Issue - meetings

A report from the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance is attached.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance submitted a report setting out details of the Capital Programme for 2015/16 to 2017/18 and the Revenue Budget for 2015/16 to 2016/17. A draft programme of savings and consultation responses were appended to the report.

The report recommended that the Capital Programme be limited to those schemes fully funded from external sources.

With regard to the revenue budget the report outlined details of:

·         The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2015/16

·         Forecast outturn for 2014/15

·         The budget strategy for 2015/16 and the approach to balancing the budget. 

It was explained that the report had been prepared on the basis that the Bury element of the Council Tax would be frozen for 2015/16, to be funded in part by £0.774m of Central Government grant. It was stressed that the Council Tax would not be set until the full Council meeting on 25^th February.

Questions and comments were invited from Members of the Committee and the following issues were raised:

·         In response to a question from Councillor Daly concerning service levels in the light of budget reductions since 2011, the Leader highlighted that staff had been asked to do more with less but acknowledged that capacity was an issue as a result of reduced funding and increased demands.

·         The Leader explained that forecasts suggested further cuts of a similar level would be necessary in 2016/17 and acknowledged the way the Council operates would need to change with services being prioritised.

·         In terms of the funding formula it was explained that Bury was disadvantaged mainly as a result of factors relating to population, deprivation and welfare claimant numbers.

·         In response to a question form Councillor Holt, the Assistant Director explained that the localisation of the Council Tax Benefit Scheme meant that the risk lay with the Council should the number of claimant increase.

·         Councillor Daly commented that the detail of the proposed savings highlighted within the consultation pack was limited in terms of outlining how the savings figures would be achieved.

·         The Chair Councillor Gartside referred to Bury’s Settlement Funding Allocation and questioned the comparability of 2014/15 and 2015/16 figures; the Assistant Director explained that the 2014/15 figures included the Council Tax Freeze Grant for that year; whereas the 2015/16 figure did not – as DCLG would not be aware at this stage of Councils’ Council Tax proposals.

It was agreed:

That the report be noted.