21 and RES22 be approved.

(3) the comments of the Public Accounts Select Committee of the 24

September 2019, which incorporates the views of the respective select

committees be received;

(4) officers be authorised to carry out consultations where staff consultation is

necessary in relation to the proposal and delegate the decision to the relevant

Executive Director for the service concerned;

(5) officers be authorised to carry out consultations where public consultation

is necessary in relation to the proposal and ask officers to report back to the

Mayor with the outcome, for a decision to be made;

(6) where no consultation is required, either the cut proposal be approved, or

the decision be delegated to the relevant Executive Director for the service

concerned; and

(7) or, officers be requested to complete further work to clarify the proposal

and that officers then re-submit the proposal at the earliest opportunity for a

decision.

The report was introduced by Councillor Amanda De Ryk who said an

appendix with legal implications had been laid around the table. Councillor De

Ryk outlined the severity of the cuts resulting from continuing enforced

governmental austerity.

Councillor Luke Sorba spoke with regard to the Health Visiting Service and

the School Health Visiting Service which he believed were vital to ensure

children received the best possible start in life. Councillor Best explained the

Public Health Budget was ubder pressure and administrative savings could be

achieved by combining the two Health Visiting contracts. Councillor Barnham

added that he was reassured that reductions could be made without any loss

of quality.

The Mayor concluded by saying cuts were repugnant but inevitable because

of centrally imposed austerity. He stated the goal of his administration would

be to tackle inequality and support vulnerable residents.

Having considered an officer report, and presentations by the Chair of the

Children & Young People Select Committee, Councillor Luke Sorba and the

Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the

Mayor and Cabinet, for the reasons set out in the report by a vote of 8-0

RESOLVED that:

(1) the progress with identifying budget cuts, the £2.9m shortfall against the

target for 2020/21, and the possible implications for the use of reserves be

noted;

(2) the new cuts proposals presented in Section 9 and Appendices 1 to 3,

totalling £9.178m and referenced as below be determined as follows:

COM1a,2a,3a  be delegated to the Executive Director of Community Services

to implement on receipt of a full report at the earliest opportunity

COM 18 be approved

CUS7 be deferred

CUS15 be approved and officers asked to consider the findings of the NRPF

service review

CUS16 be approved

RES19 be deferred

RES20 be deferred

CUS11a be approved

CUS14a be approved

RES21 and RES22 be approved.

(3) the comments of the Public Accounts Select Committee of the 24

September 2019, which incorporates the views of the respective select

committees be received;

(4) officers be authorised to carry out consultations where staff consultation is

necessary in relation to the proposal and delegate the decision to the relevant

Executive Director for the service concerned;

(5) officers be authorised to carry out consultations where public consultation

is necessary in relation to the proposal and ask officers to report back to the

Mayor with the outcome, for a decision to be made;

(6) where no consultation is required, either the cut proposal be approved, or

the decision be delegated to the relevant Executive Director for the service

concerned; and

(7) or, officers be requested to complete further work to clarify the proposal

and that officers then re-submit the proposal at the earliest opportunity for a

decision.