A cabinet member to brief on the budget consultation process.
Minutes:
Councillor Dora Dixon Fyle, Cabinet Member for health and adult social care presented the item a Fairer Future for All in Southwark where she outlined this will be the first of three visits to talk about the framework of the budget, setting out the process, setting out the timescales for consultation and decision.
Councillor Dixon Fyle explained that the council need to engage with members of the community, as there were huge challenges ahead as local government are expected to receive a 25% cut in funding from central government but the council would know more following the announcement of the Comprehensive Spending Review on 20 October 2010. The council has already had to make £5 million worth of cuts in 2010/11.
Councillor Dixon Fyle stated that it was important to note the cuts were likely to be quite significant in the voluntary sector. The council will continue to work together with communities, voluntary sector and other services as well as protecting the most vulnerable residents. Cabinet members have agreed seven budget principles which will underpin the council’s next budget.
Comments and questions were taken from the floor about the cuts coming from the coalition government and what the cabinet was doing to keep the community engaged.
It was noted that Members of the cabinet would visit community councils again in November 2010 where residents would be invited to get involved in the process and make suggestions on how to deliver services and where improvements could be made.
There would be other opportunities for residents to get involved via the council website, Southwark Life and by speaking to their local ward councillor.