Agenda item

            (Mrs. J. Thompson, Director of Finance and Resources, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      As part of the Council’s Efficiency Programme, the Health and Environmental Services Department has identified potential savings of £215,000 to be included within the Departmental revenue estimates for 2011/2012. This level of Departmental savings is considered necessary in order to achieve the total Council targeted savings of £1.7M in 2011/2012 and, as such, the Department has considered a number of possible options for making the savings.  

      The potential areas for savings are summarised in the table below and it is proposed to generate these from areas across the Department.  More detail on the proposals is given in the narrative below.

Departmental Efficiency Savings 2011/2012

      The budgetary challenge reductions of £20,000 could be generated from the realignment of supplies and services budgets in Cleansing Services and the training budget in the Environmental Health Service. This will have an impact, but it is felt that this can be managed so that it does not significantly affect service delivery.

      The £47,000 of additional income could potentially be generated from the proposed introduction of charges for the collection of bulky household waste, which is a service that the Council currently provides free of charge. Detailed information on this proposal is included in a separate report, as introducing such a change is dependent on a Committee decision taken with knowledge of the full facts.

      Improvements in procurement could generate an anticipated £30,000 of savings, including further reductions in kennelling costs through the collaborative contract arrangements with Carrickfergus Borough Council and reductions in the Waste Management communications programme and schools education contract. The Waste Management Service will work closely with Corporate Communications to limit the impact of the £15,000 reduction in the communications programme on the behavioural change message and the service will also utilise revised implementation arrangements during the contract extension period to negate the impact of the £5,000 reduction in the schools education contract.

      The anticipated £118,000 of service review savings could be generated through the following proposed actions:

·         Cleansing Services and Environmental Health Service reductions in overtime budgets by a total of £29,000. This will impact on the capacity of the Services to respond to specific requests from local communities or off-schedule action, however, it is considered necessary in this financial climate.

·         changes to shift patterns of staff at Recycling Centres could generate further savings in overtime costs of £74,000. A separate report is being presented on this proposal as it has implications in terms of opening hours.

·         the Environmental Health Service could reduce the current number of annual student placements from two to one, which would generate savings of £7,700. (This was reduced from four in 2008/09)

·         the Environmental Health Service could also cease payment of the annual contributions to ‘The Dogs Trust’ (£5,000) and ‘Bee Safe’ (£2,300) in 2011.

      In addition to the savings identified above, the Department will continue to analyse and challenge actual expenditure against the budget in 2010/2011 and ensure that any additional savings which will continue in 2011/2012 are included with the 2011/2012 revenue estimates.

Recommendations

      The Committee is asked to note the efficiency savings to be included in the revenue estimates for Health and Environmental Services Department for 2011/2012.

      The Committee is also asked to approve the following specific actions in relation to the efficiency programme:

(i)      the cessation of the annual funding contributions to the ‘Dogs Trust’ of £5,000 during 2011/2012;

(ii)     the cessation of the annual funding contribution to ‘Bee Safe’ of £2,300 during 2011/2012; and

(iii)    a reduction in the number Environmental Health student placements from two to one in 2011/2012.

      The Committee is also asked to note that the proposal to introduce a £5 charge for the collection of bulky household waste and to change Recycling Centre opening hours are included in separate reports to be presented later in the meeting by the Head of Cleansing Services and the Head of Waste Management respectively.’

            During discussion, several Members voiced concern regarding the proposal to further reduce the number of places available within the Department for students pursuing a career in Environmental Health.  The point was made that the placement provided them with a valuable opportunity in terms of development and training.

            After further discussion, it was

Moved by Councillor Mullaghan,

Seconded by Councillor Cush,

      That the Committee agrees to adopt options (i) and (ii) only within the foregoing report.

            On a vote by show of hands six Members voted for the proposal and seven against and it was accordingly declared lost.

            Accordingly, the Committee adopted the three recommendations within the report and noted that the proposal to introduce a charge for the collection of bulky household waste and a review of staffing levels and shift patterns at Household Recycling Centres/Civic Amenity Sites would be considered later in the meeting.

(The Deputy Chairman, Councillor Jones, in the Chair.)