Agenda item

Presentation by Chief Financial Officer followed by a facilitated discussion.

3.1       The Chairman welcomed David Robertson, Chief Financial Officer and Suzi Douglas, Financial Services Manager who gave a presentation on the Scottish Borders Council Budget for 2019/2024.  The 5 year plan 2013/14 to 2017/18 had delivered permanent recurrent savings of over £35m and further in year savings of £8.8m.  The existing planned savings in 2019/20 included contract efficiencies, energy efficiency measures, procurement savings and service reviews eg day services, waste and teacher allocations.  The easy reductions had already been made and future savings would rely on greater use of technology to reduce costs and redesign services.  The Council could not continue to deliver everything they did now in the same way and might need to reduce the scope and scale of service delivery.  2019/20 was the 2^nd year of the 5 year plan agreed in 2018/19 which required savings of £32m.  The Council had planned for reductions over the longer term, invested in transformation, and avoided the need for the levels of cuts seen elsewhere but there was lots still to do with greater challenges ahead.  The council had to remain financially sustainable and over the next 5 years it was estimated that £32m would need to be saved from the projected spend of £1.3 billion.  Meeting this challenge required forward thinking, innovative and focus on delivering an ambitious change programme.  There were a number of challenges facing the Council.  There was less money to fund public services and income was not keeping pace with real increases in prices and meanwhile demands on services were growing – e.g. increasing numbers of older people.  The infrastructure of the region required significant investment.  There were still significant pockets of deprivation across the region and hidden poverty in communities and the Council needed to increase opportunity and reduce inequality for all in the Borders.  Mr Robertson outlined where the Council’s funding came from and how it was allocated across Council services in terms of both capital and revenue.  In order to modernise the Council needed to make significant savings in what the Council bought, invest in new digital technology to reduce costs, ensure that assets were used as efficiently as possible, ensure that the Council had a capable, motivated workforce that adopted new ways of working and that was flexible enough to deliver savings when and where they were required 7 days a week, 365 days a year, invest in  prevention strategies, grow the economy of the Borders and support all people to live well.  Over the next five year the Council planned to implement the following:-

•                 Design and deliver as many Council services online as possible to maximise the use of digital technology

•                 Build the digital skills of Borders communities and staff

•                 Develop customer advice and support

•                 Drive out waste and inefficiency, cut red tape and provide better value for money

•                 Explore different models of service delivery

•                 Reduce the amount of property the Council owned and operated

•                 Invest in the roads infrastructure in a planned, sustainable way

•                 Redesign waste services

Mr Robertson also outlined the plans to support the aims of independent achieving people, a thriving economy with opportunities for everyone and empowered vibrant communities.

3.2       Having been given the background the Groups then had 20 minutes facilitated discussion to provide their views on the proposed approach to the budget.  Sheets were supplied which providing additional information on council services together with a short series of questions on which views were sought on how the Council could modernise and operate and invest more efficiently in the future.

3.3       Following the discussion each table gave feedback and the points raised included:-

·                Better aids and adaptations to keep people at home

·                Waste recycling efficiencies

·                Sell land for commercial development

·                Communities doing more in the longer term

·                No service reductions or cost increases

·                Increase the level of council tax

·                More housing in small communities to increase sustainability e.g. education provision

·                More economic development and support for small businesses

·                Innovations in roads maintenance e.g. pothole repair

·                Use of digital meetings – e.g. replace need to travel to Galashiels to sign on

·                Have specific staff available in local offices at set times to allow face to face meetings

·                More services available on-line

·                Opportunities for property consolidation

·                Bin collection efficiencies

·                Replace mobile libraries with e-readers

·                More cross boundary working with other local authorities

·                Increase planning fees

The Chairman thanked Mr Robertson and Mrs Douglas for attending the meeting and it was agreed that a copy of the presentation would be circulated with the Minute of the Meeting.