Issue - meetings

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the initial budget proposals for 2016/17, as set out in Appendix 1.

          The Board had considered the attached report of the Operational Director, Finance, on initial budget proposals for 2016/17.

          The Budget Working Group was currently considering budget savings proposals for 2016/17. Attached at Appendix 1 were the first set of proposals, which would be implemented immediately to achieve a part-year saving in 2015/16.

          In presenting the report, Councillor Wharton wished to place on record his thanks for the support of the Leader, Members of the Executive Board, Members of the Budget Working Group, Officers and the Trade Unions who had helped in the preparation of the proposals.

In accordance with Standing Order 16 (3), a recorded vote was taken.

The following Members voted FOR the motion:

Councillors S. Baker, J. Bradshaw, M.Bradshaw, D. Cargill, E. Cargill, Cassidy, Cole, Dennett, Edge, Fry, C.Gerrard, Gilligan,  P. Hignett, R. Hignett, S. Hill, V. Hill, Horabin, Howard, Jones, C. Loftus, K. Loftus, Logan, A. Lowe, J. Lowe, MacManus, McDermott, A. McInerney, T. McInerney, Morley, Nelson, Nolan, Osborne, Parker, Philbin, C. Plumpton Walsh, N. Plumpton Walsh, Polhill,  June Roberts, Rowe, Sinnott, G. Stockton, J.Stockton, Thompson, Wall, Wallace, Wharton, Woolfall, Wright and Zygadllo.

There were no votes against the motion.

There were no abstentions.

          RESOVED: That the initial budget proposals for 2016/17, as set out in Appendix 1 attached to the report, be approved.

The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on initial budget proposals for 2016/17.

The Board was advised that the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) forecast revenue budget funding gaps would be approximately £16m in 2016/17 and £9m in 2017/18. A first set of savings proposals from the Budget Working Group were attached at Appendix 1. It was proposed to implement these immediately to achieve a part in-year saving in 2015/16, to assist in keeping the Council’s overall spending in line with budget.

It was noted that the Government would announce its Grant Settlement for Local Government in December 2015, at which point the Council’s actual budget gap for 2016/17 would be identified as well as indications for 2017/18 and 2018/19.

RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to approve the initial budget proposals for 2016/17, as set out in Appendix 1.