The members of the Cabinet are invited to consider whether they have a personal or prejudicial interest in connection with any of the items on this agenda and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

Members were invited to consider whether they had a personal or prejudicial interest in connection with any of the items on this agenda and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest. No such declarations were made.

The minutes of the last meeting have been printed and published.  Any matters called in will be reported at the meeting.

RECOMMENDATION:  That the minutes be approved and adopted.

Resolved – That the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 4 February 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

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.

The Director of Finance presented the draft revenue estimates for 2010/11.  A decision was required to enable recommendations to be made to the Council concerning the budget and Council Tax for 2010/11.  This involved a key decision on the matter forming part of the budget and policy framework and it had been included in the Forward Plan.

The Leader of the Council submitted and commented on a motion which set out the budget proposals of the joint administration.  He informed that the Council Tax rise in Wirral resulting from these proposals would be 1.29%, which would give an overall Tax of 1.67% when the precepts were included, and therefore a below-inflation increase, with the January RPI figures running at 3.7%.  He went on to pay tribute to Cabinet Members and officers for their hard work in supporting the budgetary process.

The Leader reported that under the proposed budget there would be no Council Tax increase for pensioner households over 75 years of age and that for the Financial Year 2010/11 the Council would ensure that no pensioner household over 75 would have any increase in Council Tax liability, including the consequences of any police and fire increases.  This applied where:

·  the Council Tax payer paid Council Tax in Wirral as their main home and all individuals in the household that were counted as resident for Council Tax purposes were aged 75 or over on 1 April 2010 (but where the qualifying age criterion was met after 1 April 2010 eligibility would be effective from the date of birth only);

·  this reduction would be calculated after deduction of all other Council Tax discounts and reliefs;

·  application must be made for the reduction where it was not currently in payment of the potential claimant was not in receipt of Council Tax Benefit; and

·  no pensioner household in receipt of full Council Tax Benefit would qualify for the reduction.

In seconding the motion and endorsing the Leader’s remarks, the Deputy Leader of the Council informed that this was a positive budget, focussed on the future.

Resolved – That

1.  Investing in Wirral’s Future

A BUDGET FOR JOBS, THE ENVIRONMENT AND SAFER, STRONGER COMMUNITIES.

As we emerge from the worst recession since the Second World War, the economic recovery is fragile and expected to be long and slow.  The country also faces unprecedented levels of debt in the public finances.

This is a time when many people are being forced to make sacrifices and when those in public service need to be sure that everything they do stands up to public scrutiny, which is why no councillor is accepting any increase in their allowances and rail travel will be strictly scrutinised to ensure only the most appropriate and economic fares are used.

However, against this background, the Council’s finances are in good shape, as the effect of previous budget measures in the three-year efficiency plan finally work through.  There exists a window of opportunity for the Council to invest in the long term future  ...  view the full minutes text for item 332.

A report by the Director of Finance set out the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy for 2010-2013 in accordance with the CIPFA Code of Practice for Treasury Management in Public Services.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy for 2010 to 2013 be approved;

(2)  the Prudential Indicators be adopted;

(3)  the Minimum Revenue Provision policy be approved;

(4)  the following Council Officers listed in Appendix F be authorised to approve payments from Council bank accounts for all treasury management activities;

  Director of Finance – Ian E. Coleman

  Deputy Director of Finance – David L.H. Taylor-Smith

  Head of ICT – John O. Carruthers

  Head of Benefits, Revenue and Customer Services – Malcolm J. Flanagan

  Head of Financial Services – Thomas W. Sault

  Head of Support Services – Stephen J. Rowley

  Head of Transformational Change – Jacqueline Roberts

  Chief Accountant – Peter J. Molyneux

  Chief Accountant – Robert D. Neeld

  Chief Accountant – Jenny Spick; and

 (5)  the revised CIPFA Treasury Management Code of Practice be adopted.

A report by Director of Law, HR and Asset Management reminded Members that Standing Order No.13 provided that he

“shall, prior to the Budget meeting of the Council, consult with the Leaders of each political group and submit to the Cabinet and Council a suggested procedure to be adopted at the budget meeting, but if no such procedure is adopted the normal procedures of the Council in relation to amendments to Cabinet recommendations will apply”.

The Director informed that the Budget meeting was clearly different from ordinary meetings and therefore the procedure proposed was based largely on that used in 2008 and 2009, the relevant sections of the Constitution and one or two suggestions made in previous years.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Budget Council procedure be amended to allow Councillor Gill Gardiner five minutes to speak on the Carbon Budget: and,

(2)  the Budget Council Procedures, as amended, be approved.

A report by the Director of Technical Services provided details for setting the Council’s first Carbon Budget, as requested by Members in a Resolution approved by Council on 14 December 2009, (Minute 77 refers).  Members were asked to note and endorse the actions to develop a Carbon Budget across the Council.

Resolved – That

(1)  the actions and progress set out in the report be endorsed;

(2)  the following be also agreed:

(a)  the establishment of the Council’s carbon footprint and quantification of the tonnes of CO2 released as a direct result of Council operations for 2010 onwards, as set out in the report;

(b)  an appropriate evaluation model for quantifying CO2 emissions as part of the procurement process for new council contracts and other spend from April 2011 be developed by the Director of Finance; and

(c)  regular updates be received on progress regarding the carbon budget (the reports to include measures and projects implemented to reduce carbon emissions, including an analysis to show progress being made by department and key service areas); and

(3)  a briefing be arranged in the next Municipal Year, as part of the Members’ Training and Development Programme, on the ethos of a Carbon Budget.