Decision Maker: Budget Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: October 31, 2024

Purpose:

Content: It was moved by Councillor Fitter, seconded by Councillor Crabtree and   RESOLVED   1.   That the Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to have regard to the following in developing the 25/26 budget proposals:   (i)   That the Committee expects to see impact assessments, including financial and service delivery impacts, for the savings that are taken forward to inform scrutiny by the Committee of the Cabinet’s budget proposals;   (ii)   The whole of the Members’ Community Chest pot be retained and, to counter that, consideration be given to how savings can be made by reviewing the convening and operation of the Community Area Partnerships;   (iii)   The removal of the £18k funding for domestic violence and sexual abuse service is rejected and instead that £18k is funded from other budget lines within the Neighbourhoods Directorate or from the proposed £5m transfer to reserves of the anticipated second homes council tax;   (iv)   Consideration be given to the level of capital and revenue spend associated with net carbon zero and whether any savings can be made by adjusting such spend;   (v)   Consideration be given to whether an additional £3 per year (circa 6p per week) be added to the annual subscription for garden waste collection;   (vi)   Consideration be given to whether garden waste subscriptions can be paid by periodic instalments, with a view to making the subscriptions more accessible to those who may not be able to afford an annual payment at the beginning of the financial year;   (vii)   That a fee of £10.00 per passenger, for all passengers aged 17 years or over departing Cornwall Airport, be introduced from 1 April 2025, whether as a carbon reduction fee or whatever description is appropriate, and the Cabinet request Cornwall Airport to commence the necessary steps to implement this;   (viii)   That exempt savings proposals RI122 and RI197 be reviewed with a view to their inclusion as savings, including as to whether they might be partially implemented, but that saving proposal RI149 is not progressed;   (ix)   Consideration is given as to whether saving RI158 is taken forward, given the impacts there would be, including the wider strategic impacts for Cornwall;   (x)   Proposal RI114 is not supported if related funding is allocated by Government that negates the proposed saving;   (xi)   Consideration be given to the impacts of implementing saving proposal RI171, and whether the wider impacts are so significant as to make the saving unviable;   (xii)   That consideration be given to transferring more, or all, of the Council’s car parks to Corserv, to reduce the Council’s expenditure and realise an income share from Corserv, subject to the lawfulness of the proposal being taken forward being considered, acknowledging that there are legal impediments related to this proposal;   and where the Budget Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee has not specifically commented on a savings proposal, the Committee may wish to make further comment when receiving the detailed budget proposals for consideration; and   2.   That Cabinet be urged to lobby Government for a fairer funding settlement.