The report of the Director of Finance (Document “AB”) sets out the update on budget decisions and Council Tax including new proposals for consultation with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions for 2020/21.
Recommended -
That Executive, having considered the Council’s public sector equality duty as set out above:
(a) Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the new budget proposals for 2020/21 set out at Appendix E to Document AB
(b) Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the proposed recurrent spending included in the financial estimates as set out in Appendix C and the non recurrent spending plans in Appendix D to Document AB
(c) Approve for consultation the proposed new capital schemes PCS1 to PCS16 as set out in section 8 of Document AB
(d) Note the proposed use of reserves as set out in Appendix G to Document AB
(e) Approve the consultation mechanisms and processes set out in section 9 to Document AB
(f) Approve for consultation the extension of the Council Tax Support for care leavers aged 22-25 with a discount of 50% on their Council Tax bill from 1 April 2020
(g) Approve for consultation the extension of transitional support from 1 April 2020 for those households adversely affected by more than £17 per week in respect of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. This transitional support to be reviewed during 2020.
Minutes:
The report of the Director of Finance (Document “AB”) set out the update on budget decisions and Council Tax including new proposals for consultation with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions for 2020/21.
An opposition member in attendance at the meeting welcomed the proposed use of £700,000 Public Health funding on on-going investment to support delivery of Health outcomes within and from libraries and asked whether this would result in a halt to reductions in library staff. He also referred to the Ilkley 20mph zone and the fact that a child had been hit by a car on Grove Road and asked whether there were any plans to extend the 20 mph zone. The member was thanked for his questions and advised that they would be responded to during the course of the meeting.
A representative of UNITE the Union attended the meeting and questioned why the budget covered a two year period stating that the union’s preference would be for a one year budget. He was unaware that any consultation had taken place with the Union on the coming budget over the previous months. He asked where the £21m investment in Children’s Services was to come from.
In response the Leader spoke in favour of a 3 year budget which would give more time to plan, transform and reconfigure services. She added that in previous years changes had been asked for over a short period which had created issues and noted that all staff would like certainty about their future.
It was noted that on 15 October the Council received a petition in respect of Museums and Libraries and referred the petition to the Executive. At the Executive on 5 November 2019 the Leader stated that it should be considered as part of the Budget consultation report at the December meeting and the petitioner be advised accordingly. The December meeting of the Executive having been cancelled the budget report was being considered at this meeting and the petitioners had been invited to the meeting. No representative of the petitioners attended the meeting. It was noted that the budget consultation would be considered by the Executive in February and that the petitioners would have the opportunity to attend the meeting.
The Healthy People and Places Portfolio Holder understood the concerns raised in the petition and referred to the years of austerity since 2010/11. She emphasised the budget proposal to invest £700,000 from Public Health to support delivery of Health outcomes, support the libraries network and create a sustainable network for the future. She noted that 700 residents had responded in the engagement process and the proposals would be brought forward at a future date.
The Leader in presenting and tabling the Labour Group’s Budget and Council Tax proposals for 2020/21, stated that between 2011/12 and 2019/20 the Council had taken measures to reduce costs and increase income amounting to £278m and that the authority’s spending power had been reduced by half over that period. She thanked Council employees in providing more for less. She added that a further £31m reductions would have to be made in the future years and that significant changes would have to be made. She explained that £1.6m investment was proposed to meet demographic pressures in Adult Social Care, additional funding was proposed to support the Keighley and Shipley Stronger Towns programme, that £700,000 Public Health investment was to be allocated to libraries and that the £500,000 reduction to museums was to be postponed. She went on to add that plans for major new capital investments were proposed as part of the Council’s response to the climate emergency and referred to the District Heat Network, Renewable Energy Projects and Climate Change Building Controls and the Fleet electric vehicles programme. She referred to the ambitious programme to plant a tree for every primary school child in the District and plans for major capital investments as part of the Council’s response to the climate emergency. She emphasised the need to stimulate regeneration of the city and the District by investing in city and town centres to develop the economy and referred to the need to ensure that Bradford had a city centre stop on Northern Powerhouse Rail. She was pleased to announce that no new redundancies were proposed for 2020/21. She stressed that changes were needed to the fair funding formula to ensure that Bradford was not disadvantaged; that the Government should consider the impact of Business Rates Reform on Local Government and that investment in Social Care by the Government was three years overdue.
The Director of Finance set out the key budget messages, provisional budget settlement, additional national funding proposed and budget highlights. The Strategic Director Corporate Resources explained proposals to invest in inclusive and sustainable growth. The Strategic Director of Place highlighted the City Centre regeneration schemes.
