Agenda item

(a)       That the Committee supports the proposed efficiencies for 2017/18, in order to mitigate the central Government Austerity Programme; and

(b)       That the Committee supports further lobbying of Welsh Government, as it is concerned that the Service is at a financial tipping point.

The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) introduced the report to provide an update on the budget pressures and proposed efficiencies for the Education & Youth Portfolio for 2017/18.  He provided background information and context and commented on a forecast overall ‘gap’ between the Authority’s anticipated income and predicted cost pressures of £14.4M.  This presented a working ‘gap’ of £8.1M between the forecast ‘gap’ and the combined total of working corporate and service portfolio efficiency proposals of £6.3M. 

                        The Chief Officer gave a presentation to summarise the progress made by the Education & Youth Portfolio in delivering efficiencies to date, the proposed efficiencies for 2017/18, and the potential cost pressures.  The main points of the presentation were:

• Local context – schools
• Local context – portfolio
• Education & Youth Portfolio – efficiencies
• Cost pressures

In line with the information included within the presentation slides, the Chief Officer said that the full resilience statement would be presented at the  meeting of the Committee scheduled to be held on 8 September, 2016.

The Chief Officer also gave a commitment to bring a report on the Alternative Delivery Model for the School Music Service to the Committee during Autumn.

The Chair raised concerns around the location of the GwE development programmes and the associated costs for staff to travel to attend the training.  The Chief Officer explained that programmes were delivered in each hub and many meetings were held in the GwE office in Colwyn Bay.  He agreed to provide further information on the delivery programme and the location of training programmes.

            During discussion the Corporate Finance Manager provided clarification on the queries raised by Councillor Nigel Steele-Mortimer around the £14.4M gap anticipated between the Authority’s income and cost pressures, and the Service portfolio Business Plan projections.  In response to the further concerns raised by Councillor Steele-Mortimer around ‘small schools’ the Corporate Finance Manager gave an assurance that the savings outlined within the presentation did not include further proposals to close schools in Flintshire.  

Mr. David Hytch expressed concerns that the Education and Youth Service may have reached a “financial tipping point”.  The Chief Officer said that the impact of austerity had been felt in all public services but he remained positive that learners would continue to be able to achieve.  The Finance Manager commented that primary school balances had increased in  comparison to previous years, however, this was not the case in secondary schools and some secondary schools faced a deficit balance.

In response to questions from Mrs. Rebecca Stark on the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), the Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator agreed to provide the co-opted members of the Committee with a copy of the MTFS report and the minutes from the meeting of the County Council held on 24 September 2015.

Councillor Andy Dunbobbin proposed an amendment to the recommendation in the report.  He proposed that the Committee supported the proposed efficiencies for 2017/18  in order to mitigate the central Government Austerity Programme.  This was seconded by Councillor Carolyn Thomas who proposed a further amendment that the Committee supports further lobbying of the Welsh Government, as it was concerned that the service was at a financial tipping point.  Members were asked to vote on the proposed amendment put forward by Councillor Dunbobbin and when put to the vote this was carried.

Councillors Marion Bateman, Nancy Matthews and David Mackie abstained from the vote because they only agreed with the second recommendation concerning lobbying of the Welsh Government.

RESOLVED

(a)       That the Committee supports the proposed efficiencies for 2017/18, in order to mitigate the central Government Austerity Programme; and

(b)       That the Committee supports further lobbying of Welsh Government, as it is concerned that the Service is at a financial tipping point.