(a)

the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had been dominated by the budget and corporate plan scrutiny;

(b)

he was confident that the scrutiny work programme added value to the decisions taken; 

(c)

this was the first quarterly report in a new format, which better demonstrated the achievements and forthcoming work of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board;

(d)

detailed some of the work undertaken by the overview and scrutiny panels –

?

the Customer and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel had heard about the disturbances at Plymouth Argyle;

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the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel had established a task and finish group to look at young carers and the scrutiny report would be submitted to Cabinet for consideration, shortly;

?

the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had considered a call for action;

?

the Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel had reviewed community events and road closures;

?

the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Panel had submitted a response to a petition about women’s health care.

(a)

the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had met with the Council’s partners on the Local Strategic Partnership Board, prior to the meetings of the Board in January 2011;

(b)

it was acknowledged by the Management Board and the strategic partners that there was a need to focus on a smaller number of priorities;

(c)

the performance targets should reflect the City Council’s aim for excellence;

(d)

there was an acknowledgement of the need for a balanced budget;

(e)

the Management Board were concerned at the loss of partnership funding.

(f)

Cabinet were happy to involve scrutiny in supporting the policy and performance process where scrutiny was adding value;

(g)

the existing and proposed Equality Impact Assessments on the budget and its implementation were proportionate and beyond statutory requirements and Cabinet did not want to commit to further impact assessments as proposed. 

?

Corporate Plan 2011 – 14;

?

Corporate Asset Management Plan 2011 – 15; 

?

2011/12 Revenue and Capital Budget (update to the Indicative Budget approved on 14 December 2010 (minute 83 refers).

(a)

the plan focused on the vision for the city and for the Council, the four shared priorities of the Council and its partners and a range of supporting outcome measures;

(b)

the plan summarised the Council’s financial position and its drive to make efficiencies at a time of reduced public expenditure;

(c)

the importance of transformational change to improve services with fewer resources was a theme throughout;

(d)

the plan also highlighted the public budget consultation, partnership input and overview and scrutiny focus.

(e)

on the updated Corporate Asset Management Plan for which the  timetable had been revised to the end of 2015, due to the effect of the current economic downturn. This would be reviewed during the next twelve months;

(f)

that work was underway to produce a business plan for the accommodation strategy;

(g)

that the plan included the Council community asset transfer strategy which would respond to the new government agenda on devolving more control to communities and also supported  elements of the council’s budgetary delivery plans.  It also showed how the Council was taking forward carbon management;

(h)

that information on the management of assets was detailed in the report, including the provision of a new corporate property database, the ongoing maintenance strategy, statutory compliance, corporate property forum and new developments around the Single Point Of Contact for Corporate Support and Corporate Buyer function;

(i)

that the schools estate was a significant part of the Council’s portfolio and referred to primary schools where there was a basic need issue, requiring a temporary increase of the use of temporary classrooms;

(j)

that the 2011/12 Revenue and Capital Budget updated the funding allocations in the Medium Term Financial Strategy presented to the City Council on 6 December 2010, and detailed both the revenue allocations as a result of the December 2010 Local Government Settlement announcements, and updated the capital programme following funding allocations. As a result of the settlement there was a need to revisit the original budget assumptions;

(k)

whilst the report outlined a balanced budget in the context of resources available, more detailed work would continue during February and any refinement to the budget proposals would be reported to the City Council on 28 February 2011;

.

(l)

approval was sought for increases to various discretionary fees and charges proposed as part of the budget considerations;

(m)

that the report provided an update  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109.

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the need for a balanced budget at year end; 

?

the latest revenue position;

?

the red risks on the delivery plans;

?

the latest position on the capital programme and proposals for the inclusion of two additional schemes;

?

the latest position on treasury management;

?

that following a tax inspection, some issues had been drawn to the attention of the Council relating to staff allowances;

?

proposed virements;

?

that the Council now had clarity around grants and the settlement.

(1)

that the Directors address the remaining shortfall in 2010/11;

(2)

that the latest 2010/11 capital forecast of £77.457m is noted and the City Council is Recommended to approve that the following new schemes (included in the latest forecast) are added to the programme for 2010/11 -

(a)

 Jennycliff Café environmental works £0.050m;

(b)

 Market electrical refurbishment (majority to follow in 11/12) £0.025m;

(3)

the reinstatement of the Weston Mill cemetery reserve, by a transfer back from the revenue invest to save reserve, totaling £0.071m, to meet the costs of essential improvement works in 2010/11;

(4)

the budget virements as follows -

?

reallocation of development budget savings across service heads - £466,000;

?

separation of Chief Executive departmental management from Policy and Performance Unit for reporting purposes - £512,000;

?

transfer of budget for Community Support Grant scheme from corporate items to Corporate Support - £100,000

(a)

outlined the key successes that the Children and Young People’s Trust partners had achieved through working together;  

(b)

indicated that the Children and Young People’s Trust remained a local priority for the City and the Council and the proposed plan would be a key delivery plan to achieve the City’s four priorities;

(c)

advised that a detailed assessment of children and young people’s needs was completed in September 2010 and the views of children and families in the City had been incorporated into the discussion document;

(d)

detailed the priorities agreed by the Plymouth Children and Young People’s Trust Board on 10 December 2010;

(e)

indicated that, under each priority, detailed delivery plans would be developed,  laying out the commissioning intentions across agencies.  Consultation on and development of the delivery plans would take place during the first quarter of 2011;

(f)

informed Members that the final Children and Young People Plan 2011-2014 would  include the associated delivery plans and would be completed by April 2011.

(1)

that whilst it is no longer a statutory requirement for local areas to have a Children’s Trust, the Children and Young People’s Plan is Recommended to the City Council for inclusion under Local Choice Plans and Strategies in the current review of the Constitution;

(2)

the priorities for the Plymouth Children and Young People’s

Plan 2011-2014, to enable consultation to take place during February and March 2011;

(3)

that consultation will be undertaken with relevant stakeholders across the City, including other 2020 theme groups, the private sector, key partner agencies including PCC, NHS Plymouth,

Devon and Cornwall Police and the Voluntary and Community Sector, as well as with children, young people and families.