Fate of jobs and services decided at tonight's budget meeting

The Isle of Wight council meet later today (from 5pm) to present, debate and vote on the 2014/15 annual budget.

As has been widely reported over the last few months, the council face a £28m cut in grants from the Government over the next three years. This level of budget gap will undoubtedly have a dramatic impact on jobs and services.

Decisions agreed tonight
How those cuts to job and services are managed will be agreed at tonight’s meeting.

The budget proposals being tonight include amendments from Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP councillors.

The proposal from the Independent-led councillors reads,

To consider the following matter as recommended by the Cabinet at its meeting on the 11 February 2014:
(a) THAT the Equality Impact Assessment set out in Appendix 9 to the report is considered to be consistent with the budget proposals and any potential adverse impacts are understood.
(b) THAT appropriate mitigating actions are proposed to be taken and that it recommends to Council they are considered when making its decisions.
(c) THAT the overall financial and budget position the Council faces in 2014/15 and future years be considered.
(d) THAT an overall budget and Council Tax strategy is recommended to Council on 26 February 2014, in particular:
(i) The updated Medium-Term Financial Strategy as set out in Appendix 1 to the report;
(ii) The overall Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 4 to the report;
(iii) The Treasury Management Strategy, Investment Strategy, Borrowing Strategy, Minimum Revenue Provision and Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix 5 to the report;
(iv) To note that due to the very significant level of savings required for 2015/16 that serious consideration be given to holding a council tax referendum for that year at the appropriate time;
(v) The schedule of savings set out in Appendix 6 to the report;
(vi) That £150,000 is allocated to support young people into pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeship and older people (over 50’s) to start up their own businesses;
(vii) That an Island wide residents parking permit be introduced from 1 April 2014 on the basis set out in Annexe B of Appendix 6 of the report;
(viii) That the proposed level of fees and charges for 2014/15 in relation
to recreation, leisure and public spaces are introduced as set out in Annexe E of Appendix 6 of the report;
(ix) The senior management structure as set out in Annexe C and D of Appendix 6 of the report and the appointment and designation of the following statutory Officer roles:
(1) Nominated Director of Social Services – Mark Howell Head of Adult Social Care and Community Wellbeing; (2) Monitoring officer – Davina Fiore Head of Corporate
Governance and Monitoring Officer; (3) Chief Finance Officer and Section 151 Officer – Stuart Fraser, Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer;
(x) THAT the head of corporate governance and monitoring officer is appointed to act as the returning officer and electoral registration officer for all relevant elections;
(xi) That the service and budget review steering group be tasked with undertaking a continuous process of monitoring the achievement of the 2014/15 budget savings and developing and progressing savings for 2015/16 and future years;
(xii) To carry out appropriate consultation exercises in relation to the charging proposals for the Cowes chain ferry and in relation to the fairer charging disregards.

(e) THAT Cabinet recommends to council, in the event that all precepts are not notified by the time of the council meeting on 26 February 2014, that they agree to set up a Council Tax Setting Committee, with the delegated authority to consider and approve the overall budget requirement and level of council tax for 2014/15 being that element agreed by council for the Isle of Wight council for 2014/15, plus the notified police precept, plus the notified parish and town council precepts.