To present Cabinet with the recommendations of the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee resulting from their deliberations and monitoring of the Budget 2016-17, Quarter 1.

The Chairperson of the Community Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee presented the recommendations of the Corporate Resources & Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee on behalf of the Chairperson of the Committee resulting from their deliberations and monitoring of the Budget 2016-17, Quarter 1 at its meeting on 21 September 2016. 

He informed Cabinet that the Committee had expressed concern that the budget reduction proposals for 2015-16 had not been achieved, with a shortfall of £1.172m.  In particular, the relating to charging Blue Badge Holders for parking and the review of car parking charges not only to staff, but to include Councillors.  He stated that the Committee had requested that a decision be made as to whether these proposals are going to be progressed or not and if so, that they be actioned within the current financial year.  He also informed Cabinet that the Committee had considered that that due to the services within the Communities Directorate being disproportionately affected by difficulties in savings achieved by MREC.  The Committee had recommended that as these pressures are outside the Communities Directorate’s control, the budget for MREC be dealt with corporately.

The Corporate Director Communities informed Cabinet that the review of car parking charges was longstanding and that a decision had been made not to pursue the review of car parking charges to staff due to a large number of staff being re-located and the implementation of Job Evaluation.  He stated that there had been a significant drop in the number of staff participating in the car parking scheme.  There was a need for a more holistic review of car parking charges not only those charged to staff but to the public which would encompass a review of residents parking.  He informed Cabinet that the multi storey car park at the Rhiw would shortly be re-opening.  He stated that a revised scheme for Blue badge holders would need to be the subject of consultation.

The Leader stated that the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are very valuable.  He stated that in view of the recent announcement by the Welsh Government of the provisional Local Government Settlement it may prove difficult for Cabinet to respond to the recommendations of the Corporate Resources & Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee by the next meeting of Cabinet as there were a                                   

number of areas where no decisions had been made on budget reduction proposals but they would need to be considered at the appropriate time.  He also informed Cabinet that the Council would be expressing an interest in participating in the Welsh Government’s pilot Town Centre Car Parking scheme.  He recognised the significant pressure of MREC on the budget of the Communities Directorate, but stated that it may be difficult for the MREC budget to be dealt with corporately due to other areas of significant pressure most notably the budget for Looked After Children. 

The Cabinet Member Communities commented that it was not the right time to review staff car parking charges particularly as a number of staff had left the scheme.

RESOLVED:           That Cabinet:

(1)          Considered the recommendations of the Corporate Resources and Improvement O&SC in relation to the Authority’s budget.

Respond to the recommendations to a future meeting of Cabinet.