THE FUTURE OF LOCAL SERVICES

Cllr Ian Stephens Leader of the Council (10 mins)

- Introduction and the new administrations priorities

Dave Burbage Managing Director

- The Financial challenge (15 mins )

Cllr Steve Stubbings Deputy Leader (5 mins)

- Meeting the challenge

The Future of Local Services ( 60 mins)

- Questions and suggestions from the floor

WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT

• Being open honest and transparent

• Building constructive partnerships for the good of the Island and its

residents

• Involving ,listening and consulting on what we do

• Basing what decisions we make on evidence and understanding the

impact on services and users

• That we try to attract investment to the Island and improve our local

economy where we can

• That we are realistic in what the Council can and should do

NEW COUNCIL – THE FIRST SIX MONTHS

Decision Making

- delegated decisions taken by individual

cabinet members stopped

- reviewed the governance arrangements

and consulting on

three potential options

- Engaging with the public e.g. these

events

Working In Partnership

- with Town and Parish

Councils, business and voluntary sector

- involving communities in use of assets

- continuing to invest in pre

apprenticeships

Improving Service Delivery

- strategic partnership with Hampshire CC

for Children’s Services

- strengthening Adult Social care practice

- started a Root and Branch Review of

Services

Promoting the Economy and Tourism

- agreed to invest in a tidal energy project

and rural broadband

- attracting Inward investment through the

Solent Local Enterprise Partnership

- working with visit Isle of Wight

- enabled the setting up of visitor

information points

- Seeking Assisted Area Status

WE WANT TO DO MORE

BUT

THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGE

SERVICE SPENDING PRESSURES

Adult Social Care – increased need

Children’s Services – improvement agenda

Inflation

Increased statutory duties- e.g. Local council tax support

schemes,

Investment in capital assets such as Schools, buildings, Fire

Vehicles

MAIN SOURCES OF INCOME 2014/15 - £225m

Cap at 2% increase

Above need a

referendum

Fixed by

Government

Fixed by

Government

Mainly

Statutory

Excluding Schools

Fixed By Government

Fixed By

Government

GOVERNMENT GRANTS REDUCING

COSTS INCREASING

BUDGET GAP WIDENING

SAVINGS BASE

• The Council has a range of statutory duties it must meet

• It also has committed spend it is difficult to reduce e.g. on

contracts , national concessionary fares, Housing Benefits

• Much of what the Council does is set down by regulations by

Government

£28m FROM A SMALL BASE

£225m Committed £65m

Children's Services £28m

Adult Social Care £57m

Public Health £6m

Waste Contract/Fire£17m

Capital Borrowing costs£16mDiscretionary type services£36m

STATUTORY V DISCRETIONARY

STATUTORY A BIT OF BOTH DISCRETIONARY

How we operate and make decisions Youth service How we organise ourselves

Lots of Regulations and Duties Community Safety Cowes Chain Ferry

Children’s Services Waste collection and

disposal

Tourist Information

Adult Social Care Libraries Public Conveniences

Home to school Transport Road maintenance Leisure Centres , sports, play

Some Housing Functions Early Years Public Realm Services

Council Tax and Benefits Economic Development Parks and open spaces

Public Health Planning enforcement Coastal Management

Concessionary Fares Harbours Lifeguards

Fire and Rescue Services Supporting People

Culture and Heritage

MEETING THE CHALLENGE ?

• The Council cannot provide the Services it does now It must focus on

meeting its statutory duties

• We will need to look at how others could take on services through local

groups, other Councils, partnerships, merging services or stopping providing

them

• Local communities and residents can play their part in supporting initiatives

in their local areas that reduce the dependency on the Council and the need

for services

• We want to engage everyone in the discussion about what local services

should look like in the future we want to know what you consider to be

important

• We want your ideas on how we should meet the financial challenge