Contact: Anne Hibbert, (01962) 847533; [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 This report sets out the proposed Policy and Resources revenue budget for 2007/08, a provisional budget for 2008/09 and 2009/10 and recommends a revised budget for 2006/07.

1.2 The following decisions are sought:

a) To approve for submission to the Leader and Cabinet:

1 The revised budget for 2006/07 totalling £51.7m (as set out in appendices 1 and 2)

2 The base budget for 2007/08 totalling £53.3m (as set out in Appendix 3)

3 The proposals for redeployment of resources totalling £0.4m in 2007/08 (as set out in Appendix 4)

4 The proposals for efficiency improvements totalling £1.7m (3.2% of the base budget) in 2007/08 (as set out in Appendix 5)

5 The annual review of income and charges (as set out in Appendix 6)

6 The summarised trading accounts of business units (as set out in Appendix 7)

7 The detailed budget for 2007/08 (as set out in Appendix 8)

8 The workforce implications of the proposed budget for 2007/08 including plans for workforce reductions to contribute towards the increased cost of the new pay framework (as set out in Appendix 10)

9 The provisional budget for 2008/09 of £51.7m and for 2009/10 of £52.1m (as set out in Appendix 11).

2 Reason(s)

2.1 Cabinet has requested that service budgets be prepared for approval by Executive members within the provisional budget guidelines set by Cabinet in September 2006 and submitted to the Leader and Cabinet for consideration in February 2007. Proposals need to be submitted to the Cabinet on 9 February 2007 in order to influence decisions on the 2007/08 budget and council tax.

2.2 The budget proposals contained in this report are derived from the departmental service plans which have been developed to support the priorities of the Corporate Strategy.

3 Other options considered and rejected:

3.1 The total of the budget proposals in this report equal the guidelines set by Cabinet. A budget in excess of the guidelines is not affordable and a budget below the guidelines would not enable service objectives to be met.

4 Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive member consulted - none

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - none

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - none

Approved by: (signature) Date: (date of decision)

Councillor T K Thornber

Executive Member for Policy and Resources Date: (date of decision)