Agenda item

RESOLVED that Council Procedure 10.7 (Rules of Debate) be suspended to enable the Deputy Leader of the Council to exceed the time limit for his contribution in moving the Administration Budget to 15 minutes and the Deputy Leader of the Main Opposition to 10 minutes.  All other speakers would be limited to 4 minutes. 

Councillor Jabbar MOVED and Councillor Stretton SECONDED the report of the Director of Finance which set out the Administration’s detailed Phase 1 budget reduction proposals for the financial year 2017/18.  The report presented the Administration’s first phase of detailed proposals towards bridging the 2017/18 gap of £20.315m.  As part of the development and consultation process for proposals, the Overview and Scrutiny Performance and Value for Money Select Committee met on 10^th November 2016 and reviewed 44 proposals with a total value of £7.012m.  Cabinet gave consideration to the proposals which resulted in:

·       A total of £6.147m of Phase 1 2017/18 budget reduction proposals being commended to Council for approval.

·       Two proposals being noted to allow time for completion of consultation.

·       Five proposals being deferred to allow for additional information to be presented to PVFM in January 2017. 

The proposals commended to Council totalled £6.147m which left a balance of £14.168m still to be addressed for 2017/18. 

There was further financial information yet to be received from Government in order for the final budget positon to be determined.  In addition, the next stage in closing the budget gap, a S188 notice was issued on 28 November 2016 and included proposals which totalled £5.466 and a FTE impact of 12.  These proposals would be presented to PVFM in January.  The final budget report would be presented to Council on 1^st March 2017.

Councillor Jabbar expressed thanks to Members and officers for their support in preparation of the proposals.

Options/Alternatives:

Option 1 – Council approve the budget reduction proposals as detailed at Appendix 1 to the value of £6.147m.

Option 2 – Council request that further work was undertaken on some or all of the budget reduction proposals and that a decision on proposals was deferred.

Councillor McCann spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Fielding spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Mushtaq spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Ahmad spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Williams spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Steven Bashforth spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Harrison spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Ur-Rehman spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Blyth spoke in support of the report.

Councillor Jabbar exercised his right of reply.

RESOLVED that:

1.       The £6.147m of detailed budget reduction proposals presented in summary at Appendix 1 and as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report be approved.

2.       the information contained within the Equality Impact Assessments also included at Appendix 2 which supported the Phase 1 proposals be taken into consideration.

3.       the consultation responses from Saddleworth and Shaw & Crompton Parish Councils included at Appendices 3b and 4B of the report be noted.

4.       the amended information as distributed to Councillors be noted.

NOTES:

1.       Councillor Hewitt declared a prejudicial interest at this time by virtue of his employment with a trade union.  He left the Chamber during this item and did not participate in the discussion or vote thereon.

2.       Councillor Brock declared a pecuniary interest at this time by virtue of her partner’s employment with the Council.  She left the Chamber during this item and did not participate in the discussion or vote thereon.