Agenda item

(CSP: MEC and MEC1)

Purpose: This report provides an update on the results of Phase Two of the public consultation exercise in relation to the 2016/17 budget. It provides information on the total number of responses received to the consultation and details of the total number of responses received for each savings proposal including the one income proposal relating to car parking fees and charges.

Resolved that :

the responses received to each of the 15 public facing savings proposals and the one income generation proposal in relation to Phase 2 of the public consultation exercise undertaken on the 2016/17 budget be noted.

That the Executive recommend that Council make available the remaining 2016/17 transitional funding to those services set out below:

(i)         Library Service - £475,000

(ii)        Theatres (Corn Exchange) - £56,000

(iii)       Public Transport - £337,000

(iv)       Children’s Centres - £50,000

(v)        Domestic Abuse Response Team - £25,000

(vi)       Neighbourhood Wardens - £50,000

(vii)      Citizen’s Advice Bureau - £25,000

That, where transitional funding was not deemed to be appropriate, the Executive recommend that Council approves the recommendations set out in the Overview and Recommendations template at Appendix C.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      the item is due to be referred to Council for final approval.

·      a delay in implementing the decision this would cause the Council serious financial implications or could compromise the Council's position.

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 8) which provided an update on the results of Phase 2 of the public consultation exercise in relation to the 2016/17 budget. This report provided information on the total number of responses received to the consultation and detailed the total number of responses received for each savings proposal.

The Council, at its meeting on 1 March 2016, set its budget for 2016/17. In setting its budget the Council agreed to hold a special meeting of Council on 24 March 2016 so that all of the responses to Phase 2 of the public consultation, which closed on 7 March 2016, could be reviewed and decisions made about whether any of the remaining transition grant for 2016/17 should be allocated to any of those services which were subject to consultation.

The Council launched Phase 2 of its public consultation on its 2016/17 budget on 15 February 2016. The consultation ran for 3 weeks and concluded on 7 March 2016. A total of 7,278 responses were received to the 16 individual savings proposals including one proposal relating to an increase in car parking fees and charges. However, of these 7,278 responses 2,297 merely indicated that they were users of a service. For the benefit of the consultation, the feedback would focus on the 4,981 that responded to each of the questionnaires attached to each of the savings proposals.

A table showing the number of responses for each proposal was also set out in Appendix B. A further table providing an overview and recommendation in each case for the 15 individual public facing savings proposals and the one income generation proposal in relation to car parking fees and charges was attached as Appendix C along with templates providing an overview and summary (Appendices D and E) of the comments received to each proposal. 

The proposals were published on the Council’s consultation finder database with information disseminated to all registered consultees. The proposals were also e-mailed round to approximately 900 members of the community panel as well as information being posted on Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

Although the number of responses to any one savings proposal should not be the determining factor in deciding whether to progress with the proposal or to allocate transition funding, it would be noted that the following four areas attracted the most responses:

(i)         Library Service (2307)

(ii)        Theatres (1619)

(iii)       Public Transport (327)

(iv)       Children’s Centres (308)

At its meeting on 1 March 2016, the Council made available £395,000 out of a total £1.4m transitional funding for 2016/17. It had been agreed that the transitional funding should be used in order to respond to the concerns of the residents of West Berkshire and that any funding allocated should be on the basis of that service transitioning to a new model of operation over the course of the next two years.

In responding to the feedback from the public consultation, it was proposed that the remaining £1m of transitional funding for 2016/17 was made available to those services set out below.

(i)         Library Service - £475,000

(ii)        Theatres (Corn Exchange) - £56,000

(iii)       Public Transport - £337,000

(iv)       Children’s Centres - £50,000

(v)        Domestic Abuse Response Team - £25,000

(vi)       Neighbourhood Wardens - £50,000

(vii)      Citizen’s Advice Bureau - £25,000

Councillor Graham Jones commented that as the matter would be debated at the Council meeting later that night he did not propose debating it at this meeting.

RESOLVED that the responses received to each of the 15 public facing savings proposals and the one income generation proposal in relation to Phase 2 of the public consultation exercise undertaken on the 2016/17 budget be noted.

That Executive recommend that Council make available the remaining 2016/17 transitional funding to those services set out below:

(i)         Library Service - £475,000

(ii)        Theatres (Corn Exchange) - £56,000

(iii)       Public Transport - £337,000

(iv)       Children’s Centres - £50,000

(v)        Domestic Abuse Response Team - £25,000

(vi)       Neighbourhood Wardens - £50,000

(vii)      Citizen’s Advice Bureau - £25,000

That, where transitional funding was not deemed to be appropriate, Executive recommend that Council approve the recommendations set out in the Overview and Recommendations template at Appendix C.

Reason for the decision: to enable the Council to set a balanced budget for the 2016/17 financial year.

Other options considered: The Council was required to consult on its 2016/17 budget by virtue of the Equality Act 2010 and particularly in relation to any proposals which might have a public impact.