That this Council requests that the 2017/18 budget is reviewed by the Budget Research and Evaluation Panel (BREP) to realign the budget to protect local authority spending on education while ensuring a balanced budget.

2017/18 Budget to be reviewed by the Budget Research and Evaluation Panel to realign the budget to protect local authority spending on education while ensuring a balanced budget.

Councillor Alex Williams proposed amendments to the motion as detailed below:

• That this Council requests that the 2018/19 budget is reviewed now and in subsequent years by the Budget Research and Evaluation Panel, to realign the budget to protect local authority spending on education, whilst ensuring a balanced budget and the Community Action Fund is considered as part of the review.

The amendment was seconded. Councillor A Williams requested a recorded vote and presented the motion. He explained that the election on May 4^th 2017 had resulted in a change to the political dynamic with many new councillors. The 18/19 budget should reflect new council priorities and they should not be bound by previous decisions. In the spirit of collaboration he also welcomed a response from the Leader. He believed that the priorities of the Corporate Plan to support a successful economy and to raise aspirations and drive up educational achievements were laudable. Education was the catalyst and if the authority failed to protect its students, it would be failing generations of young people. There were already significant numbers with no qualifications and Bridgend already had the lowest ratio of spending per pupil. Lack of school improvements, the morale of staff and the loss of teachers in both the primary and secondary sectors were already issues of concern. Recommendations had been made by the scrutiny committees and these should be revisited by the Budget Research & Evaluation Panel as soon as possible, including consideration of the Community Action Fund. It was important to balance the budget but not by penalising children.

A Member welcomed the proposal and said that with the City Deal bringing in thousands of highly skilled, well paid jobs it was important to educate children to the same level.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration said that he couldn’t disagree with some of the comments made and he welcomed the more rational and measured motion. The Budget Research & Evaluation Panel would be involved in future consideration of the budget to balance scarce resources and that he would be disappointed to lose the Community Action Fund because it was a way of empowering councillors.

A Member thanked Cllr Williams for the motion. He had been a former member of the panel and it was a concern that when 98% of the budget went on staffing, any cuts would lead to a loss of jobs, potentially 40 in primary schools. Bridgend was the 21^st lowest funder for schools and the schools were already under considerable pressure.

The Leader welcomed the interest in the budget setting process and the problems identifying savings. If the issue could be considered as one council then it would be easier. Cabinet and CMB had already started to look at various proposals. It was important to have context and to be aware that there were those without qualifications but also that Bridgend had just recorded the best GCSE and A level results with schools “punching well above their weight”. Efficiency savings had already been made and further efficiencies were planned although when it came to school catering, children needed to have hot meals during the day. Head teachers would be consulted when proposals around support services were considered.

The Deputy Leader welcomed the reinvigorated scrutiny of the budget. It was a complex area and important to have a whole council approach. Pay protection had been introduced and this was the equivalent of more than 1% and budgets had been protected for the last eight years.

A Member reported that even though school budgets were slightly higher than last year, schools had to find increases in salary. This would impact on staff levels resulting in redundancies and bigger class sizes. Imposing four years of cuts would undo all the good achieved.

The Cabinet Member for Social Services and Early Help said that austerity had to be recognised and that many employees had already lost their jobs. Education had been protected for seven years. It was important to look forward with all parties working together.

Members were unable to participate in a recorded vote.

They considered the substantive motion and voted in favour.  

RESOLVED                 That Council agreed that the Budget Research and Evaluation Panel review the 2018/19 budget now and in subsequent years, to realign the budget to protect local authority spending on education, whilst ensuring a balanced budget and that the Community Action Fund be considered as part of the review.