As
indicated yesterday,
we're publishing today - a week prior to actual Budget Day - the full
and final draft of our revised budget proposals for 2013/14.
And as also mentioned yesterday, you can still access
our initial draft proposals here - with the associated,
detailed figures here - and a report on the feedback we received from the public
here.
I'll now simply replicate the main text of our final draft motion for 2013/14 below, but it can also be accessed
here, with the associated paperwork available
here.
I
think the motion below speaks for itself ... and it will now be debated
at the Budget Day Council Meeting, 10am on Thursday 7th February, to be
webcast here.
Motion by the Capital Coalition
REVENUE
BUDGET 2013- 2014;
CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME 2013-2018;
HOUSING REVENUE
ACCOUNT AND CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2013-2014
City of Edinburgh Council
07 February 2013
1. Introduction
1.1 In May 2012, the Capital
Coalition agreed a new Contract with the Capital, a fresh start for Edinburgh, seeking to
create a Council that listens to, and works with, local people in a
co-operative, fair, accountable and responsible manner. As part of this contract, the Coalition
agreed six key commitments as detailed in section 2 of this motion. These budget proposals, and the manner in
which they have been developed, reinforce the Coalition’s intent to deliver on
its commitments.
1.2
As part
of the budget setting process the Capital Coalition has, for the first time,
given residents and stakeholders the opportunity to comment on the Council's
draft budget, months ahead of it being agreed.
A first draft budget was published in November 2012 and has been consulted
upon with a wide range of individuals and groups including the business community,
parents, community organisations, trade unions and the voluntary sector.
1.3 A full report on the
consultation process was considered at a meeting of the Finance and Budget
Policy Development and Review Sub-Committee on 23 January 2013. As a direct result of the consultation,
changes have been made to the proposals in a number of areas including:
·
employability
- helping to support young people into work
·
grants to the voluntary sector – providing the services you want
·
revised parking charges – supporting the
business community
·
looking at how we improve our public realm
1.4 This budget has been
developed within the challenging context of:
·
savings of £95 million over the next five years of
which £3.8 million falls due during
financial year 2013/14
·
pressures over the next five years relating to
Welfare Reform and an increasing elderly population
·
a reduction in the money local government gets
from the Government
·
a background of economic austerity and growing
demand for services
·
a commitment to freeze Council Tax
1.5 The Capital Coalition has
responded to this challenge by adopting a priority based budget planning
approach designed to assure delivery of the Coalition’s commitments through
focussing on outcomes, detecting problems earlier and helping people more
quickly.
1.6 The Coalition also
acknowledges a welcome additional £3.5 million of capital funding received from
the Scottish Government for the coming financial year.
2. Coalition Commitments
Council accordingly agrees:
Ensuring every child has the best
start in life
2.1 investment of
£558k in 2013/14 for the recruitment and retention of more Council
foster carers to reduce use of residential care with a planned further
investment over the following four years of £8.267m
2.2 investment of
£725k in 2013/14 to support children with additional support needs, with a
planned further investment over the following four years of £7.057m
2.3 completion of
the Wave 3 school replacement programme with a funding commitment over the next
five years of £7 million towards the
replacement of St John’s RC Primary School, £6.382 million for a replacement St
Crispin’s Special School;
2.4 allocation of
£618,000 in capital for 2017/18 to fund early stage design works for a new
secondary school in Craigmillar
2.5 an additional
allocation of £10.5 million for
new capital projects in the Children and Families estate
Reducing poverty, inequality and
deprivation
2.6 to encourage the roll-out
of the Living Wage to all service providers working with/on behalf of the
Council following its introduction for Council staff earlier this year
2.7 investment of £1.2 million of grant funding to third sector
organisations, reversing the saving previously approved for the 2013/14 budget
2.8 a review of the grants to
third parties process during 2013/14, conducted in partnership with third
sector stakeholders, to ensure financial stability for organisations and value
for money for the Council
Providing for Edinburgh’s economic growth and prosperity
2.9 continued support for
youth employment by maintaining funding of £1 million for the Edinburgh Guarantee
for a further year
2.10 the reinstatement of £800,000
in grant funding to employability services in the city for a further year
2.11 continuing
investment in festivals and events to maintain Edinburgh’s leading position
2.12 development of a strategy, to be finalised before
Christmas 2013, to help maximise the economic potential of the city centre
following the conclusion of tram line construction in 2014
2.13 development of a Strategic Investment Fund
