Agenda item

The Cabinet to submit recommendations to the Council as contained in Cabinet minute CO73.

[A copy of the Chief Executive’s report CEX300 to the Cabinet is circulated with this agenda.]                                                                       (Enclosure)

DECISION:

(1)    To adopt the new corporate planning calendar as follows:

2006

Residents’ survey                                   February

Update of area profile                                      March

Gateway reviews by LSP and Council          April

Review of LSP priorities                                May

Review of Council priorities                      June

Approval of Service Planning pro-forma          July

Budget Preparation                                   August to December

(2)  To promote Affordable Housing and Communications from Category B to Category A.

(3)  That contingency plans are prepared to secure savings, if required, from Category Y services.

[The following Councillors requested that their vote against part (3) of the above decision be recorded:  Councillors Mike Williams, Avril Williams, Ian Selby, John Hurst, Fereshteh Hurst, Joyce Gaffigan, Lee Steptoe, Harrish Bisnauthsing, Jeff Thompson, Vic Kerr, Angeline Percival, Ken Joynson, and Maureen Jalili.]

The Council had before it the Cabinet’s recommendations from its meeting held on 10^th October concerning the adoption of a new corporate planning calendar and proposed revisions to the priority categorisation of services.  Members had also been previously circulated with a copy of the Chief Executive’s report CEX300 to the Cabinet.

The Economic Portfolio Holder submitted the Cabinet recommendations, subject to two amendments to minute CO73(3):

· to delete the words “that scored 12 points or less” following the reference to Category Y services.

· to remove reference to the Citizens’ Advice Bureau in the table at page 6 of report CEX300 in connection with the Grants to Voluntary Bodies service on the grounds that  it was considered inappropriate to single out one grant recipient from the others.

Subject to these amendments, the motion was seconded.

A member addressed the Council to express his strong concern about the relatively low priority being given to leisure and cultural services, particularly having regard to the significant contribution these services made towards a healthier environment – a shared national priority.  He suggested that this categorisation should be rethought especially in the light of the next Olympic games being held in this country where Centres of Sporting Excellence would be required.  As an amendment, he moved that part (3) of the recommendation concerning contingency arrangements to secure savings from Category Y services be deleted.   The amendment was seconded.

Several speakers indicated support for the amendment.  The Leader then advised that it would be foolish to remove making contingencies plans.   She referred to how the balance between authorities’ mandatory spend versus discretionary spend had shifted from about 50:50 to now 80:20; for some authorities, the spend ratio on discretionary services was less than 20%.  The threat of capping still remained and it would place the Council at risk if it failed to have such plans in place.  The Economic Portfolio Holder stated he did place great importance on the role of leisure and cultural services but the Council must strive to operate as efficiently as it could.  The work currently in progress was examining whether a leisure trust option would enable the Council to achieve this and accrue savings.  The new corporate plan would enable priorities to be reviewed over the year; it should not be too prescriptive about savings as it may be that savings within Category Y services could be made without a reduction in the level of service.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.  A further vote took place on the original motion and subsequently carried.