Agenda item

To receive reports from the following bodies

a) Cabinet – Report 10 – 2009/10

b) Constitution Review Working Group – Report 6 – 2009/10

Minutes:

The Mayor agreed to admit report 12b as urgent business. The meeting of the Constitution Review Working Group was held after despatch of the Summons. The report contained recommendations in relation to Constitutional changes, which needed to be considered by the Council.

Councillor Kober introduced the Cabinet Report 10- 2009/10 – Financial Planning 2010/11 to 2012/13, and moved the recommendations contained therein.

Councillor Butcher, seconded by Councillor Gorrie, moved the following amendment to the MOTION:

Action on Crime

The Liberal Democrats want to make Haringey safer. We will create six 24 hour Safer Neighbourhood Teams in the wards that are worst affected by crime.

Revenue cost: £912,000

Helping Residents out of Recession

Local residents have been hit hard by the economic downturn. The quickest and fairest way for Haringey Council to help is by taking less money out of residents’ pockets. Therefore, we propose a one year freeze on all charges paid by residents.

Revenue cost: £700,000

Young people have been amongst the hardest hit by the recession. We want to help them gain the experience that will give them the edge in a difficult jobs market. We propose 125 paid internships.

Revenue cost: £750,000

Action on the Environment

Labour’s record on the environment is poor. The threat of climate change demands action now.

We propose a ten-fold increase in invest-to-save environmental projects. We will invest £5m in green projects that will pay back their costs in an average of 5 years.

Revenue cost: neutral

Batteries are one of the most toxic household waste products. Haringey Council only has two sites for people to safely dispose of batteries. We propose 100 new sites in schools, libraries and community buildings, improving local residents’ opportunity to recycle batteries.

Revenue cost: £10,000

We believe Haringey Council should do more to encourage local residents to make the greenest choice. Therefore we propose abolishing all residential parking charges for the greenest cars.

Revenue cost: £750

Helping the Local Economic

Local businesses have been badly hit by the economic downturn. Haringey Council needs to do more to help them through, and reinvigorate our local economy.

Haringey Council is one the borough’s largest landlords of commercial property with a high vacancy rate. We propose offering genuine start-up companies 12 months rent free in vacant properties. This would be carefully managed to prevent unfair competition to existing businesses.

Revenue cost: £188,000

Haringey Council can support businesses in way that benefits local residents. We propose expanding business subsidies for companies that offer free public access to their toilets. Labour has failed to successfully implement this scheme.

Revenue cost: £20,000

For many small traders the cost of parking adds significantly to the cost of doing business in Haringey. We want to ease this burden and at the same time incentivise local business to be greener. We therefore propose reducing traders’ parking fees for the greenest vehicles.

Revenue cost: £10,000

Securer Funding Future for Children Services

The Liberal Democrats are determined that financial uncertainty does not prevent Haringey Council from protecting our borough’s most vulnerable children. To provide more financial security we will ring-fence the Children Services’ safeguarding budget for five years and protect the department’s ongoing budget from any future reductions forced by any cut in central government funding.

Action on Labour’s waste

Labour mismanagement of Haringey Council’s finances cost local residents dear. Labour councillors have spent too many years lining their own pockets and using taxpayers’ resources to their own end.

We think it is wrong that almost every Labour councillor receives an extra allowance on top of their basic allowance. We propose cutting the number of Special Responsibility Allowances and the number of member and committee support staff.

Revenue Saving: £250,000

We think it is wrong that Labour campaigns at the taxpayers’ expense. We will end expensive and unnecessary council propaganda. Advertising should be focused on the needs of the residents, such as fostering and community notices.

Revenue Saving: £513,450

Haringey People is excessive and unnecessary. We would reduce it from ten to four editions a year.

Revenue Saving: £120,000

We think councillors should share the burden of the recession and accept a freeze on their allowances.

Revenue Saving: £12,000

Balancing the budget

Liberal Democrats know that staff are our greatest asset in achieving a more effective and efficient council for local residents. Redundancies must be avoided and only considered as a very last resort.

Non-redundancy savings can be achieved through a combination of increasing the delay in recruiting new non-frontline staff by four weeks and holding a higher vacancy factor for current back office posts.

Revenue saving: £1,156,000

In difficult times, we would ask those who earn the most to forego their bonuses. We also propose negotiating a review of the staff bonus scheme, for future years that better rewards and incentivises our best performing staff.

Revenue saving: £209,016

We think it is wrong that, under Labour, Haringey Council hold a £1m redundancy reserve. This money can be more efficiently used to help residents through the recession. We will draw down on this reserve to fund these measures.

