Agenda item

Lifelong Learning and Community Development – Balancing the Budget

Moved by Councillor Coley, seconded by Councillor Scuplak, and carried:-

32.       “That, in respect of the Council Report ‘Lifelong Learning and Community Development – Balancing the Budget’, Council notes the recommendations of Cabinet, as specified at a) to e) in the Council Report  but instead is asked to:-

(a)        approve the list of savings identified in Appendix 1 of the supporting information to the Cabinet report,  subject to the deletion from the list of the cessation of the sport and fitness provision [reference 8 (part) and 24] and the application of consistent charging policies for crèches and playgrounds [reference 14 (part) and 15];  and the continued monitoring and, if necessary, remedial action by the Corporate Director of Education and Lifelong Learning to secure the delivery of Learning and Skills Council targets;

(b)        agree that Cabinet be asked to receive a further report on the implications of the application of consistent charging policies for crèches and playgroups;

(c)        seek to achieve the remaining £1 million savings through the implementation of reviews across the Council as part of the implementation of new Departments (such reviews to consider the most appropriate senior management configurations) and the response to the changed priorities of the Learning and Skills Council;

(d)        agree to use up to £700,000 of the Education Department’s earmarked reserves to bridge the budget gap in 2005/06 after allowing for any reserves needed to deal with other budget pressures in the Department;

(e)        agree that £1.1 million of monies originally set aside for investment in primary school key stage 2 development can be released to be spent over the next two years, to raise standards in primary schools developed in consultation with Heads and linked to the strategy for learning and the collaborative network;

(f)         agree to release £0.25 million of monies previously held for investment in primary school capital for that purpose, and set aside up £1 million to bridge the savings needed in Lifelong Learning Division;

(g)        instruct Cabinet to look at ways to fund the primary schools capital development; and,

(h)        agree the budget lines  of the Lifelong Learning Division which result from the recommendation.”

AN AMENDMENT

Moved by Councillor Willmott, seconded by Councillor Kitterick:-

“Delete all after instead, in first paragraph, and replace with:-

‘Council agrees that action needs to be taken to bridge the £3.5 million deficit  that occurred in Education and Lifelong Learning under the stewardship of Councillor Hussein Suleman;  and specifically  that:

a)                  there be no changes in charging regimes for crèches and playgroups until the matter has been considered by the relevant Scrutiny Committee(s);

b)            Council also rejects the £1 million reduction being imposed across departments and recommends that this be met in the 2006/07 budget process;

c)                  Council does not support the decision of the Employees Committee for the two new Corporate Director posts to be paid a top salary of £117,995 at a time when all Council Departments are asked to make savings of £1 million that could reduce front line services to the people of Leicester and asks the Employees Committee to set these salaries at a lower level;

d)                  supports the Cabinet decision to use earmarked reserves, and requests that other earmarked reserves should be utilised before cuts in services are considered;

e)                  welcomes the release of £1.1 million into primary schools;

f)                    rejects the decision to take £1 million that was agreed by Full Council from primary schools and that this sum should come from general reserves releasing the whole £1.25 million that can be used for some of the following alternatives:-

Option A

            *creation of nurture group rooms