Issue - meetings

Joe Chesterton, Divisional Director of Corporate Finance and the Council’s Chief Financial Officer, introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Resources advising on the Council’s budget position and Council Tax for 2008/09, the adoption of the rolling three year medium term financial strategy, capital strategy and a capital programme and referred to the proposed amendment submitted by the Minority Party, together with his comments on the impact of the proposals.

Councillor Bramley, Lead Member for Resources, presented the budget proposals that were agreed by the Executive on 19 February 2008, reminding Members that preparing a budget of this nature is a year long process that begins immediately after the commencement of a new financial year.  Councillor Bramley referred to the Resource Monitoring Panel which meets monthly to review spending and savings plans approved for the year and at this point he thanked Chief Officers and Heads of Service for their co-operation and support in preparing this year’s budget and at the Resource Monitoring Panel meetings.

Councillor Bramley advised that Barking and Dagenham have received a grant settlement of £95m, up 5.5%, and a Direct Schools Grant of £135m, up 5.1%.  The Labour Group’s budget proposals for 2008/09 will mean an increase in Council Tax this year amounting to just 72 pence per week or less for 85% of the Borough’s population.  For this increase there will be additional spending of 7.2% this year, approximately £19m extra on Council services that serve the local community, and he drew Members’ attention to two items in particular:

·  An increase of £700,000 for supporting young vulnerable adults who have been in care in the transition to adulthood;

·  Investment in Children’s Services – the Council is investing £2.5m to support vulnerable young people in their development and future.  That is the reason the Council was Corporate Parent of the Year.  He pledged that the many young people looked after by the Council would not be let down and the Council would do everything they could to give them the same support as other children in the borough.

Councillor Bramley also referred to the proposed level of spending on capital projects of £452m over the next three years, which includes:

·  £182m earmarked for building schools for the future

·  A new school for Eastbury Primary School

·  £1.6m over the next two years for disabled adaptations

·  £97m over three years to deliver on the Housing Strategy

·  £18m for a new Becontree Heath Leisure Centre

·  £7m for parks and green spaces

In conclusion, Councillor Bramley said that the Labour Group’s budget builds on previous commitments to raising educational standards, a cleaner, greener and safer borough, regeneration and the expansion of the Council’s housing stock.  Above all it is a budget to support the vulnerable.  He concurred with comments made by the Leader of the Council in his earlier address to Members and commended the budget to the Assembly.

Councillor Barnbrook then presented the Minority Party amendment to the budget as follows:

“The British National Party is presenting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85