Recommendation

Response

1.    To thank the Executive, Senior Management Team and Scrutiny Councillors for their patience and contribution to the process.

I would also like to thank Members of the Scrutiny Committee for all their hard work and contribution to the budget process and thank officers for their hard work in bringing forward the budget proposals.

2.    That the Committee considered that the budget documentation presented was not sufficiently detailed and as such the Committee was unable to judge whether the Draft Budget was effective and in line within the Corporate Plan.

Members received a number of policy and financial reports which have culminated in the budget Scrutiny meetings.  The Medium Term Financial Strategy is the key financial planning document and supports the Corporate Plan and delivery of Plymouth’s priorities.

3.    To recommend to Cabinet that the budget, when presented to council should include, a breakdown of proposed 2017/18 budget levels across departments and that transformation stretch savings and efficiencies in 2017/18 must be presented with some comment on how those savings are likely to be made.

Accepted.  Further details will be provided within the Budget report to Council on 27 February 2017.

4.    To establish a standing Select Committee on the Budget.

Accepted.

5.    To note that a four year settlement has now been accepted by the city council and recommend to the cabinet member for finance that the draft budget for 2018/19 is presented to cabinet in September to enable scrutiny of the draft budget to be completed by the standing select committee by January 2018.

The four year settlement does provide the City Council with greater clarity as to its financial planning.  I will discuss with the Section 151 Officer to report back on a timetable for the draft 2018/19 budget.

6.    To recommend to the Cabinet Member for Finance that, working with the Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and the standing Select Committee, a Budget template is developed for clear and consistent annual reporting of proposed budgets which is accessible by members of the public and is provides a sufficiently detailed budget and savings proposals for meaningful scrutiny.

I will discuss with the Section 151 Officer any revised reporting requirements with respect to the budget and information presented to Scrutiny Committees.

Recommendation

Response

1.      To thank the Executive, Senior management Team and Scrutiny Councillors for their patience and contribution to the process.

I would also like to thank Members of the Scrutiny Committee for all their hard work and contribution to the budget process and thank officers for their hard work in bringing forward the budget proposals.

2.      To note the draft report.

Noted

3.      Express the Committee’s significant concern on whether a sustainable, quality service and savings can be delivered in 2017/18 given rising demand on chronic underfunding of services by national government.   As such recommend to council to call upon national government to deliver a fair and sustainable settlement for the future of local social care.

The City Council will continue to lobby government and press for a sustainable local term funding package to meet the increasing demands and pressures within adult social care and will continue to work with our health partners to provide an efficient service that meets the needs of local residents.