Agenda and minutes

Report of the Cabinet Member for Resources setting out the General Fund Revenue Budget development for 2013/14 to 2015/16, attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 12/13 8853)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member forResources, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  Approve the consultation proposals and methodology set out in Paragraphs 4 to 8 and Appendix 1 of this report and that delegated authority be given to the Senior Manager – Customer and Business Improvement,following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, to fine tune and implement the consultation proposals and methodology.

(ii)  Note the high level forecast for the General Fund for 2013/14 and the underlying assumptions contained in Appendix 2.

(iii)  Note the Executive’s initial savings proposals put forward for consultation in Appendix 3 which total almost £18.1M

(iv)  Note that the Executive’s initial savings set out in Appendix 3 propose the deletion of 279.34 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) posts, of which 65.66 FTE are vacant, leaving 213.68 FTE at risk of redundancy.

(v)  Approve a one off saving which will be delivered through the Capita contract of £2.8M in 2013/14.  This saving will be achieved through the pre-payment of £17.1M to Capita in 2012/13 allowing them to achieve financing savings, the benefit of which flows through to the Council in 2013/14.

(vi)  Note that the Executive’s budget proposals for consultation are based on the assumption that they will recommend a Council Tax increase of 2.0% to Full Council.

(vii)  Note the Executives proposal to review the local Council Tax discounts in place for households where all residents are persons over 65 years of age (10%) and for special constables (100%), with a view to removing them.

(viii)  Note the proposed changes to Council Tax discounts and exemptions with respect to second homes and empty properties in response to the Local Government Finance Act 2012 which recently received Royal Assent.

(ix)  Note the medium term financial forecast for 2013/14 to 2015/16 contained in Appendix 4.

(x)  Approve the updated budget setting timetable contained in Appendix 5.

(xi)  Delegate authority to the Chief Financial Officer, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, to do anything necessary to give effect to the proposals contained in this report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport regarding Southampton’s bid for funding from the Weekly Collection Support Scheme attached.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 12/13 9159)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member forEnvironment and Transport, Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To approve the delivery of the bid projects, (full bid included as Appendices 1 and 2).

(ii)  To recommend that Council approve the addition of the capital scheme “Weekly Collection Support Scheme” to the Environment & Transport Capital Programme in order to deliver the outcomes of the bid, a total of £2,165,000 to be funded by government grants.

(iii)  To recommend that Council approve capital expenditure on the capital scheme “Weekly Collection Support Scheme” of £2,165,000 phased £876,000 in 2012/13, £979,000 in 2013/14 £310,000 in 2014/15.

(iv)  To recommend that Council approve the addition of £1,097,000 to the 2012/13 revenue estimates of the Environment and Transport Portfolio funded by government grant and to note that further additions of £2,373,000 to the 2013/14 and £2,645,000 to the 2014/15 revenue estimates will be formally made as part of the preparation of those financial years’ budget.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Communities seeking approval to receive the grant from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

NOTE: that this item is brought to Cabinet in line with paragraph 16 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules.

DECISION MADE: (Ref: CAB 12/13 9489)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities, Cabinet agreed the following, having complied with the requirements of Rule 16 (urgency) of the Access to Information Procedure Rules:

(i)  To accept, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, the Regional Growth Fund grant of £2 million from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and act as Lead Accountable Body for the administration of the funds.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Director of Environment and Economy, following consultation with the Leader, Head of Legal, HR, Democratic Services and Solent LEP, to undertake such actions necessary to enable the successful delivery of the project.