How big decisions can take minutes (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council meeting lasts eight minutes

2:00pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Local By Simon Moss

Councillor Clive Sanders

IN LITTLE more than the time it takes to boil a kettle, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s decision-making Cabinet agreed its budget for the next financial year, set out the grants it will give to voluntary groups and made six other important decisions.

Last Monday, the Cabinet’s monthly meeting lasted just eight minutes, as portfolio holders rattled through their responsibilities in double quick time.

Most importantly, the Cabinet agreed its budget, which will go before full council on Thursday for a debate and vote. The budget recommends a council tax freeze and sets out a series of efficiencies that will help save in excess of £2million.

Acting council leader Councillor Clive Sanders, explaining why the meeting was over so quickly, said: “We have Cabinet meetings so people can come in and ask questions of the Cabinet and raise points before decisions are made. Nobody came to this meeting.

“There is no point prolonging a meeting for the sake of it. All the issues we have discussed as a Cabinet beforehand as you would expect us to.

“There is no point sitting there giving some theatrical performance, but it is absolutely right that Cabinet decisions should be made in the public domain.”

Also at the meeting, it was agreed what funding the local authority will give to arts and heritage groups, such as The Anvil and Whitchurch Silk Mill, which will receive a share of £1.6million this year. The overall cash pot has been reduced by six per cent in line with efficiency savings.

Cllr Ranil Jayawardena, Cabinet member for finance and property, said: “This is following the same established process for funding.”

Cabinet member for housing, health and culture, Cllr Cathy Osselton, added the council had worked with all of the groups affected to help them become more streamline.

The Cabinet also agreed to shed £22,000 from its voluntary sector support budget, which gives grants to services that support vulnerable people in Basingstoke and Deane. This includes The Cafe Project, in Brighton Hill, and Basingstoke Voluntary Services.

Cllr Jayawardena also agreed the treasury management strategy for the next financial year, which sets out how the council will manage its £140m investment portfolio over the next 12 months.

The local authority is expecting to earn in excess of £3.7m in interest in the next year.

Other decisions agreed by the Cabinet included the council plan, which sets out what services the council will prioritise over the next three years and its cultural strategy for Basingstoke and Deane, which outlines where investment in cultural activities will be placed over the next 12 months.