Issue - meetings

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Access and Engagement to submit a report which states

(a)  as part of the budget setting process the Council has approved a reduction in grant to the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) now known as Citizens’ Advice Leicestershire (CAL) of £17k per annum, the total reducing from £44k to £27k;

(b)  CAL have identified two different options as to how they would operate within the grant allocated, which are still in the early stages of development;

(c)  This report asks Cabinet to note that the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Access and Engagement uses her delegated authority to determine whether the options proposed represent a satisfactory use of the grant funding in terms of value for money and if so, which (if any), is an acceptable option to the Council.

It be noted that the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Access and Engagement would exercise her delegated authority to determine whether either of the options proposed by Citizens Advice Leicestershire or any alternative emerging from the ongoing discussions, represent a satisfactory use of the grant funding in terms of value for money to enable implementation by 1 July 2019.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Communities

(a) submitted a report, which stated that

·         as part of its budget setting process, the Council had approved a reduction in grant to the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB), now known as Citizens’ Advice Leicestershire (CAL) of £17k per annum, the total reducing from £44k to £27k;

·         CAL had identified two different options as to how they would operate within the grant allocated, which were still in the early stages of development;

·         this report asked Cabinet to note that the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Access and Engagement use her delegated authority to determine whether the options proposed represent a satisfactory use of the grant funding, in terms of value for money and if so, which (if any) is an acceptable option to the Council.

(b) emphasised that as part of its budget setting, the Council had approved a reduction (of £17k) in community grant to CAL;

(c) highlighted the recommendation at 3.1 of the report, giving her, as Portfolio Holder for Housing and Communities, delegated authority to determine the options when working with CAL and with officers, to ensure the Council retained an effective CAL service to the community and considered (and delivered) the change which was needed.

(d) confirmed there was a risk that the savings identified through the proposed grant reduction would be offset by the loss of rental income from CAL.  This risk needed to be mitigated.

(e)highlighted:-

·         Appendix 1 of the report (Original Equalities Impact Assessment), noting Action Plan items 1 and 2.  Discussions in relation to these actions were ongoing;

·         Appendix 1A (Further Information from Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB)).  Value for money was important to consider.  This Council paid quid highly for the CAL service.  The grant reduction would place Melton on a par with other district contributions on a per head of population basis.

There being no comments or questions from Members, Councillor Freer-Jones moved the recommendation and Councillor Illingworth seconded.  Members voted unanimously in favour.

DECISION (NON-KEY)

It be noted that the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Access and Engagement would exercise her delegated authority to determine whether either of the options proposed by Citizens Advice Leicestershire or any alternative emerging from the ongoing discussions, represent a satisfactory use of the grant funding in terms of value for money to enable implementation by 1 July 2019.

Reason:-

As part of the grant reduction, members wanted to understand how CAL would operate their service and whether how they delivered their service was satisfactory and value for money. Although the Portfolio Holder can exercise her delegation it is important that Cabinet note that it will be necessary for the portfolio holder to consider the options in time to implement the preferred option by 1^st July 2019.