Agenda item

To consider a report of the Leader of the Council (Policy, Reform & Finance)

In a report to the Council Meeting on 5 March 2013 the Executive finalised its budget proposals for 2013/14, which had been agreed at its own meeting on 18 February 2013. In response to the medium term financial forecasts prepared by the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services, the Executive has developed an approach to meeting the very significant financial challenges which face the Council over the next few years. This includes a process, timescale, a set of guiding principles and, in particular, a package of proposals to reduce forecast spending levels for 2013/14 and 2014/15.

Agreed by the Council Meeting, the Executive’s budget proposals included a series of budget reductions which amount to £11.984m over the next two years, including £4.473m to be delivered in 2013/14. Taken alongside the budget reductions and savings that were agreed by the Executive in December 2012 (£9.894m in 2013/14, £15.564m by 2014/15) this brings the total savings identified for delivery in 2013/14 and 2014/15 to £27.548m, of which £14.367m is to be achieved in 2013/14.

The report focuses on the measures put forward in the March report. The propositions have been subject to consultation during the last three months, including with scrutiny committees, and this report includes the results of those consultations. Final proposals are now presented for approval. The report then considers the resulting position in relation to the MTFP to 2014/15 and outlines the further work to be undertaken to update the Council’s financial plans.

The Executive is recommended to:

·         note the results of the various consultation exercises undertaken in relation to the savings proposals put forward in February and agree the changes that are proposed in response to the consultation;

·         agree the savings proposals for implementation as set out in the report and listed in Appendix Two;

·         ask the Chief Executive and Corporate / Service Directors, in consultation with the relevant Executive Councillors, to implement the delivery of those proposals; and

·         continue with the steps necessary to agree an updated Medium Term Financial Plan to 2014/15

Officer contact: Steve Houston, 0161 474 4000, steve.houston@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive Meeting to consider the results of consultation exercises undertaken on a range of proposals for budget savings for 2013/14, following the agreement of the budget proposals by the Council Meeting on 5 March 2013. Some of the proposals in the report had been revised in light of the consultation responses and the Executive were now being invited to agree the final savings proposals.

The Executive Councillor (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) highlighted the high volume of responses received to the consultation process and paid tribute to the work of officers in undertaking these consultation and thanked the public who had responded.

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Reform & Finance) reported that further petitions had been received since publication of the report in relation to the proposals for the parks service. She stated that there were many services provided by the Council to vulnerable people, many of which were unseen, and that given the scale of the challenge facing the Council’s finances that it was right that all services be considered as part of the Council’s transformation programme.

RESOLVED - That

•           the results of the various consultation exercises undertaken in relation to the savings proposals put forward in February 2013 be noted and the changes that are proposed in response to the consultation as detailed in the report be agreed;

•           the savings proposals for implementation as set out in the report and listed in Appendix Two, and the addendum to the report be agreed;

•           the Chief Executive and Corporate / Service Directors, in consultation with the relevant Executive Councillors, be requested to implement the delivery of those proposals; and

•           the steps necessary to agree an updated Medium Term Financial Plan to 2014/15 continue to be taken.