Agenda item

Members considered a report containing the current summary budget position for 2015/16 – 2017/18 which was at present showing a shortfall of £676,000 for 2015/16. The report also contained details of the costs associated with the Council’s strategic purposes.

The Executive Director Finance and Corporate Resources informed Members that information on costs associated with each of the Council’s strategic purposes together with costs for enabling services had been included in the appendices to the report. Officers would be using this type of information to suggest alternative ways of delivering savings.

It was reported that this was part of the continuing process of Transformation and would enable both the  Cabinet and the Overview and Scrutiny Board to look at the costs associated with meeting a strategic purpose across a number of Council Services. The relevant measures would be brought to Members so that these could inform the  value of the expenditure against the demand for the service by the  community. It was intended to focus on the purpose of services to the community and to realise savings whilst protecting those services that create value for residents.

The Cabinet were requested to determine any areas which they wished to consider in more detail over the forthcoming months, and to raise these with the Chief Executive or the Executive Directors in the first instance .  

Members appreciated that this was a more transparent and effective approach to examining costs and determining the value provided by services.

RESOLVED that the costs associated with delivery of strategic purposes be noted and that officers be requested to work on the Medium Term Financial Plan to realise savings and additional income to meet the projected shortfall.