Solihull Council

217Cab03

Provisional Finance Settlement 2004/05 and Budget Implications

The Cabinet :-

approved the use of the £0.500m contingency in the current year to address the overspend on Children’s Services;

approved the amendments made to the 2003/04 Cabinet Portfolio budgets as detailed in Appendix A to the report;.

noted the contents of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2004/05;

approved the changes to the 2004/05 budget required as a result of the settlement and the amendments made to reflect more accurate information as presented in Appendix B to the report;

approved the 2004/05 Cabinet Portfolio Indicative Budgets as detailed in Appendix C to the report;

agreed to recommend to Council to set the Schools Block budget at the level recommended by the Secretary of State at £104.640m including specific formula grant;

agreed to ring Fence the Schools Block and delegate the final allocation of resources within it to the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Education and Children following consultation with the Schools Forum; and

that the Corporate Director of Resources be authorised to make representations to the ODPM on the following points:

that the increase in the Government Assumed National Council Tax (set at 4%) should be limited to the increase in inflation;

that the Council has lost out due to the transfer of services, these transfers should be financially neutral;

that there should be fairer funding for education; and

that there is a lack of resources for unaccompanied asylum seekers children.

The purpose of this report is to inform Cabinet of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement which was announced on the 19th November and the implications of this for the 2004/05 budget.  The report also provides the indicative cash limit for each Cabinet Portfolio Holder, the School Budget for 2004/05 and the revised Cabinet 2003/04 budgets following the revisions made as part of the baseline budget exercise. 

12^th December 2003

218Cab03

Single Capital Pot 2004/05

The Cabinet:-

noted the single capital pot arrangements for 2004/05;

 agreed to the recommendation on borrowing limits being made by Full Cabinet on 23rd February 2004;

approved the re-phasing of £19.9m capital programme for 2003/04 to 2004/2007; and

 approved the continuation of the Property Services (£1.5m) and North Solihull Regeneration (£0.5m) programmes in 2004/2007 funded from Corporate Capital Receipts

To advise Cabinet of the Single Capital Pot 2004/05 arrangements and Capital Programme implications and updates.

12 December 2003

219Cab03

Leisure PPP Project Re-issue of the Request to Participate OJEC notice

The Cabinet:

noted the re-issue of the Leisure PPP OJEC notice and revised time line; and

noted the intention to take a report forward to Regeneration Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Board concerning reporting relationships for the project.

To allow the Leisure PPP procurement to proceed within an acceptable timescale

12 December 2003

220Cab03

Arms Length Management - Section 27 Application

The Cabinet:

Approved the outline content of the application to delegate  housing management functions to Solihull Community Housing under s27 of the Housing Act 1985; and

Delegated approval of the detailed application to the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Housing Community Safety at the decision session to be held on 15th December 2003.

To seek Cabinet approval for the content of the application to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) for consent to delegate housing management functions to Solihull Community Housing under s27 of the Housing Act 1985.

12 December 2003

221Cab03

Draft Regional Planning Guidance for the West Midlands -Response to Secretary of States Prposed Changes

The Cabinet:

endorsed the RPB response to the Proposed Changes; and

agreed that the observations set out in the report be approved as the basis for the additional response of the Council to the Proposed Changes to Draft Regional Planning Guidance

To provide an overview of the Draft Regional Planning Guidance Proposed Changes highlighting the key implications for Solihull and provide a response to the Secretary of State on the Proposed Changes

12 December 2003

222CAB03

Forward Plan

The Leader of the Council approved the Forward Plan for the next four months.

To approve the Forward Plan for the next four months.

12 December 2003

223CAB03

Issues considered by Scrutiny Boards and Committees

The Cabinet noted and received the reports.

To note the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Boards and Committees

12 December 2003

224Cab03

North Solihull Regeneration

The Cabinet made a number of decisions relating to selecting a private sector partner for North Solihull Regeneration.

To agree the outcome of the Invitation to Negotiate stage of the procurment of a private sector partner for North Solihull Regeneration.

12 December 2003

Private

225Cab03

Delivering one front line – The Council’s ‘Plan B’

The Cabinet made a number of decisions relating to the delivery savings and service improvements following the collapse of the Council’s Strategic Partnering project..

To identify the Options available to the Council for the deliver of savings and service improvement following the collapse of the Council's Strategic Partnering project.

12 December 2003

Private