To answer questions submitted by Opposition Group Leaders on items on the agenda.
Minutes:
Question from Councillor Chaplain, speaking as Deputy Group Leader of the Labour Group to Councillor Virdi.
“This report celebrates a £2.682 million revenue surplus, a £4.011 million capital underspend, increased reserves and exceeding the Council's savings targets. But what it does not celebrate is better services for residents. Throughout the report, the emphasis is on efficiencies, savings, reserves and financial resilience. Can the Portfolio Holder explain why this report gives the impression that the Cabinet's overriding priority is saving money rather than using that strong financial position to improve the services that residents actually rely on?
Councillor Virdi stated that he did not accept that the report suggested that the Council’s overriding priority was simply to save money, it demonstrated that it continued to manage public money carefully and responsibly, so it could protect and improve services residents relied on, both now and in the future. The update was focused on the Council’s financial position, but it sat alongside regular performance monitoring and scrutiny, by officers and quarterly reporting to the Corporate Overview Group, which had last considered it on 16 June. He advised that additionally, any particular service performance issues could be covered by specific scrutiny reviews for the relevant Scrutiny Group. Councillor Virdi emphasised that the Council did not see financial savings and service quality as competing priorities, its responsibility was to deliver high-quality services, whilst managing public money responsibly and ensuring the Council remained financially sustainable. Priorities were balanced and independently supported by audit assurance and had again received positive ratings from both external and internal auditors. He stated that many of the efficiencies reported related to re-phasing of capital projects, prudent financial management, improved treasury returns and additional grant income, and he referred to Rushcliffe Oaks Crematorium, which was helping to offset increased costs and reduced income in other service areas, as it was performing above budget. Councillor Virdi stated that in a difficult financial environment, with rising costs, inflationary pressures and funding not keeping pace with demand, the Council was proud of its well-managed financial position, with its good stewardship reducing waste, duplication and unnecessary cost, to ensure that resources could be focused where needed. That careful financial management was why the Council was not having to make service reductions, and why it had been able to support residents, including through a Council Tax freeze, whilst continuing to invest in priority services and facilities. He reiterated that service quality was not a second priority, the Council continued to improve services for residents and businesses, supported by strong performance across a range of areas. The challenge was not choosing between savings and service quality, it was achieving both through efficient, sustainable and well managed services and good financial management.
Councillor Chaplain asked a supplementary question.
“If there are options for spending money, would Council consider maybe holding public meetings, citizens’ assemblies, as is done in other areas, to include residents in that decision-making process?”
Councillor Virdi felt that the Council already did what Councillor Chaplain was asking by allocating money on an ongoing real-time basis, looking at demands and additional requests and achieving effective results.