Venue: Committee Room 1/2 - Port Talbot Civic Centre. View directions
Contact: Charlotte Davies 01639 763745 Email: c.l.davies2@npt.gov.uk
No. | Item |
---|---|
Members' Declarations of Interest Minutes: The
following Members made declarations of interest at the commencement of the
meeting in relation to the undermentioned matters:- Councillor Peter A. Rees The report of the Director of
Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning, the Head of Transformation and the
Head of Participation re: consultation on Education, Leisure and Lifelong
Learning Budget and Draft Savings 2018/19 as he currently represents the Leader
of Council on the Education through Regional Working (ERW) Joint Council. Councillor Sian Harris The report of the Director
of Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning, the Head of Transformation and the
Head of Participation re: consultation on Education, Leisure and Lifelong
Learning Budget and Draft Savings 2018/19 as she is a member of the
organisation Friends of Cefn Coed Museum. Co-opted Member Adam Amor The report of the Director of Education,
Leisure and Lifelong Learning, the Head of Transformation and the Head of
Participation re: consultation on Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning
Budget and Draft Savings 2018/19 as he is a Director of a film production and
training company that provides services to some departments identified within
the report. |
|
CONSULTATION ON BUDGET AND DRAFT SAVINGS FOR 2018/19 PDF 267 KB Minutes: Members received information around the current
education, leisure and lifelong learning draft budget consultation exercise as
contained within the circulated report. The Director of Education,
Leisure and Lifelong Learning and the Head of Transformation presented the
report explaining to Members that it had been prepared to provide further
information in relation to the budget setting process for the directorate, with
a view to aiding the scrutiny of the proposals. Providing a high level
overview for Members the Corporate Director highlighted that the authority’s
net revenue budget for 2017/18 was £274.67million and together with grants and
income this resulted in a gross budget of
around £418million, with more than £50million invested annually through
its capital programme. As part of the annual budget
setting process the Corporate Director reminded members that on, 8 November
2017, the Council’s Cabinet approved to commence public consultation on its
draft budget savings proposals for 2018/19 to 2019/20. As part of this exercise it
is projected that financial savings of £10.24million are required to set a
balanced budget for the next financial year (2018/19) with a further £13million
needed in the following financial year (2019/20), with the majority of
financial savings being achieved via the non-delegated school budget(s). Outlining the approach taken
towards the current budget setting process the Corporate Director informed
Members that three key principles have been adhered to. These were: to protect
vulnerable learners; to protect services that the local authority has a
statutory responsibility to maintain and to support areas that are subject to
regulatory scrutiny. The Corporate Director went
on to point out that the office of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and
Training in Wales (Estyn) were shortly to undertake
an inspection of the directorate, and while significant challenge would be
likely inspectors remained sympathetic to the reality of the authority’s
budgetary position. Following the conclusion of
the Corporate Director’s presentation the Head of Transformation provided
Members with a brief overview of the specific budget saving proposals. Members then proceeded to
scrutinise specific proposals with the first questions being raised in relation
to cost savings identified in relation to Disability Sport (ELLL 714), Outdoor
Education (ELLL 801) and Celtic Leisure (ELLL 802). In relation to these specific
proposals, Members enquired as to how confident the Chief Officers were that
such savings could be achieved. In addition, with regard to the specific
proposal around disability sport Members queried whether this proposal had been
equality impact assessed. In responding to Members
questions the Head of Transformation explained that the £15,000 saving
identified regarding disability sport would be achieved through the withdrawal
of match funding for the post of disability sports co-ordinator. It was also confirmed that the relevant
equality impact assessment had been undertaken. Turning to the budget
proposals for Outdoor Education the Head of Transformation pointed out that the
local authority currently has a contract in place with the Field Study Council
(FSC) which is due to terminate in April 2019. The Local Authority provides a management fee subsidy to ... view the full minutes text for item 2. |