Issue - meetings

To update Members on the financial planning position and to consider the Pre Business Plan Reviews (PBPR) 2010/11 to 2012/13 in respect of the portfolios for:

1.         Leader and Cabinet Member for Performance

2.         Resources

3.         Enforcement and Safer Communities

4.         Community Cohesion and Involvement

5.         Children & Young People

Children’s and Young People’s Service

Cllr Reith, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, introduced the pre-business plan review and responses to requests for information in which a number of issues relating to budget pressure were drawn out, such as the increase in the number of children in care and the Southwark judgement, which would have an impact on all local authorities. It was reported that a briefing note had been circulated on issues relating to the Early Years funding formula and that £8.5 million had been provided by central government for the creation of additional primary places in response to an anticipated increase in demand in the borough, and that work to create additional capacity had already commenced.

In response to a general question from the Committee, Kevin Bartle, Corporate Finance, advised that Committee members had been provided with information on the revenue budget for reference to the base budget position during their discussions.

In respect of question 1 on fees and charges, the Committee noted that the response provided did not give an indication of the amount that was anticipated to be raised and requested further detail. It was reported that fees had been reviewed in order to reflect recent changes in tax credits, and that it was anticipated that the proposed increase in fees would increase income by around £70k. Charges covered by Service Level Agreements, where schools had the ability to choose their provider for non-statutory services,  had also been reviewed in order to ensure that the full cost of providing those services was covered. In response to concerns that Haringey had been reported as not being competitive in respect of Service Level Agreements, it was reported that Haringey offered additional value, such as security, even where they were not the cheapest, as some external providers were prepared to loss-lead. The Committee asked about procurement issues, and it was reported that the Council offered the ability to procure on behalf of a number of schools in order to achieve savings, although schools were free to use other providers. In response to a question from the Committee, it was confirmed that, if a significant number of schools chose to go to other providers for a particular service and not to use Haringey, there would come a point where it was no longer viable for the Council to offer that service to the remaining schools, who would be advised accordingly. Cllr Reith reported that Haringey was doing as much as possible to be the provider of choice for schools in the borough.

The Committee asked whether there had been any development in the campaign on the area cost adjustment for Haringey. Cllr Reith reported that she had attended a meeting with Diana Johnson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, with David Lammy MP, Tony Brockman and Neville Murton, which had been useful. Haringey’s case had been put forward at the meeting, and appeared to have been fully understood. It was reported that the Department for Children, Schools  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12