The Regeneration, Planning and Transport Portfolio holder commended a strong budget for growth. He referred to the Shipley and Keighley Business Development Zones, District Growth schemes and a number of city centre projects that were moving to delivery phase such as the new City Market, One City Park and Foster Square Station. He also referred to the next generation of projects such as the pedestrianisation of Market Street through the Transforming Cities Fund, the Top of Town, City Village and Northern Powerhouse Rail. He was pleased that it had been possible to postpone the road safety cuts. He referred to the child that had been run over in Ilkley who was in members thoughts and confirmed that it was proposed to roll out he 20 mph zones concentrating on schools. He noted that Ward Councillors would be kept informed about and proposals for a 20 mph zone in Ben Rhydding.
The Healthy People and Places Portfolio Holder referred to plans for major capital investment in response to the climate emergency such as the fleet electric vehicles programme; she noted the launch of a programme to plant a tree for every primary school child in the district. She commended the proposals that would result in a cleaner and greener environment, improve mental and physical health and reduce the authority’s carbon footprint. She referred to the City of Culture 2025 bid and the importance of having a sustainable Museums Service. She added that the proposed on-going £700,000 investment to support an updated offer in libraries would have educational and health benefits. She noted that childhood obesity was being addressed through the Living Well initiative. She added that the social care precept was proposed at 2% to sustain good quality services and keep pace with the increase in demand to support vulnerable people. She commended the investment in waste services. She noted the investment in mental health initiatives in suicide prevention, tackling isolation and investment in duel trained mental health and drug/alcohol staff.
The Assistant Director, Sport and Culture referred to the member question about libraries opening hours and confirmed that there would be a managed transition period to avoid redundancies and workforce reductions. He added that £700,000 on going investment was proposed to reduce changes going forward and reduce any unplanned library closures.
The Children and Families Portfolio Holder announced a total funding package of £21m to support services to children and added that the current year’s budget had invested to recruit and retain social workers and better practice and that the additional funding would be used to respond to rising demands from demographic change. He noted that since 2011 there had been a 41% increase in Looked After Children and that the Local Government Association estimated that councils faced a £1.4 billion funding gap for children’s services next year, rising to £3 billion by 2025. He noted the permanent appointment of the Director and Deputy Director of Children’s Services and that the recruitment of Heads of Service was underway. He added that Early Help and Prevention was currently being remodelled. He noted that it was proposed to increase Council Tax support for 22-25 year old care leavers. In response to the questions raised by a representative of UNITE the Union he noted that the formal consultation on the budget proposals started on that day, that the remodelling of Early Help and Prevention had been shared with OJC and had concluded by agreement. The Leader added that officers would be happy to go through the budget proposals with UNITE the Union. The Director of Finance confirmed that a consultation meeting was scheduled to take place with unions on 6 January 2020.
The Neighbourhoods and Community Safety Portfolio Holder noted that £700,000 was being committed to Welfare Advice from the Public Health budget to help promote health and wellbeing and mitigate against previous cuts. He added that the planned £513,000 reduction in youth services was to be postponed and called on government to secure more sustainable funding into the future in order to protect youth services.
The Leader stressed the need to engage with young people, regenerate the district and also support more vulnerable people. She added that she wanted everyone in the district to benefit from regeneration. She confirmed that consultation on the budget started on that day and that consultation responses would be reported back to the Executive on 4 February.
Resolved -
That Executive, having considered the Council’s public sector equality duty as set out above:
(a) Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the new budget proposals for 2020/21 set out at Appendix E to Document AB
(b) Approve for consultation as required with the public, interested parties, staff and Trade Unions the proposed recurrent spending included in the financial estimates as set out in Appendix C and the non recurrent spending plans in Appendix D to Document AB
(c) Approve for consultation the proposed new capital schemes PCS1 to PCS16 as set out in section 8 of Document AB
(d) Note the proposed use of reserves as set out in Appendix G to Document AB
(e) Approve the consultation mechanisms and processes set out in section 9 to Document AB
(f) Approve for consultation the extension of the Council Tax Support for care leavers aged 22-25 with a discount of 50% on their Council Tax bill from 1 April 2020
(g) Approve for consultation the extension of transitional support from 1 April 2020 for those households adversely affected by more than £17 per week in respect of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. This transitional support to be reviewed during 2020.
ACTION: Director of Finance
Overview & Scrutiny Committee: Corporate
