Agenda item - Review of Ward Budget Scheme

Report of Executive Lead Officer for Strategy, Governance and Law (copy attached)

11.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Lead Officer for Strategy, Governance & Law requesting that the Committee note the contents of the report detailing how ward budgets had been spent to date and requesting that they give consideration to whether they wished a similar ward budget scheme to be funded and included in the budget setting process for 2019/20.

11.2    The Head of Democratic Services explained that at its meeting on the 13 July 2017, the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee, following an amendment to the Provisional Outturn report had approved an allocation of 60k for a Ward Budget Scheme for 2017/18.  It had been agreed that the scheme would be administered by the Democratic Services Team and that it would be allocated on a first come first serve basis. He noted that at its meeting on the 17 September 2017, the Leaders Group had agreed that an initial allocation of £1,000 per Member should be made, although the option to use funds collaboratively was also available to enable wider support to various projects that were identified.  The report before the Committee for consideration provided a breakdown of how the Members’ Ward Budget Scheme was co-ordinated and funds used by Ward Members to support local communities (set out in appendix 1).

11.3    Councillor K Norman stated that this funding had been able to be used to good effect in his own ward and in addition to the projects set out that funding had made available to purchase and plant 25 lilac trees at Surrenden Field and for visual improvements (£1252.87) and for footpath safety improvements at Westdene Children’s Playground and Nursery.  

11.3    Councillor A Norman commended the report stated that having pulled together information from several sources it showed clearly what had been spent and how, showed that this initiative had been welcomed, with funding utilised for a variety of improvements across the city. She certainly supported use provision of a similar scheme in future.

11.4    Councillor Cattell, stated that this scheme had been valuable in her own ward in supporting works carried out in Preston Park, a much loved and well used facility.

11.5    Councillor West agreed that this scheme had been beneficial and it was amazing what had could be achieved in consequence of small sums of money being targeted towards a specific end.  He considered that it would be helpful if a greater degree of advice/assistance given when putting funding bids together considering that in future greater use could be made of using “crowd funding” which gave communities, the public and businesses the opportunity to assist.  Councillor West considered that it was unhelpful that in several instances it appeared that budgets had not been spent whereas in several instances they had been earmarked for particular schemes and were awaiting being spent.  He considered that the appendix needed to be updated to reflect that.

11.5    Councillor Nemeth referred to the benefits to which funding made available under this scheme had been put in his own ward confirming that in his view if the Committee were in agreement that a ward budget scheme be reinstated for 2019/20 that should be put forward as a positive recommendation rather than that committee being requested to “consider” doing so.

11.6    Councillor Peltzer Dunn stated that tangible positive improvements had been effected within local areas across the city out which were far greater than suggested by the relatively small sums involved. Local Ward Members were in tune with the needs of their local communities and it gave Members the opportunity to support them.

11.7    Councillor Page echoed all that had been said querying why it was proposed that implementation of any scheme should be held in abeyance until 2019/2010.  

11.8    It was explained that that had been considered appropriate in the context that Council wide elections were due to take place in 2019 and there would be a number of newly elected members who would need to familiarise themselves with the manner in which the council operated.

11.9    RESOLVED:

(1)     That the information as detailed in the report at Appendix 1 (including the additional information set out above) be noted; and

(2)     That a similar ward budget scheme (to that referred to in the attached report) be funded and included in the budget setting process for 2019/2020.