of £7.5 million and instructs the Chief Executive to report to Council on 22
August 2013 on how this will be established
Strengthening and supporting our
communities and keeping them safe
2.14 devolution
of £120,000 to neighbourhood areas for targeted
clean-ups
2.15 employment of an additional 12 Environmental Wardens to help keep our
streets clean and neighbourhoods safer
Ensuring Edinburgh and its
residents are well cared for
2.16 capital investment of £4 million for
construction of a 60-bed care home in the north of the city
2.17 additional investment of £2 million to
provide care for an increasing number of older people to support them in their
own homes
2.18 additional investment of £2.9 million to
meet the needs of people with physical and learning disabilities
2.19 investment of
£500,000 to support carers
2.20 agrees an increase of 5.9% in Council
housing rent in accordance with the rent strategy agreed with tenants in the Housing
Revenue Account Business Plan
Maintaining and enhancing the
quality of life in Edinburgh
2.21 investment of an additional
£12 million in the city’s roads and
pavements with a commitment to begin to remedy the particular issues in rural
west Edinburgh
2.22 employment of additional
inspectors to ensure utility companies repair roads to an appropriate standard
2.23 additional
income of £325,000 from increased parking
capacity
2.24 commitment of 6% of the transport revenue and capital budgets
for creation and maintenance of cycle infrastructure
2.25 allocation of an additional £2
million in capital for pitches, pavilions, parks and new sports infrastructure
2.26 to strengthen the Council's
drive toward greater reductions in carbon emissions sustainable working and
energy efficiency
2.27 to commit up to £60,000 to
begin an options assessment and stakeholder analysis on the future of
Meadowbank Sports Centre
2.28 to commit £20,000 to pilot
alternative opening hours for city centre museums and galleries during peak
periods.
3. Proposed Savings
3.1 Key
corporate savings include:
·
strengthening the Council’s procurement
practices to save £9 million in 2013/14
·
reviewing IT provision resulting in savings of £7.5 million by 2017/18
·
implementing internal improvement plans for
Corporate and Transactional Services, Environmental Services and Integrated
Facilities Management generating savings of £10
million in 2013/14.
4. Future Budget
Development
4.1 Council further agrees:
·
to continue development of the priority based planning
framework to ensure that expenditure achieves key outcomes of the Council
efficiently and effectively
·
to strengthen internal financial scrutiny, accountability
and governance
·
to continue the move toward increased
involvement of individuals and organisations in the budget process including
reaching out to people who would not normally engage with the Council in
developing its budget
·
that continuous consultation will be an integral
part of budget development from February 2013
·
to aim for publication of the draft 2014/15
Council Budget by the end of September 2013, thus ensuring all public
consultation can be concluded by the end of 2013
·
establishment of a new Property Conservation
service by April 2013, in light of public comments, which is fit for Scotland’s
historic capital city
·
delivery of the tram project within the approved
revised budget, ensuring the start of operational services by summer 2014
·
to examine options for using co-operative and
trust models in the delivery of services.
5. Risks and Challenges
5.1 Council notes that the
Council faces significant risks and challenges as set out in the accompanying
Revenue Budget 2013-14 - Risks and Reserves Report, particularly in the areas
of:
·
welfare reform
·
major capital projects
·
property conservation
·
changes in population.
5.2 Council will also continue to assess the risks,
challenges and opportunities arising from the integration of Health and Social
Care.
6.
Recommendations
Council notes:
·
the reports by the Director of Corporate Governance
setting out the revenue budget framework
·
the report by the Director of Corporate
Governance setting out the potential equality and rights risks associated with
the revenue budget framework
·
the
reports by the Director of Corporate Governance setting out the overall
position on capital resources for the period 2013 to 2018
·
the consultation undertaken in setting
the 2013/14 budget and the intention to further engage in subsequent
years, especially in light of the review of funding the third sector, meeting
sustainability targets and meeting future challenges.
Council approves:
·
the revenue budget set out in the reports,
subject to the adjustments (or amendments) set out in Annex 1 to this motion
·
the 2013 to 2018 capital budget as set out in
the report by the Director of Corporate Governance, subject to the adjustments
(or amendments) set out in Annex 3 to this motion
·
A band D Council Tax of £1,169
·
the Council Tax and Rating resolution as set out
in Annex 2 to this motion;
·
the schedule of charges for Council services as
set out in Annex 4 to this motion
·
the prudential indicators as set out in Annex 5
·
the recommendations contained in the report by
the Director of Services for Communities to increase rents by 5.9% and to
approve the outline 5 year HRA capital programme for 2013 to 2018.
Moved by
|
Alasdair Rankin
|
Seconded by
|
Bill Cook
|
