On a motion by the Leader of the Council, to approve recommendations from the Cabinet meeting held on 21 February 2011 (attached), subject to consideration of any amendments received in accordance with Standing Order 7(2) or Standing Order 13 (Budget Council Procedure) - see item 6 below.

If the proposed budget is amended, wholly or partly, that will be regarded as an in-principle decision, which will automatically come into effect five working days from the date of that decision, unless the Leader of the Council informs the Director of Law, H.R. and Asset Management in writing within that time that he objects to the decision becoming effective and provides reasons why.  In that case, the Director of Law, H.R. and Asset Management will call another meeting of the Council within a further five days (for which a reserve date has been set, namely 9 March). The Council will then be required to reconsider its decision, and the Leader’s written submission.  At that second meeting the Council can:

(i)  accept the Cabinet’s recommendation, without amendment or objection; or

(ii)  approve a different decision which does not accord with the recommendation of the Cabinet

by a simple majority of votes cast at the meeting.

In accordance with Standing Order 13 (Budget Council Procedure), Councillor J Green, Leader of the Council, moved the Cabinet’s budget recommendations duly seconded by Councillor S Holbrook, Deputy Leader, with any additional paragraphs (those relating to precepts) and any other minutes from the Cabinet meeting on 21 February, 2011 that required approval by the Council. The following minutes were deemed to be approved, subject to consideration of the Labour Group Budget amendments (see minute 106 post).

1.  Cabinet minute 327 – Council Budget 2011-12

RESOLVED:  That

Your FAMILY: Services for Children and Young People

Wirral is home to almost 78,000 children and young people.  It is a good place to grow up and most children and young people will fulfil the aspirations that we, their parents and their carers have for them. However, some children and young people experience real disadvantage, poverty, hardship and failure to achieve the results they should in school.  Our work will be targeted at seeking to ensure that all of our young people grow up in safety and have the best possible start in life.

Caring for our most vulnerable children

It be noted that an additional £1 million has been placed in the Council’s base budget to supplement and enhance the Government’s new Early Intervention Grant to:

• Give the highest priority to protecting, promoting and enhancing Sure Start and our Children’s Centres. This means in Wirral there will be no reduction in the overall Sure Start budget: £700,000.

• We are committed to continuing the excellent work undertaken by the Council and a range of partners from across the Community, Voluntary and Faith sector to support and raise the aspirations of disabled children: £300,000.

In addition

• The Administration is aware of the potential impact on schools budgets from the effects of outstanding equal pay claims. To protect the education of all Wirral children, and spending in our class rooms, we will make a contribution to the costs of equal pay in schools from the equal pay reserve: £1 million.

• We will enhance every Sure Start Centre, enabling our dedicated staff to offer even more opportunities for the children and families they serve during 2011-2012. This will include an additional £2,000 grant for every Centre to buy new equipment and offer additional enriching activities and experiences for families: £32,000.

• Residents who provide foster care opportunities for children to be brought up in a safe and caring environment deserve all the support we can provide. Our residents provided the highest response of all as part of the Wirral’s Future consultation when asked to suggest ideas about how more carers could be recruited. We are therefore ensuring that foster care allowances are increased in line with national recommendations: £130,000.

• We will invest to cover inflation costs of our independent residential care contracts: £95,000.

• Wirral Council is the parent to around 650 children who are in our care. Many receive valuable support and assistance from their peers on the Children in Care Council. During 2011-2012 we will invest further  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104

The Interim Director of Children’s Services presented a report which recommended the approval of the Schools Budget for 2011/12.  He explained that the budget required a number of changes to the Local Management of School Funding Formula and a new Early Years Single Funding Formula.  Reports on these areas had been presented to the Schools Forum on 25 January 2011 and the resolutions were attached as Appendix 1 to the report.  The Schools Forum reports were available on the Council’s intranet for Members’ information.

Councillor S Clarke in endorsing the Schools Budget thanked Wirral Schools for the approach they had adopted to the process.  She welcomed the pupil premium which maximised resources for Wirral.

