Agenda and minutes

The Councillors shown below declared a Personal Interest in the following item of business:-

Councillor Polhill and Councillor McDermott as Board members  of Widnes Regeneration, Councillor McDermott as a member of the North West Development Agency and Councillor Hignett as an employee of Community Integrated Care and his daughter an employee of Halton Borough Council)

            Council considered the report of the Operational Director – Finance which set out the proposed savings to the 2010/11 budget as a result of the in-year reductions to Government and other grants.

            At its meeting on 1 July 2010, Executive Board received a report that the number of Government grants had been cut which had been incorporated in the 2010/11 budget. Since then, further cuts to grants had been announced by both the Government and North West Development Agency (NWDA).

            The report gave figures on the latest position for Halton as it affected Area Based Grants, Other Revenue Grants, Capital Grants and NWDA Capital Grants. As the Council’s 2010/11 budget had been set on the basis that these grants were to be paid in full, it had become necessary to revise, and in most cases reduce spending, in order to achieve a balanced budget.

            Members were advised of an amendment to the figure quoted in paragraph 3.5 of the report; this figure should read:-

“41.33 FTE posts”

            The Appendix attached to the report provided information on the financial, staffing and service implications of the proposals. Members were advised that the proposed actions were intended to mitigate the risks associated with the reductions in Government and other grants. However, it was not possible at this stage to quantify wider changes taking place within other agencies which would have an impact on the Borough.

The report also considered the impact on the 2010/11 budget and beyond, of changes which were expected to be announced following the Comprehensive Spending Review on 20 October 2010.

On behalf of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Austin made the following observation:-

“We believe that any savings in the size of the cuts to the grants identified in this report should be directed towards the front line services.

I would be grateful if this observation could be recorded in the minutes”

RESOLVED: That the 2010/11 Budget and Capital Programme be revised as set out in the report and supporting appendix.