Agenda item

(would Members please bring their copy of the draft budget and medium term financial plan circulated on 5 January 2010)

(1)       The Committee considered the Chief Executives Departments (CED) Draft Budget proposals set out in the Draft Budget 2010-11 and the Draft Medium Term Financial Plan (MTP) 2010-2013 and also the report which was circulated specifically relating to the key areas of these documents for this Department.  The report also included the issues raised by the Informal Member Group in November 2009, along with the resulting responses and the comments made by Members.

(2)       Mrs McMullan and Mr Shipton introduced the draft MTP and the Revenue Budget and Capital Budget for the Chief Executives Department  then answered questions from Members about the following issues:-

ISG base budget

(3)       In response to a question from Mr Parry on the ISG base budget increase of £600,000 (page 29 of the report), Mr Shipton explained that the previous year’s budget had included a reduction in ISG support services commensurate with an anticipated reduction in the number of KCC officers requiring email accounts and support. However, this reduction did not materialise and therefore it was not possible to make the savings identified without there being an impact on Directorate service levels.  Service Directorates were not were not prepared to agree to such a reduction and thus the base budget provision has had to be restored.

 Cost of living increase

(4)       In response to a question from Mrs Dean, Mr Shipton stated that for  2011/12 and 2012/13 no specific provision for the cost of living increase had been made at this stage as the authority had not made any proposals and we were awaiting full details of the 1% pay cap announced in the Pre Budget report on 9^th December 2010.  Once proposals were made the cost would have to be met from the provision made for emerging pressures in the draft MTP.

Reduction in staffing numbers

(5)       Mrs Dean referred to paragraph 3.5 (page 29) of the report, regarding savings involving further reviews of staffing and whether the publicly quoted figure of a reduction of 700 posts was fixed. Mrs Dean also referred to the proportionally high reduction in posts in Legal and Democratic services (page 71 of the MTP) and asked whether any redundancies had been decided yet.  Mr Shipton explained that the staffing reduction numbers in the MTP were based on the average salary cost to determine the estimated number of posts required to achieve the savings quoted in the MTP.  However, it was hoped that savings would be made by not filling vacancies.  Mr Shipton also explained that savings figures had been calculated according to individual service’s ability to make savings according to their relative spending on strategic and support activities in order to preserve front line services.  

(6)       Officers undertook to supply information, at the lowest level possible, on redundant posts for this Directorate to Members of the Committee. 

Kent TV

(7)       Mrs Dean referred to the delay in awarding the contract for Kent TV, Mr Gough explained that interviews with tenderers had been postponed due to adverse weather and would be held shortly.  Mrs Oliver confirmed that KCC was still within the legal framework for awarding the contract. 

(8)       RESOLVED that the revenue and capital budget proposals, the issues raised by the Informal Member Group, along with the resulting responses and the comments made by Members be noted.