To consider the briefing notes provided at the request of the Priorities and Resources 2013/2014 Review Panel and to determine the views, conclusions and/or recommendations of the Board in relation to the Mayor’s budget proposals for the next financial year.

The Board considered the draft report which had been prepared on its behalf following a series of meetings which formed the Review of Priorities and Resources for 2013/2014.

During the course of the Review, members had considered how the proposed Revenue Budget for 2013/2014 had been developed, the overarching strategies which helped to shape it and the detailed proposals relating to a range of elements within Budget.

At the meeting, the Board received additional information with respect to Adult Social Care, Children’s Services and Beach Services which had been requested during the course of the Review.  The Board also heard representations from members of the public in relation to the proposals for Home to School Transport and Beach Services.

The Mayor addressed the meeting and outlined his intention to change his proposals pertaining to Home to School Transport and Citizens’ Advice Bureau with the current funding for both areas being maintained in 2013/2014.

Resolved:  (i)  that, in relation to the Corporate Asset Management Plan,:

·         Consideration should be given to how the wider community can be encouraged to play a role in asset management with a more imaginative delivery approach taken (possibly reflecting the Asset Based Community Development methodology)

·         The aspiration of undertaking capital schemes which create jobs and/or generate income should be strengthened and consideration given to the further diversification of the Council’s portfolio to meet these aims

(ii)        that, in relation to the Corporate Capital Strategy,:

·         The policy statement in Section 2.4 (Revenue and Reserves) should be amended to include a statement on the Council’s use of reserves to fund capital schemes.

·         Point (f) in Section 2.5 (Prioritisation) should be amended to read:

In the interests of transparency, openness and accountability, proposed specific capital schemes within the approved Capital Plan in (e) above should be submitted to the Chief Operating Officer for consideration in consultation with the Mayor, Executive Lead for Finance and Chief Finance Officer.  If the proposed scheme is supported, it will be considered by the Council with a recommendation of approval.

(iii)       that robust business cases should be prepared to evidence the levels of the Council Elections Reserve, the IT Equipment Reserve and the Torbay Development Agency – Capital Schemes Reserve;

(iv)       that the Overview and Scrutiny Board supports the Mayor and officers in their efforts to convince the Government to enable the Council to repay borrowing with no penalty to relieve the Council of unnecessary burdens and that this aspiration should be reflected in the Medium Term Resources Plan;

(v)        that within the Medium Term Resources Plan there should be reference to the need to strategically target new income streams, especially Business Rates;

(vi)       that, in terms of the Mayor’s proposals for the Revenue Budget for 2013/2014,:

·         A three-year “business plan” for the Authority should be prepared.

·         A strategy for community development should be prepared in order to co-ordinate the efforts between the Council, its partners and the wider community (including the voluntary sector).  This strategy should form part of the three-year “business plan”.

·         Consideration should be given to the impact on Council services and those of partners and the voluntary sector of the forthcoming welfare reforms.

(vii)      that, whilst the Board was heartened that its concerns about the proposals in relation to Home to School Transport and Citizens’ Advice Bureau had been heard and amendments made, it would have preferred to have the new proposals in writing to enable due consideration to be given to them.  The Board is concerned that, in the medium term, the proposals will continue to impact on the disadvantaged areas of Torbay; and

(viii)     that the proposals before the Overview and Scrutiny Board do not constitute a balanced budget and no discussion has taken place with the Board about the possible level of Council Tax and the impact that this will have on the Revenue Budget.