Contribution from reserve: £330,284

Total growth: £2,590,750.00

Total savings: £2,260,466.00

Contribution from reserve: £330,284.00

Net balance: nil

Laying a Foundation for the Future

Labour’s lack of planning for future savings is putting Haringey Council’s frontline services at risk. Labour is ignoring the crisis in public finances. A Liberal Democrat administration would be committed to:

- Doubling the size of Haringey Forward drawing an additional £2m down from general reserves with a target of an additional £5m of savings.

- Improved partnership working to carry out shared services at reduced cost.

- Working with social enterprises to run services more efficiently.

- Different approach to budgeting – zero-based budgeting of key departments.

A debate ensued and other Members contributed to the discussion.

On being put to the vote there were 24 in favour of the amendment and 29 against. The amendment was declared LOST.

Councillor Kober then proposed an alteration to the budget as follows:

Batteries are one of the most toxic household waste products. Haringey Council only has two sites for people to safely dispose of batteries. We propose 20 new sites in libraries and community buildings, improving local residents’ opportunity to recycle batteries.

Revenue cost: £2,000

We believe Haringey Council should do more to encourage local residents to make the greenest choice. Therefore we propose abolishing all residential parking charges for the greenest cars.

Revenue cost: £750

Revenue cost: £10,000

We think councillors should share the burden of the recession and accept a freeze on their allowances.

Revenue Saving: £14,000

In respect of the report and alterations as MOVED by Councillor Kober - On a vote there being 29 for, 22 against, and 2 abstentions it was:

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet Report 10- 2009/10 including – Financial Planning 2010/11 to 2012/13 be received and adopted, subject to the above alteration moved by the Leader, noting the earlier debate on the ‘state of the borough’, and that the following recommendations contained in the appendix to report number 10 be agreed:

1. To agree the changes and variations as set out at paragraph 9.3 and appendix B to Appendix 1 of Cabinet report 10 agreed by Cabinet on 26 January 2010.

2. To note the outcome of the consultation processes set out at section 11 to Appendix 1 of Cabinet report 10;

3. To agree the revised and new investment proposals set out in appendix D to Appendix 1 of Cabinet report 10.

4. To agree the revised and new savings proposals set out in appendix E to Appendix 1 of Cabinet report 10.

5. To agree the proposals for the Children’s services (DSG) budget set out in the report and appendix F to Appendix 1 of Cabinet report 10.

6. To agree the proposals for the HRA budget set out in appendix G to Appendix 1 of Cabinet report 10.

7. To approve the housing rent increases at an average of £0.98 per week (1.3%).

8. To approve the housing tenant service charge reduction at an average of £1.59 per week (10%).

9. To agree the proposals for the Capital Programme and funding set out in appendices H & J and the capital resource allocation policy at appendix I to Appendix 1 of Cabinet report 10.

10. To agree the treasury management strategy and policy and prudential limits set out in appendix K and amended reporting processes in line with the revised CIPFA guidance.

11. To agree the proposed general fund budget requirement of £416.587m, subject to the decisions of precepting and levying authorities, and the consequences for Council tax levels.

Councillor Reith moved the report of the Constitution Review Working Group

RESOLVED:

1. That in respect of amending the constitution to implement the new executive Leadership arrangements, the proposed changes as set out in Appendices 2 to 12 of the report be agreed and adopted as amendments to the following Parts of the Council’s Constitution:

Part 1 - the “Summary and Explanation” of the whole Constitution

(Appendix 2 to the report),

Part 2, Article 4 concerning the Full Council (Appendix 3 to the report),

Part 2, Article 7 concerning the Leader and Cabinet (Appendix 4 to the

report),

Part 2, Article 11 concerning Joint Arrangements (Appendix 5 to the

report),

Part 3, Section C – the terms of reference of the full Council and non-

executive bodies (Appendix 6 to the report),

Part 3, Section D – the terms of reference of the Cabinet and its

subordinate bodies (Appendix 7 to the report),

Part 3, Section E – the Introduction and Ground Rules of the Officer

Scheme of Delegation (Appendix 8 to the report),

Part 4, Section A – the Council Procedure Rules (Appendix 9 to the

report),

Part 4, Section D – the Access to Information Procedure Rules (Appendix 10 to the report),

Part 4, Section F – the Cabinet Procedure Rules (Appendix 11 to the report).

Part 2, Article 16 concerning publication of the Constitution (Appendix 12 to the report);

2. That in respect of amending the constitution in respect to Treasury management Functions the proposed changes as set out in Appendices 13 to 17 be agreed and adopted as amendments to the following parts of the Council’s Constitution:

Part 2, Article 4 concerning the Full Council (Appendix 13 to the report),

Part 3, Section C – the terms of reference of the full Council (Appendix 14 to the report),

Part 3, Section C – the terms of reference of the General Purposes Committee (Appendix 15 to the report),