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RESOLVED to:

1.  
Note and endorse the budget reduction proposals of
£0.850m presented in Appendix 1, the detail of which was
considered in detail and approved on 7 February 2024,
enabling these to be taken forward and form part of the
budget setting process for 2025/26.

2.  
Note the £20.629m of General Fund and £4.195m of
Housing Revenue Account proposals in Appendix 3a and 3b which are
for officers to proceed with the preparation of these, consulting
where required, to enable immediate delivery is in hand where these
are for 2024/25 and will be actioned before the 1 April 2025 where
these are for 2025/26, and will go forward to the next stage of the
budget preparation process.

3.  
In relation to CYP06, note that this is an officer key
decision,  and ask officers to
proceed with the 2025/26 saving and bring back the second year
proposals for 2026/27 as part of reviewing the savings for that
year.

4.  
Note the Housing Select Committee’s comments on saving
CR08 (Subsidy reduction), and note that the officer
report tabled at this meeting responded to this in full. This
proposal is an officer decision to agree to it proceeding to the
next stage of the budget preparation process.

5.  
Regarding the proposals totalling £5.833m for the
General Fund and £0.163m for the Housing Revenue Account
contained in Appendices 2a and 2b;
·       
Approve savings CR05 and CR06 (Employers Pension
Contribution), CYP08 (Sufficiency Strategy and IAS), and H02
(Homeownership Charges) to go forward to the next stage of the
budget preparation process.
·       
Authorise officers to undertake the public consultation
required in relation to savings item H08 (EV charging on housing
estates), noting that Sustainable Development Select Committee has
asked that residents form part of this process, and delegate to the
Executive Director for Place in consultation with the Cabinet
Member for Cabinet Member for Better Homes, Neighbourhoods and
Homelessness to implement the saving.
·       
Approve the saving item P03 (Leisure Concessions) to go
forward to the next stage of the budget preparation process, but
ask that officers bring forward options, based on the referrals
from scrutiny, as part of setting the sales, fees and
charges in the budget for 2025/26.
·       
Approve the saving item P01 (Assembly Programme) to go
forward to the next stage of the budget preparation process,
and ask that there is a strategic review of all the
Council’s processes for engagement carried out, and that
officers report back to Mayor and Cabinet with the outcome. Note
that Safer and Stronger Communities Select Committee is undertaking
a review in January 2025 as part of their workplan.