Issue - meetings

Medium Term Financial Strategy

Meeting: 13/07/2009 - Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 21)

21 Medium Term Financial Strategy pdf icon PDF 478 KB

To consider a report from the Borough Treasurer and Head of Assets and to  consider Committee involvement in the key stages of the budget timetable for 2009/2010 contained in appendix B.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Borough Treasurer and Head of Assets on the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2010-2013 which was due to be considered by Cabinet at its meeting to be held on 14 July 2009.

 

The report detailed the business Planning proposals to develop a performance framework linked to a MTFS 2010 –2013 and to budget planning for 2010-2011.

 

The Committee had been asked to comment on the budget process, the processes and deadlines for 2010 and beyond.

 

The committee discussed the MTFS on a page by page basis and raised the following comments

 

No.

Section No. / Reference

Scrutiny Comment

1

General Comment

The approach to involving the scrutiny function in the budget setting process should be more clearly stated and recognised

2

General Comment

The use of the term scrutiny should clearly identify the context (ie specific committee, corporate scrutiny, generic scrutiny)

3

 

11.7

Timetable/September

“Member / Officer challenge”

Include reference to Scrutiny

4

 

11.10

Para 5

-          Include reference to Scrutiny

-          Cabinet need to define ‘Star Chamber’ and clarify the membership

-          Amend wording to show “Star Chamber to make final decisions on recommended budget proposals”

5

 

Appendix A, Para 3

 

Para 8

-          Change “Member Input” to “Cabinet Input”

-          Delete reference to “opposition”

6

 

Appendix B

Dedicated Schools Grant and Standards Fund

Scrutiny members felt further training was needed in this area

7

Appendix B – Annex

‘Consultation’ should specifically include Scrutiny input 

8

 

Appendix C, Council Tax on Second Homes etc

Is there going to be a review of this policy, if so when? And, can Scrutiny be involved in the process?

9

 

Appendix E - iii

Should include specific reference to Scrutiny

10

 

Appendix E - iv

Change “Savings of £12m were delivered…” to “Savings of £12m were identified in the budget…”

11

 

Appendix E - vii

Change to “Cabinet members have expressed…”

12

p84

 

 

 

 

 

 

P85

Capital Strategy, 8.2 – 8.11

-          change name of ‘Capital Scrutiny Panel’ to avoid confusion with wider scrutiny function

-          Overview & Scrutiny should have a role in the initial assessment (8.6), and therefore have an input to schemes that will be submitted to the panel (8.9)

-          ‘panel’ should provide list of all schemes (with reasons for recommendations on each project) for reference to Corporate Scrutiny and wider consultation.

13

 

 

Appendix G

Note Member Finance Training is 2pm, 16th July (Municipal Bldgs, Crewe) – not 13th

 

 

 

RERSOLVED – That the above comments be forwarded to Cabinet on 14 July 2009.