Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M C Child and C Richards.

In accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

None

A question was asked by L Wilde in respect of Minute No.170 – Revenue Budget – Sale of School Land. The Cabinet Member for Education responded accordingly.

A question was asked by A Graves in respect of Minute No.170 – Revenue Budget 2015/16 – potential cuts to Education and Social Services budgets. The Leader responded accordingly.

A question was asked by D Whitland in respect of Minute No.170 – Revenue Budget 2015/16 regarding cuts to Leisure Centres and other services for young people.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Enterprise Development and Regeneration responded accordingly.

A question was asked by D Roberts in respect of Minute No.170 – Revenue Budget 2015/16 – Reduction on Schools delegated budget. The Cabinet Member for Education and The Leader responded accordingly.

A question was asked by  P East in respect of Minute No.170 – Revenue Budget 2015/16 – Proposed Residential Parking Charges. The Leader responded accordingly.

Councillors J C Bayliss and T M White asked questions in relation to Minute No. 170 Revenue Budget 2015/2016 – Proposed Residential Parking Charges. The Cabinet Member for Environment and Transportation and The Leader responded accordingly.

The Leader invited Councillor M H Jones, Convenor of the Service Improvement and Finance Performance Panel to present their views on the budget proposals. Councillor M H Jones indicated that she had welcomed the Engagement with Scrutiny. She expressed the Panels concerns regarding the  Schools Budget Forum, timing of reviews together with the Resource Gap and the proposal to cease production of the Swansea Leader. She referred to the public questions that had been received in respect of Libraries, main priorities of the Budget and Equality Impact Assessment.

 

The Leader thanked Councillor M H Jones for the Panels contribution on the Budget proposals and indicated that the Budget Equality Impact Assessments had been circulated to Cabinet Members.

 

 

The Section 151 Officer presented a joint report regarding the financial monitoring of the 2014/15 Revenue and Capital Budgets.

 

CABINET DECISION

 

That the comments and variations in the report be noted and the actions in hand to address these are noted.

 

Policy Framework

 

Budget 2014/15

 

Sustainable Swansea

 

Reason for Decision

 

To note any significant variations from the agreed budget 2014/15 and actions planned to achieve a balanced budget.

 

Consultation

 

Cabinet Members, Corporate Management Team, Legal and Corporate Equalities Unit.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which set out the rationale and purpose of the Medium Term Financial Plan and detailed the major funding assumptions for the period and purposed a strategy to maintain a balanced budget.

 

 

CABINET DECISION

 

That the Medium Term Financial Plan 2016/17 to 2018/19 be noted and recommended to Council as the basis for future service financial planning.

 

Policy Framework

 

Sustainable Swansea – Fit for the Future

 

Reason for Decision

 

To agree a strategic framework for future service planning.

 

Consultation

 

Legal, Access to Services, Cabinet Members and Executive Board

 

 

The Section 151 Officer presented a joint report which proposed a Revenue Budget and Council Tax Levy for 2014/15 and detailed:

 

·       Financial Monitoring 2014/15

·       The Local Government Finance Settlement 2015/16

·       Budget Forecast 2015/16

·       Specific Saving Proposals

·       Outcome of Budget Consultation

·       Staffing Implications

·       Reserves and Contingency Fund Requirements

·       The Budget Requirement and Council Tax 2015/16

·       Summary of funding proposals

·       Risks and uncertainties

 

 

The Leader proposed the undermentioned reductions in respect of the savings identified in respect of the Revenue Budget 2015/16:

 

PROPOSAL	£000	RATIONALE
Music Service Removal of remaining Council contribution	75	Following further consideration of the proposals and the views we have received, it is proposed to reduce the saving in 2015/16 from £150k to £75k
West Glamorgan County Youth Theatre	23	Following the views received during consultation we have decided to allow a further year for alternative funding to be found for the Youth theatre As part of a transitional arrangement we will reduce the Council’s contribution by only 20% in 2015/16, saving £5k
LGBT Youth Club	20	In the light of the response to consultation we propose to retain funding for the LGBT youth club, but we still intend to discontinue the £10k payment to Stonewall
Satellite Youth Clubs	50	In the light of the response to consultation we have decided not to implement the proposals to remove funding from satellite youth clubs in Clydach, Gendros, Pontarddulais, St Thomas, Rhossili and Morriston
Welsh Joint Education Committee	57	Following further consideration we have decided to reduce the Council’s £79k contribution to WJEC by £22k next year, rather than to cut it altogether.  We will reduce our contribution by a further £6k for each of the next two years to give a total of £34k by year 3.
Cease operations at Pontarddulais (evening sports facilities)	20	We have decided to defer implementation of this proposal until 2016/17 to allow further time for transfer to the community
Charging for Residents Parking (2014/15 RAG)	95	On balance we have decided to defer this proposal for the time being There will be a full review of the Council’s car parking policy, charging and enforcement, which will report in the Spring, when options will be reconsidered
Cease producing the Swansea Leader	60	There was support for this proposal during consultation and we do propose to make this change in the future But we will defer implementation until 2016/17 to enable further work to take place on the alternative communication channels
Car park income	66	Reduction in projected income, pending a full review of the Council’s car parking policy, charging and enforcement, which will report in the Spring, when options will be reconsidered
Total	466

