Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest from any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

The Committee Services Manager declared an interest in Item 5.3 (reference to voluntary redundancy) but remained at the meeting.

No urgent matters at the time of dispatch of this agenda.

None to declare.

To submit for confirmation, the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on

13^th January, 2014.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 13^th January, 2014, be confirmed as a true record.

To submit a report by the Head of Function (Resources).

Submitted - The report of the Head of Function (Resources) on the Council’s revenue spending for the third quarter of 2013-14, together with a projected position for the year as a whole, an overview of available reserves and a review of progress by services in achieving agreed savings (referred to at Appendix A of the report).

RESOLVED

•  To note and monitor the position set out in respect of financial performance to date, the projected year-end deficit, and the actions being taken to address this.

•  To approve the use of reserves and contingencies to Quarter 3 in 2013/14 as stated in the report in paragraph B3.

To submit a report by the Head of Function (Resources).

Reported by the Head of Function (Resources) - That this was the capital budget monitoring report for the third quarter of the financial year.  Appendix A to the report included a summary of expenditure against the budget up to the end of December.  The report drew attention to progress being made, resources, changes and potential changes this year and to any financial risk.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance requested a report back to the Executive in March upon the Smallholdings programme of improvements since the programme continued to run ahead of capital receipts, with a deficit of £1,590k brought forward from 2012-13.

RESOLVED

•  To note the progress of expenditure and receipts against the capital budget;

•  To approve the virement of £60,000 of economic regeneration capital match-funding from the Cyfenter project to provide match-funding towards the Llangefni and Mona Sites and Premises scheme, Phase 2 (as detailed in Section 3.1.3 and appendix B of the report);

•  That a report on the Smallholdings Programme be submitted for consideration to the Executive meeting on 17th March, 2014.

To submit a report by the Interim Head of Democratic Services on the outcome of consultations on the budget proposals.

Submitted - The report of the Interim Head of Democratic Services providing feedback received from partners, stakeholders and the general public in response to the public consultation on budget proposals for 2014-15.

The budget consultation received a total of 234 responses including those from representative groups. The vast majority of responses received to date (205) focused on proposals to reduce the admission age in schools, this included an on-line petition with 1365 signatures and also a petition with 541 signatures.

The Chair requested the Director of Lifelong Learning to brief the members on the latest position in this respect.

The Director of Lifelong Learning stated that there was a need to identify potential savings as part of the 2014-15 budget formulation process to balance statutory requirements against discretionary provision. The LEA was statutorily obliged to provide 10 hours of education to children of 3 years of age. The LEA currently provided grant funding to Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin and to the WPPA for this provision.

The saving proposal involved reducing the school admission age to allow admission of children in the term following their 3^rd birthday and sought to address the element of duplication. It did not entail reducing the provision but rather delivering that provision through different settings. The proposal may also pose a risk to the provision for children who were 2½ years old in as much as under the new proposed arrangements the funding to MYM groups to cater for children of 3 years of age would be reduced thereby raising the question of the viability of the Cylchoedd in being able to sustain provision for children of 2½ years of age only.

As a result of the concerns raised, a meeting with MYM was convened recently at which it was mutually agreed between both parties that the status quo was unsustainable and that both the LEA and MYM were keen to work together to arrive at a common understanding of what needed to be done. A short term plan was discussed along with the merits of a further dialogue to develop a long term plan to ensure the future of an Early Years provision that was both effective and efficient. The short term plan would need to give priority to financial savings and the WPPA would also be part of those discussions. The proposal to reduce the admission age for schools was one the LEA still wished to consider but the Director was uncertain whether it would be practical to implement the change from the September term.

RESOLVED to take on board the observations received from partners, stakeholders and the general public as part of finalising the 2014-15 budget proposals to the Council.

To submit a report by the Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee.

Reported -That the Executive were requested to consider the contents of the report prior to making their final decisions on the budget proposals for 2014-15.  The report had been prepared on behalf of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee, in response to the Executive’s draft Budget proposal for 2014-15, outlined in their 16^th December, 2013 report.

The Vice-Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee requested the Executive to accept the contents of the report and to take note of the recommendations and observations made therein. He stated that it was pleasing to note the intention for relevant members and officers to commence work on the 2015-16 budget immediately after acceptance of this year’s budget on 27^th February 2014, which would result in the Council being able to undertake consultation at a far earlier stage in the budget process. 

Councillor Bob Parry, OBE forewarned the Executive that the Opposition group would vote against the proposed changes to Early Years provision at Council on 27^th February unless discussions thereon had been completed by that time. He also requested clarification that two full-time scrutiny officers would continue to be employed in next year’s budget and expressed concern that Council borrowing was increasing every year with resultant high interest charges.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance in reply confirmed that two scrutiny officers were to be retained on the payroll. As regards borrowing, he accepted that the figures were uncomfortably high in the budget at the moment, but explained that this was the way that the Assembly were now steering Councils to act. He mentioned that there would be an opportunity to sell Council property over the next year which would assist as far as borrowings were concerned.   

RESOLVED to note the recommendations of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee when preparing the Council budget for 2014-15.

To submit a report by the Head of Function (Resources) on the Executive’s final budget proposals to the County Council.

Reported by the Portfolio Holder for Finance on the proposed final budget proposals together with a review of the medium term revenue budget strategy.

