Issue - meetings

To consider the strategic director’s report. 

Steve Bishop, Strategic Director, presented the reports on the budget process and the budget consultation proposals.

The chairman invited Councillor Dudley Hoddinott to ask his three questions on the council’s spending priorities. These were as follows:

Question: The budget process appears similar to the process used in 2011; will there be any feedback on last year’s consultation process and how the results were taken into account when setting the 2012/13 budget?

Question: Last year the consultation questions were very generic. How will the consultation questions differ from the generic questions asked last year?

Question: Will there be any consultation at this time on the Community Infrastucture Grants and the Community Revenue Grant allocation?

Answer: A late paper had been tabled at the committee outlining the budget consultation proposals and this paper provided the answers to the questions above.

• The consultation process will be improved, expanded and arranged earlier to enable the council to make best use of the process and to inform decision making.
• There are potential topics for consultation but comments are sought on other potential topics, including specific budget proposals.

Further questions were asked about consultation timing and methodology. The main points which arose from the discussion were as follows:

• The consultation will start in October and run for six weeks.
• The council now has a consultation officer who is making the process more user friendly.
• Consultation is a statutory requirement but the council wishes to go beyond this requirement and make the process as useful as possible for both residents and decision makers.
• The council will not know the details of the government settlement until December and so will not be able to use this information in the initial consultation.
• The consultation will consist of a six week, predominantly online, survey and a discussion/focus group.
• The results of the consultation will be in the public domain.
• There will be generic as well as specific questions in the consultation.
• The accuracy of the outturn relied on officer estimates and was based on the latest information after quarter 3 to predict. It is hoped to improve the accuracy of these estimates by identifying which budgets the council has control over and which are subject to volatile circumstances to improve budget monitoring.
• The Scrutiny Committee were concerned that people who didn’t have access to answering the survey on line would have an opportunity to participate. The strategic director will find out what other methods to be used (and subsequently confirms that paper surveys, telephone assistance and other languages will be provided if requested).

RESOLVED:

a)    Scrutiny Committee asked to see the budget consultation questions  before the questionnaire is made public. This to be done by email.

b)    To request that the budget to come back to December and February meetings of Scrutiny Committee.