Councillor J Green seconded the Motion and placed on record the Cabinet’s thanks to all staff, and in particular, Julia Hassall, Head of Branch (Children's Social Care) (who had delayed having an operation to assist with the drafting of the budget) for all of their hard work in relation to the budgetary process.  Members were pleased to note that Ms Hassall was now making a speedy recovery.

RESOLVED - That

(1)  taking account of the views of the Schools Forum:

  -  the Schools Budget is approved at the sum of £229,403.700;

  -  the DSG reserve of £742, 025 is used to meet backdated harmonisation costs in schools;

  -  the Excess Balance Reserve of £136,934 is also used for this purpose;

  -  the increase in contributions to combined budgets including Harmonisation back pay £450,000, Local Children’s Safeguarding Board £6,000, School Sports Partnership £25,000 and Discretionary Rate Relief £270,000 are noted;

  -  the budget for schools includes provision for pay harmonisation “going forward” for support staff totalling £1,057,000;

(2)  changes to the local funding formula are agreed for:

  -  grants estimated at £32.2 million, which are to be consolidated into the formula using the previous grant make up and the latest data available;

  -  an Early Years Single Funding Formula be introduced from 1 April 2011 using a single base rate for all providers together with a number of specific supplements for deprivation, quality, flexibility and a headteacher supplement (for Nursery Schools only);

  -  that the operation of the formula be reviewed during 2011/12; and

(3)  the Cabinet notes that in the settlement for 2011/12 there is no increase (or decrease) in school funding per pupil.  The Administration particularly welcomes the £5 million contribution to the Schools Budget from the Coalition Government’s pupil premium.

The Director of Children’s Services presented a report which recommended the approval of the Schools Budget for 2010-11.  He explained that it was the third year of a national three-year funding period for schools (2008-11).  In 2008 decisions had been taken about levels of funding based on the Government’s stated priorities. The budget had been presented to Wirral’s Schools Forum on 20 January 2010.  The report and the resolution from the Forum were attached as Appendices 1 and 2 to the report.

On 14 January 2010, the Cabinet had received a report that had outlined that energy costs in schools would reduce in 2010-11 by £1.3m following the renewal of contracts.  This would be reflected in the budgets set by schools.  The recommendation in the report included a request that the Schools Forum consider a programme of automatic remote reading meter installations in schools, funded from the Schools Budget, in order to help deliver the energy saving scheme.  This had been outlined to the Schools Forum who consequently agreed to receive a more detailed report at its next meeting in June 2010.

The Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and Lifelong Learning highlighted the fact that the Government had again stated that it expected to see Council Tax increases at a 16-year low and this had been re-affirmed in the announcement of the Local Government Finance Settlement.  Capping action had already been initiated against three Police Authorities to limit their increases to approximately 3%.

He went on to thank the Schools Forum for its contribution and endorsed its proposals set out within the proposed Schools Budget.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Cabinet welcomes the increase in funding from Government through Dedicated Schools Grant of £5.9m for 2010/11.  Over the funding period 2008-11 this amounts to over £14.4m more for Wirral Schools;

(2)  the Cabinet recommends to Council that the Schools’ Budget for 2010-11 be set at the level of the adjusted Dedicated Schools Grant which is £193,995,400.  This equates to an increase of 4.4% per pupil;

(3)  it is acknowledged that these increases are above the current CPI rate of inflation (3.5%) and that they compare favourably with the average national increases in funding per pupil of 4.3%;

(4)  the Cabinet recognises that this budget will help the Council to achieve one of the strategic objectives in the Corporate Plan which is to raise the aspirations of young people.  This funding will also contribute towards the four themes in the Children and Young People’s Plan:

·  Reducing health inequalities for children and young people

·  Intervening and supporting children earlier and in their communities

·  Reducing the gap in outcomes for children

·  Improving value for money in services

(5)  the Cabinet notes that the increase in funding per pupil of 4.4% in 2010/11 includes the following spending assessment by the Government: Minimum Funding Guarantee (2.1%) and Government priorities (1.4%);

(6)  the Cabinet notes that the Government has set the Minimum Funding Guarantee at 2.1% for the period 2008-2011.  This is 1% below the assessment  ...  view the full minutes text for item 331