Reported – That the report showed the detailed revenue budget proposals requiring final review and agreement for 2014-15 and the resulting impact on the County Council’s budget. These were matters for the Council to agree and the Executive were asked to make final recommendations to the Council. The report also updated the latest Medium Term Financial Strategy which provided a context for work on the Council’s future budgets and included the latest information for the efficiency strategy.

The report paid particular reference to the following matters:-

● The Council’s Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2014-15 recommendations;

● Consultation on the draft budget proposals (detailed at Paragraph 4.1.1 and 4.3.6 of the report).

Revenue Budget 2014-15

The initial draft revenue budget was presented to the Executive in December 2013 which presented a draft standstill position budget, highlighting a potential gap of £7.661m between the standstill position and the total of the Aggregated Exchequer Funding and 5% increase in Council Tax.

The report also referred to the ongoing work to identify the savings required across all Departments, which would not necessarily be split evenly between all Directorates.

Since the draft budget proposals were presented to the Executive on 16^th December 2013 a number of issues had emerged which required amendments to the proposals and these were summarised at Paragraph 4.2.3 of the report. The Executive was requested to confirm these adjustments.

●Savings– The Executive were informed on 15 July, 2013 that there was a projected funding gap of up to £7.511m in 2014-15 which equated to a percentage reduction in budgets of 5.4%. Different options for savings profiles were presented, showing the target reductions that would be set at different percentage levels if applied evenly across the board with further columns showing the effect of protection for particular services. The base percentage which produced the required total saving was 7.2%. Following further discussions at Member and Officer level since that date, a final list of proposed savings had been drawn up which was summarised at Paragraph 4.3.5 of the report and set out in detail at Appendix C of the report. The total required from the Services now equated to £7.416m.

Various matters were raised during the scrutiny and consultation process and these were summarised at Paragraph 4.3.6. of the report. In addition, Directorates had carried out further work to prioritise and review their proposals and the revised savings total now stood at £6.263m, a reduction of £1.153m over the proposals submitted to the Executive in December. (Appendix 2 of the report referred).

●Pressures and Growth – the report to the Executive on 16^th December included allowances for pressures and growth totalling £1.136m and £276k respectively.  There had been four changes to these figures and these were detailed at Paragraph 4.4.1 of the report. Further details of growth and pressures were shown at Appendices 3 and 4  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.3

To submit a report by the Head of Function (Resources).

Reported by the Head of Function (Resources) - That as part of the budget process, the Executive was required to make proposals in relation to a capital plan and budget, a Treasury Management Strategy (incorporating the Annual Investment Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy) and a suite of prudential and treasury indicators.  Draft documents were attached as annexes and this report presented the key points so that the proposals may be presented to the County Council on 27^th February.  The projects in the current capital budget had been reviewed and no significant change was required.

RESOLVED

•  To note the contents of the report;

•  To note the recommendations of the Audit Committee in relation to the Treasury Management Strategy Statement;

•  To endorse the capital plan and budget as the Executive’s proposal for next year;

•  To endorse the contents of,  and assumptions and proposals made within, the Treasury Management Strategy Statement (including the Prudential and Treasury Indicators) for 2014/15.

•  That authority be given to the Head of Function (Resources) to complete this documentation in conjunction with the Finance Portfolio Holder for determination by Council on 27th February, 2014.

To submit a report by the Deputy Chief Executive.

Reported by the Portfolio Holder, Councillor Alwyn Rowlands - That the Corporate Scorecard was developed to identify and inform readers of progress against indicators which explicitly demonstrated the successful implementation of the Council’s day to day work. 

The Portfolio Holder also reported verbally upon the Corporate Scrutiny Committee’s observations of 3^rd February, 2014 and made particular reference to the requirement for Services to comply with corporate sickness policies including return to work interviews.

Councillor A. Morris Jones wished to minute his appreciation to the Section for their work in this respect.

RESOLVED to note the contents of the report and to also note the observations of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on 3^rd February, 2014.

To submit a report by the Head of Housing Services.

Submitted - The report of the Head of Housing Services seeking Executive endorsement to the Housing Revenue Account 30 year Business Plan and discussion on key considerations for the future, post exiting HRA subsidy system, planned for 2014/15.

Members considered that they should receive a report on the options available for building affordable housing which may include the Council building homes in the future and on the consequences of suspending the Right to Buy initiative for 5 years. Both reports should be evaluated by the relevant Scrutiny Committee prior to consideration by the Executive.

RESOLVED

• To note the contents of the 30 year HRA Business Plan;

• To engage in an early discussion around the key issues highlighted from the Plan;

• That the Head of Housing Services be requested to report back to the Executive in due course on the options available for building affordable housing which may include the Council building homes in the future;

• That the Head of Housing Services be also requested to report back to the Executive on investigating the consequences of suspending the Right to Buy initiative for the next 5 years.

• That both the above reports be considered by the relevant Scrutiny Committee prior to consideration by the Executive.

To submit a report by the Interim Head of Adults’ Services.

Submitted - The report of the Interim Head of Adults’ Services seeking Executive approval for the charging policy in respect of community based services for 2014/15.

RESOLVED to endorse:-

• Home Care charges outlined in paragraph 4.4.2 of the report;

• Charges for meals in day services outlined in paragraph 4.5.2 of the report;

• Charges for Telecare services as outlined in paragraph 4.7.3 of the report;

• Freezing of Direct Payments rate at £10.50 / hour as outlined in paragraph 4.8.3 of the report;

• Maintaining a charge of £10.00 for administration in relation to Blue Badge requests and replacements.