To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 13 January 2014 (Minute Nos. 421 - 428) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 13 January 2015 (Minute Nos. 421 – 428) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman, subject to recording that Councillor Monique Bonney substituted for Councillor Mike Henderson.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Director of Corporate Services as Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

No interests were declared.

To review the draft budget 2015/16 and make the necessary recommendations to the Cabinet on 4 February 2015. The Head of Finance, Cabinet Members, Management Team and Heads of Service have been invited to the meeting to assist with the review.

The Medium Term Financial Plan and 2015/16 Revenue and Capital Budgets report, a Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2015/16 and 2016/17 update and the draft Budget Book have been attached.

The Chairman welcomed Cabinet Members, Members and officers to the meeting.  He also welcomed Councillor Adam Tolhurst who was attending the Committee following the resignation of Mike Haywood.  The Chairman advised that the purpose of the meeting was to review the 2015/16 Budget.

The Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to Appendix IV in the report which highlighted changes to the report since it was considered by Cabinet on 3 December 2014.

The Chairman invited Members to ask questions, firstly on the Appendices, and then on the main report.

Members reviewed the appendices and report page by page and Cabinet Members and officers responded to their questions as set out below.

Appendices:

Q1: (Page 11) With reference to the Director of Regeneration post, was it possible that a full time lower grade officer could be employed instead or other possible alternatives be considered to benefit the regeneration of Sittingbourne? (As amended by Minute No. 486/02/15)

A1:  The post holder was currently employed on a three-day week contract and was likely to retire in 2015/16 financial year.  It was likely that the new post holder would be employed on a five-day week basis and it was right that provision was made for this in the base budget.

Q2:  If the Director provided six months notice this would be at least  four months into 2015/16, so should a third of the figure noted in the report be taken off?

A2:  Contractually only three months notice was required for this post and it was prudent to plan for the ‘worst case scenario’.

Q3:  (Page 14) What was the current bill for emergency accommodation?

A3:  There was a budget allocation of £247,600 for 2015/16.

Q4:  What was the saving described as Minimum Revenue Provision Reduction – accountancy charge for capital expenditure?

A4:  This was a combination of finance leases with a 4% declining balance each year which resulted in a reduction of £56,600.

Q5:  What was the 2015/16 forecast for the waste contract savings?

A5: The savings for the waste contract were ongoing and were in the base budget.

Q6:  (Page 15) Would the Head of Service Delivery be replaced when he retired?

A6:  There were no immediate plans to replace him.  His remaining functions would be distributed to other officers and the situation reviewed after three months.

Q7: (Page 16) What did ‘ICT predicted savings as agreed by Cabinet in April 2012 and based on savings against 2011/12 base budgets’ mean?

A7: This was an additional £15,000 from the base of this year’s savings over and above savings delivered in previous years.

Q8:  Concerned that proactive development work in  the ICT department was not being pursued and would there be an impact on savings when there was still a lot more development work to be carried out?

A8:  Future development was being planned and priorities would be ranked; a commissioning group was going to be established to look at this and prioritise in light of business needs.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 454.