Corporate Overview
The Chairperson welcomed
Councillor Graham Hinchey (Cabinet Member – Corporate
Services and Performance), Christine Salter (Director, Corporate
Resources and Section 151 Officer) and Alan Evans (OM, Accountancy)
to the meeting.
Christine Salter provided
Members with a presentation outlining the following
topics:
- Final
Settlement
- Consultation and Post
Consultation updates
- Draft Revenue
Budget
- Medium Term
Outlook
- Draft Capital
Programme
The Chairperson invited
questions and comments from Members:
- Members asked whether the Medium
Term Outlook has changed with a shift in Government
nuances. Officers advised that whilst
the position slightly better this year care should be taken as it
may not be as good in 2018/19.
- Members queried whether the
Financial Resilience Mechanism (FRM), which stood at £4
should be held back rather than used as described, but were advised
that there is £4m for next year in the base.
- Members expressed concern at the
reduction of the level of contingency from £4m to £3m
and were advised that since February 2016 efforts have been made to
increase the robustness of savings.
Members were referred to the Planning Status information referred
to in the Risk Assessment Summary of Savings proposals and the
detailed plans for £15.8m.
- Members referred to the use of the
FRM and queried whether Property Condition would be schools, but
were advised it was to be used for property condition surveys and
the refurbishment of the roof at Cardiff Indoor Market.
Children’s Services
The Chairperson welcomed
Councillor Sue Lent (Cabinet Member – Early years, Children
& Families and Deputy Leader), Tony Young (Director, Social
Services), Irfan Alam (Assistant Director, Children’s
Services), Christine Salter (Director, Corporate Resources and
Section 151 Officer and Alan Evans (OM, Accountancy) to the meeting.
The Chairperson invited the
Cabinet Member to make a statement in which she outlined the
positivity of this budget despite the savings that have had to be
made.
The Director, Social Services
provided Members with a presentation in which he referred to the
additional net budget allocation for Social Services of
£9.2m, an additional 44 post in Children’s Services and
Children’s Social Services savings of
£2.839m.
The Chairperson invited
questions and comments from Members:
- Members queried the
unachievable savings from last year in the sum of £872,000 in
respect of the Lean Review and Out of County Placements and the
saving this year for remodelling and sought clarification of the
difference between the Lean Review and the remodelling. Members were advised that Lean Review was a
business support process which did not bring in savings; the
remodelling relates to the Family Support Service and the stripping
away of bureaucracy and the use of the Sign of Safety
approach.
- Members were advised
that 44 of the new 59 additional posts are in Children’s
Services within the Preventative Strategy and that if those staff
deliver they will pay for themselves over the longer term, that
will help mitigate the growth in overall expenditure.
- Members expressed
concern that recruitment of the additional staff could take some
time and if young people are being returned from Out of County
Placements, is there not the risk of a gap in staffing
levels? Officers advised that they are
trying to ensure that the alignment between the employment of staff
and savings is achieved.
- Members sought
clarification of the achievability of savings in the Adult Resource
Centre. Officers indicated that the
teams have been established and work is ongoing.
- With reference to the
saving - Safer Families Initiative, Members queried how successful
volunteers have been in the past.
Members were advised that the number of volunteers is steadily
increasing; they are providing overnight stays and stays for longer
periods of time which negates the need for the for Local Authority
care being provided in those instances.
Education
The Chairperson welcomed
Councillor Sarah Merry (Cabinet Member, Education), Nick Batchelar
(Direction, Education and Lifelong Learning), Neil Hardee (Head of
Performance Resources and Services for Education), Christine Salter
(Director, Corporate Resources), Alan Evans (OM, Accountancy) and
Simon Williams (Passenger Transport) to the
meeting.
Neil Hardee provided Members
with a presentation.
The Chairperson invited
questions and comments from Members:
- Following a question,
Members were advised that there would not be a dilution of
community schools. They are included in
the design of new school buildings.
- Members queried, as
there are increased numbers coming into the City, whether the
schools are in the right place, particularly bearing in mind the
number of large developments underway.
Officers advised that a Stakeholders Group and Needs Analysis Group
has been formed in relation to Band B which will touch on the
LDP. Education facilities will be
required and there will be Section 106 monies
available. There will be active
engagement with Headteachers; they know their local areas and know
about the parental preference in those areas.
- Members queried with
Unicef Child Friendly City Status as an essential spend, and were
advised that it was a Cabinet lead decision. The initiative will
secure better value and alignment.
- Members sought
clarification as to where the 7 posts in Central Staffing will be
lost and were advised that whilst it is hard to find savings,
vacancies will be considered – away from front line services
and there has also be a review of the Admissions Team.
- Members asked which
school will host the Pupil Referral Unit. Officers indicated that once the budget has been
finalised contact will be made with the schools asking for
expressions of interest.
- Members queried the
wisdom of the £100,000 saving from the Central budget which
equates to the loss of 3 full time posts in the Education Welfare
Team and whether that capacity, with the experience and knowledge
those officers have, they could be used to support
NEETs. Officers advised that these
savings and the reduction in these posts was necessary.
- Members referred to the Challenges
presenting the Consortium, particularly in relation to secondary
schools and expressed concerns about
the loss of funding for Challenge Cymru. Officers advised that there is an extra one year
funding of £200,000 for the transitional period.
- Members were advised that the 30%
cap will result in the savings of £1.5m having to be found by
the schools themselves.
- Members queried whether transport
would be provided to the new Eastern High School as there is no bus
route. Officers advised that transport
is provided if the young person lives more than 3 miles from the
school, however, Cardiff Bus are being consulted as to whether a
change in the bus route(s) could be accommodated.
AGREED – That the Chairperson on behalf
of the Committee writes to relevant Cabinet Members, Directors and
Officers thanking them for attending the meeting on 13 February and
to convey the observations of the Committee when discussing the way
forward.