The Chief Finance Officer presented a report which detailed the update to the 2015/16 budget within the existing framework of the 10 year budget and savings plan. The report identified seven growth items and seven saving proposals. It was brought to Members attention that the saving and growth items for Legal would be removed as a current central government consultation may impact on future income streams of the service.

Members discussed staffing levels in IT Services. Members were advised that the team covered many different functions within the Council and it also included the Geographical Information System (GIS) team. The IT Services team were one of the smallest in comparison to other Local Authorities. Partnership working had been investigated previously with the GIS team, and this arrangement had now come to an end. Other options had been considered with key points being the potential of increased costs and the need to ensure requirements for the Government Code of Connection (COCO) to be met.

In response to questions Members were advised that the Council subscribes to a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement for it’s Microsoft licences and the cost was fixed for the duration of the agreement. Inflation costs were covered in the overall budget, not on specific items as some items listed would not be ongoing for 10 years.  If the assumption of a 2% increase changed it would alter the budget and need to be reviewed. Licences were changing to per user rather than per device which presents an increased cost. Software options were frequently being reviewed however some of the systems that the Council used were specifically designed to work with Microsoft Software.

Action 1: Chief Officer Corporate Support to provide a breakdown of Microsoft Licence costs.

A Member queried the expenditure on the Bus Station, and the reasons as to why they were high.

Action 2: For Head of Finance to provide a breakdown of costs of the bus station. 

In response to a question Members were informed that changes had been made to the split of partnership costs between Sevenoaks and Dartford Borough Council due to the demographic differences which has resulted in an increased number of benefit changes in Dartford. Members thanked Officers for their hard work.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved:  that it be recommended to Cabinet that

a)        the growth and saving items proposed in Appendix C of the report be agreed; and

b)        there were no additional growth or savings item to propose.