Pursuant to Standing Order 5(1)(m), and in accordance with Standing Order 5(3), to consider any objections or amendments to minutes submitted under Standing Orders 7(2) and 13.

The procedure for the meeting having been approved by the Cabinet is attached, as are the list of matters for debate.

In accordance with Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, the Director of Finance will submit (separately) a written report on each set of proposals, giving his view on their robustness. The Budget Summary on the Labour Group Proposal will also be circulated separately.

LABOUR AMENDMENT (1) TO BUDGET CABINET MINUTE 327

Proposed by Councillor Steve Foulkes

Seconded by Councillor Phil Davies

1.  Council notes that this budget cuts Wirral’s workforce by nearly 20%, and that, in order to make this cut, this administration has borrowed £6.4m, which will have to be paid back at the revenue cost of £600,000 a year, over a period of 25 years which totals £15m. This amount is in addition to the £15m being found from other sources over the next two years.

2.  Council notes that the loss of 1300 jobs, (of which only 1100 are accounted for in this budget) will take £51m directly out of Wirral’s economy, with all the consequent knock on to contractors, traders and shop keepers, which will considerably increase the impact of that loss.

3.  Council believes that an area like Wirral, which is heavily dependent on public sector employment, has little chance of making up that loss with new private sector jobs, particularly in a climate where the private sector is already shedding the jobs it currently has, and that a cut of this severity, from one of the biggest employers on Wirral, can only push Wirral’s economy deeper into depression, increasing the level of unemployment and reducing opportunities for future generations of Wirral’s young people.

4.  Council believes that the policy of this government to pursue deficit reduction over such a short timescale, with its consequent impact on local government, is driven more by political election timetables and a political ideology which wants to drastically reduce the size of the State, than it is by necessity. Council notes that even under a Thatcher “There is no Alternative” government, they chose to reduce a budget deficit over a period of nine years rather than five.

5.  Council believes the damage done to the local economy has been compounded by the fact that the Secretary of State chose in the Local Government Settlement to front load in one year many of the cuts to Local Government spending, and that this draconian move was further exacerbated by a decision to centre those cuts, through the use of Area Based Grant, on the areas of highest deprivation in the country, leading to a situation where, for example,  Richmond on Thames loses just £5.39 in Revenue Spending Power per head of population, Wirral loses £84.27 and Liverpool loses £162.99

6.  Council deeply regrets that Wirral’s Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition has not joined with their colleagues elsewhere in the country in condemning this government’s treatment of Local Government and its impact on vital front line services, but has chosen instead to celebrate the scale of the job losses they are inflicting as a triumph of leadership, without showing any appreciation of the damage they are doing.

7.  Council further condemns the fact that they have taken every opportunity to thwart any attempt to scrutinise the impact of these cuts, unlike neighbouring authorities who have taken an all party approach to reduce the impact of any  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106

Pursuant to Standing Order 5(1)(m), and in accordance with Standing Order 5(3), to consider any objections or amendments to minutes submitted under Standing Orders 7(2) and 13.

The Cabinet has been asked to agree a procedure for the Council meeting that envisages one debate on the Budget.

AMENDMENT: CONSERVATIVE GROUP BUDGET PROPOSAL 2010/11

Proposed by Councillor Green

Seconded by Councillor Rennie

(1)  That the revenue estimates for 20010/11, now submitted to Council, be approved, subject to the amendments in paragraphs (3) and (4) below.

(2)  It be noted that this budget proposal is based on the belief that:

As council tax payers have no choice but to pay the level of council tax imposed upon them, the Council should do all it can to keep council tax levels as low as possible. Council recognises that this is important to Wirral residents, particularly those on fixed incomes who have seen returns from a life time of savings reduced, and are also faced with increases in household bills generally and increasing national taxes.

That the public deserve to be assured that when Council Officers are making spending choices they are aware that ‘every pound matters’

That the Council can and should take the lead to work with other organisations in the wider Wirral public sector to ensure that duplication is reduced, best practice shared and that the public of Wirral are well served.

Wirral deserves a Council that is aware of resident’s needs, listens to the public’s views and is inclusive in its decision making.

Our Council should ensure that no part of Wirral is ignored and that residents, community groups and businesses are consulted regarding the type of Wirral they want to live in, by having their comments fully considered, evaluated and responded to.

This Conservative Group budget amendment therefore proposes NO increase on the 2009 -2010 level of Wirral Council Tax and an overall increase of only 0.55% when precepts are included.

It is further noted that this approach will mean £1,680,000 stays with Wirral residents and families to save or spend strengthening our local economy, creating and protecting jobs.

This budget preserves the Zero Council Tax increase for Pensioner Households over 75. However, by setting a budget increase at this level £140,000 of the £465,000 in the growth is released. Overall this represents around a 6% discount on Council tax bills.

(3)  Amendments

Increased expenditure

Resident Insight, Consultation and Direct Democracy  £180,000

Enhancing Well Being pilot  £20,000

This pilot programme is to support those community groups that make significant contributions to their community but may be experiencing temporary financial hardship.

For clarity the Allendale Centre to be the first ‘enhancing well being’ pilot

Integrating the work of public sector agencies across Wirral  £50,000

This sum is being made available to support the development of ideas and initiatives in relation to collaboration and shared services between the Council and its key public service partners working principally within the Borough

Supporting Local Businesses Fund  £250,000

The impending increased business rates will place additional burdens on small businesses and could put their viability in doubt. This fund will allow businesses to apply for one year Grant Support during 2010 – 2011.

Wirral Parks ASB Response Squad  £150,000

This investment will provide for a parks team, initially within the Community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 118