Welcome

This Evening 6.15pm – 6.45pm Coffee, Cake and Community Project Display 6.45pm – 7.30pm Presentation 7.30pm – 7.45pm Discussion 7.45pm – 8.15pm Question and Answer Session

Hertfordshire County Council Budgeting in a time of Austerity Robert Gordon Leader of the Council

Reminder of CSR – % grant cuts over 4 years Front loaded Impact on HCC –Allowing for demography, inflation, etc –Estimated in 2010 at £200m over 4 years –About a quarter of spending not delegated to schools

Started work Summer 2009 Benchmarking Analysis Transformation programme Doing things different – and cheaper Protecting front line Efficiencies before cuts

Assumptions as at October 2010: Income 2010/11 Charges Gov’t grant Council tax

Assumptions as at October 2010: Assumed income 2011/12

Assumptions as at October 2010: Assumed income 2012/13

Assumptions as at October 2010: Assumed income 2013/14

Income in summary Very little influence on income Grant – determined by government Charges – limited scope to change Council tax –Base –Capping – 2.5% grant; part one-off –New homes bonus – 80% to districts

Assumptions as at October 2010: Spending 2010/11

Assumptions as at October 2010: Standstill pressure to spend 2011/12 Inflation Demography Birth rate Landfill tax Etc

Assumptions as at October 2010: Standstill pressure to spend 2012/13

Assumptions as at October 2010: Standstill pressure to spend 2013/14

Efficiency savings found Growing to £116m a year through –Management –Terms & conditions –Staff numbers –Premises and vehicles –Contracts –Technology –channel shift –Early intervention / re-enablement

Breakdown of savings Efficiencies - £116m Service changes - £19m a year –Libraries –Home to School Transport –Part-night lighting –Subsidised ‘buses –Voluntary Sector

Maintaining high standards Overall satisfaction - 80% (67% national) Children’s – performing well Adult Care – Excellent Children’s Centres – none closed Libraries – none closed Education – among best in country Recycling targets – eight years ahead Fire & Rescue – lowest number of fires per capita

Bridging the gap Efficiencies Charges Service reductions To be found

Mid-term report Massive challenge, but well on way Succeeded in protecting front line Not out of woods yet Significant savings still to find, and more difficult –Uncertainties re: Business Rates, LACSEG, localisation of Housing Benefit David to discuss options

Hertfordshire County Council Budgeting in a time of Austerity David Lloyd Cabinet Member, Resources and Economic Wellbeing

The last quarter?

Options for change – capital assets Continue active review of property owned Only keep assets required for service delivery Work with other public bodies to ensure best use of all property – or best value at disposal

Options for change - revenue More commissioning – less direct delivery Continue to outsource our contact service (“broadening and deepening” the Serco contract) Stand-alone traded services Bring more special needs provision in-county HR full implementation of terms and conditions review

Options for change - schools Changing relationship School Improvement service Education welfare officers Music service

Joint working Community budgets

Thank you