Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors Chuck Berry, Christine Crisp and Simon Killane.

Councillor Crisp was substituted by Councillor Anna Cuthbert. Councillor Berry was substituted by Councillor Philip Whalley.

With Councillor Killane absent, the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Alan Hill, was in the Chair for the meeting.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

There were no announcments.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further clarification.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution.

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on 7 February 2017 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on 9 February 2017. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

No questions or statements had been submitted.

To note the purpose and procedure of the meeting.

The procedure for the meeting was noted.

To consider amendments from opposition groups on the executive proposed budget.

Proposed amendments will be circulated as soon as they are available.

Amendments to the administration budget proposals as published on 24 January 2017 had been received from the administration itself and from the Liberal Democrat Group.

Councillor Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE, Leader of the Council, in her capacity as Leader of the Conservative Group, presented her proposed amendments to the budget, as detailed in Agenda Supplement 1 and as announced at Cabinet on 7 February 2017. The amendments sought to limit the reduction in grant funding for VisitWiltshire to £0.050m rather than £0.100m; to increase investment to the Wiltshire Parent Carers Council (WPCC) by £0.050m; to extend the opening hours at Household Recycling Centres in Salisbury, Trowbridge and Chippenham by one day a week from April to October requiring an additional investment of £0.175m; an additional £0.100m to be invested in staff development.

The proposals were to be funded by further reducing the marketing and communications budget by £0.175m; and £0.200m of preventative property maintenance to be funded through allocated whole life capital funding, allowing that amount to be directed toward the amendments.

The proposals had been confirmed as legal and financially viable by the Corporate Leadership Team in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer

Councillor Glenis Ansell, in her capacity as Liberal Democrat Group Leader, presented her proposed amendments to the administration recommended budget as also detailed in Agenda Supplement 1, submitted following announcement of the administration revisions at Cabinet on 7 February 2017. The amendments sought to fund an extension of 1 hour for opening hours at all Household Recycling Centres for the entire year, requiring additional investment of £0.200m. The proposal was to be funded by reducing the budget for professional subscriptions, fees and conferences by £0.150m; and to extend the procurement savings target identified in the administration budget by an additional £0.050m.

The proposals had been confirmed as legal and financially viable by the Corporate Leadership Team in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer.

The Committee, along with other members in attendance including members of the Executive, discussed the proposed amendments from both Group leaders as detailed fully in the appended report, including examining the impact of any proposed savings and attendant investment increases.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

1)    To note that robust scrutiny had been conducted regarding the amendments from the respective group leaders and so added value to the process for consideration of the council’s budget; and

2)    That Council take note of the comments of the Committee as detailed in the report appended to these minutes.

To confirm the date of the next meeting.

It was confirmed the proposed meeting on 25 April 2017 would be cancelled, and the date of the next meeting had been switched with that of the Children’s Select Committee, meaning the final meeting of the Committee ahead of the Unitary Elections would be 28 March 2017.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.