 

 

 

2016/17 BUDGET PROPOSALS

 

Waste	Waste is one of the Council’s Commissioning Reviews for 2015, due to be completed in November 2015
Public Toilets	Taking account of the views from public consultation and from community councils and others local groups, we propose to undertake a full review of the proposals relating to public toilets and the scope for community transfer and other options The review will be concluded in June 2015

 

 

 

 

CABINET DECISION

 

That

 

1)       Cabinet noted the outcome of the formal consultation exercise and agreed changes to the Savings Proposals in Appendix D, together          with the position regarding delegated budgets as set out in section 4.9    of the report.

 

2)       Cabinet noted the current Resource Gap identified in Section 10.1 of         this report and in line with the potential actions identified in Section 9.4        of this report agreed a course of action to achieve a balanced Revenue   Budget for 2015/16.

 

3)       In addition to a review of current savings proposals Cabinet reviewed        and approved the reserve transfers as set out in the report.

 

4)       Agreed the proposed changes as moved by The Leader above to be         recommended to Council.

 

5)       Agreed a proposed increase of 4.8% increase in the level of Council          Tax for 2015/16 to be recommended to Council.

 

6)       Subject to these changes, Cabinet recommends to Council for        approval:-

 

          a)       A Revenue Budget for 2015/16

 

          b)       A Budget Requirement and Council Tax levy for 2015/16

 

Policy Framework

 

Sustainable Swansea – Fit for the Future

 

Reason for Decision

 

To agree a Revenue Budget and Council Tax levy for 2015/16 to be recommended to Council for approval.

 

Consultation

 

Cabinet Members and Executive Board

The Section 151 Officer  submitted a joint report which proposed a revised Capital Budget for 2014/15 and a Capital Budget for 2015/16 – 2018/19.

 

 

CABINET DECISION

 

That the revised Capital Budget for 2014/15 and a Capital Budget for 2015/16 – 2018/19 as detailed in Appendices A, B, C, D, E and F of the report be recommended to Council for approval.

 

Policy Framework

 

None

 

Reason for Decision

 

To agree a revised Budget for 2014/15 and a Budget for 2015/16 – 2018/19 to be presented to Council for approval.

 

Consultation

 

Cabinet Members and Executive Board

 

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a joint report which proposed a Revenue Budget for 2015/16 and a rent increase for properties within the HRA.

 

CABINET DECISION

 

The following budget proposals be endorsed and recommended to Council for approval:

 

1)       Rents be increased in line with the Welsh Government new rent setting     policy as detailed in Section 4 of the report.

 

2)       Fees, charges and allowances be approved as outlined in Section 4 of       the report.

 

3)       The Revenue Budget Proposals as detailed in Section 4 of the Report.     

 

 

Policy Framework

 

None

 

Reason for Decision

 

To agree a Revenue Budget as indicated and a rent increase for 2015/16.

 

Consultation

 

Cabinet Members, Finance and Legal

The Section 151 Officer submitted a joint report which proposed a Capital Budget for 2015/16 – 2018/19.

 

CABINET DECISION

 

The following budget proposals be endorsed and recommended to Council for approval:

 

1)       The transfers between schemes and the revised budgets for schemes      in 2014/15.

 

2)       The budget proposals for 2015/16  - 2018/19.

 

3)       That where individual schemes as shown in Appendix B of the report         are programmed over 2,3 or 4 years then these are committed and    approved and that their financial implications for funding over    subsequent years.

 

4)       Authorisation be granted to officers to submit planning applications in       relation to capital repair schemes of Council owned land where   planning permission is considered necessary.

 

 

Policy Framework

 

None

 

Reason for Decision

 

To agree a revised budget for 2014/15 and a budget for 2015/16 – 2018/19.

 

Consultation

 

Legal, Finance and Access to Services

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which recommended the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Prudential Indicators, Investment Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement for 2015/16.

 

CABINET DECISION

 

That the following budget proposals be recommended to Council for approval:

 

(1)      Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators

          (Sections 2 – 7 of the report); and

 

(2)      Investment Strategy (Section 8 of the report);and

 

(3)      Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement (Section 9 of the     report).

 

Policy Framework

 

None.

 

Reason for Decision

 

To allow for the proper management of the Council’s borrowing and investments, to comply with statue and the adopted CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities and the Revised CIPFA Treasury Management Code of Practice.

 

Consultation

 

Legal, Finance and Access to Services

 

 

The meeting ended at 6.00p.m.

 

Published 12 February 2015