Issue - meetings

For the Economy, Transport and Environment Select Committee to pre-scrutinise the Revenue Budget proposals for the Economy, Transport and Environment Department for 2018/19. The proposals for Environment and Transport are set out in the attached report which is due to be considered at the Decision Day of the Executive Member for Environment and Transport at 2.30pm on 16 January 2018.

The Select Committee received a report and supporting presentation from the Director of Economy Transport & Environment regarding the proposed Revenue Budget for 2018/19 for the services within the portfolio of the Executive Member for Environment & Transport (see Item 6 in the Minute Book).

Members were informed about the latest financial position for the Council overall, and the position for the Economy Transport and Environment Department. It was noted that savings were required under the Transformation to 2019 programme. When the savings proposals were considered by Council in November 2017, an additional recommendation had been made to seek alternative ways to fund the gap to avoid an impact on some of the service areas within this department.

Members asked questions for clarification and debated the proposals. A question was asked regarding how much funding went towards Private Finance Initiative payments and how much was discretionary maintenance spending. It was agreed to provide this detail to members after the meeting. It was requested this also cover the break down between the PFI costs of the street lighting contract and the cost of the energy to power the street lights.

Following the debate, the Chairman proposed the recommendation, which was carried (with three against) as follows;

RECOMMENDED:

That the Economy, Transport and Environment Select Committee supports the recommendations being proposed to the Executive Member for Environment and Transport that the revised revenue budget for 2017/18, as set out in Appendix 1 of the attached report, and the summary revenue budget for 2018/19, as set out in Appendix 1 of the attached report, be recommended for approval by the Leader and Cabinet.