Thread by @OllieSirrellLDR

I'm at @BracknellForest's budget meeting, where spending plans for 2020/2021 will be discussed and voted on. More details below and follow this thread for updates. bracknellnews.co.uk/news/18236123.…

@BracknellForest First up we have a question from @tom4hw, who asks the following:

@BracknellForest @tom4hw Cllr Peter Heydon responds: "It is not a question of withdrawing support.

"Transformation is a different way of doing things.

"The emphasis is on quality, not quantity.

"We task our officers every year to do things better while finding savings."

@BracknellForest @tom4hw He adds that the council will be spending an extra £6 million on social care services next year, which he says is a "strong indication of the level of pressure on our finances."

@BracknellForest @tom4hw Mr @tom4hw says Cllr Heydon avoided answering his question and points out recent adult social care and children's services overview and scrutiny panels have been cancelled.

He asks where residents can read assessments about the impact of transformation?

@BracknellForest @tom4hw Cllr Dale Birch, BFC's social care boss, says: "We use a strait-laced approach.

"No one gets any less than they are entitled to.

"What we are doing is finding new and better, joined-up ways of doing things."

@BracknellForest @tom4hw Next up is announcements from the council's top team. Cllr Paul Bettison, leader, is up first. He is talking about the Bracknell Forest awards, an event hosted for council teams and members of staff who have excelled in the past year.

@BracknellForest @tom4hw Cllr Dr Gareth Barnard is giving an update on the council's approach to dealing with #coronavirus matters.

He says: "I'm confident that our schools at all times will follow the advice available to keep our children safe and our families supported." #BracknellForest

@BracknellForest @tom4hw Cllr Barnard now talking about the success of the family safeguarding model bracknellnews.co.uk/news/18223829.…

@BracknellForest @tom4hw He says the safeguarding team has been nominated for a "prestigious, national award" for its work, with the ceremony set to take place next week bracknellnews.co.uk/news/18223829.…

@BracknellForest @tom4hw Next up is the Executive report, which outlines what BFC's cabinet has been up to recently.
This includes:
- Approving plans for food waste collection
- Selecting a contractor for the Heathlands care home redevelopment
-Giving the go-ahead to a 5-year school places strategy

@BracknellForest @tom4hw More info on the food waste collection approval here... bracknellnews.co.uk/news/18195422.…

@BracknellForest @tom4hw And more info on the Heathlands redevelopment below... bracknellnews.co.uk/news/18207255.…

@BracknellForest @tom4hw Leader Cllr Paul Bettison talking about the food waste collection plan.

He says the implementation will increase the borough's recycling rate and that residents have been asking for this service for a number of years.

Worries about the new three-weekly non-recycling collection, introduced to offset the cost of food waste collection, are being addressed by officers.

Cllr Bettison says: "Nobody will be left alone if they have a problem".

Bit more info on concerns here
bracknellnews.co.uk/news/18217412.…

Cllr Mary Temperton says "Many people are very concerned about what will happen" when, she says, every 6 weeks up to 4 separate bins will be collected.

She says residents have told her they are worried about trucks jamming roads coming to collect rubbish.

Now on to the budget. I've produced a few articles on the spending and saving plans of BFC, most of which can be found here: bracknellnews.co.uk/search/?search…

Finance boss Cllr @wpheydon says he is "glad" he has had a bit longer to prepare BFC's budget than the new Chancellor @RishiSunak will have for the government's upcoming budget.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak Cllr @wpheydon points out a third of BFC's budget goes on supporting adults and 20 per cent goes towards children.

He says: "In other words, over half of our budget goes towards supporting vulnerable people."

@wpheydon @RishiSunak "It is no exaggeration to say that the 2020/2021 budget is the most challenging we have had for some time."

Capital spending has been scaled back to a "modest rate" because of this, Cllr Heydon adds.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak The council is proposing a council tax increase of 3.99 per cent next year, with two per cent of this channelled to fund adult social care - something Cllr Heydon says is "vitally important".

The increase represents a payment of an additional £1 a week for the average taxpayer

@wpheydon @RishiSunak Labour Cllr @MaryTemperton says the budget documents residents were consulted on "lacked precision".

She reads out one respondent's comment, which suggested the documents were "obtuse, vague and hard to understand." 18 people responded this year.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton Cllr Temperton hits out at the effect austerity has had and tells councillors that last year, 1,972 food vouchers were given out to families from foodbanks last year.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton The Labour member says she backs plans for a new SEMH school and adds that she supports funding proposals for the new town centre youth hub
bracknellnews.co.uk/news/18130342.…

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton Cllr Temperton raises concerns shared with me about the gradual cuts in grants for Shopmobility, the charity which supports vulnerable people by providing mobility scooters for them.

She says: "Shopmobility can not be allowed to fail." bracknellnews.co.uk/news/18227490.…

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton She concludes: "Because there is no realistic alternative we accept that the council tax will have to be raised."

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton Cllr Barnard hits out at Cllr Temperton's Labour Party, saying voters chose the Conservatives' "pragmatism" versus Labour's "idealism" at the 2019 general election, and says money is tight because of the former Labour government's "squandering" of cash when last in power.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton Cllr Barnard adds: "The bottom line is we are making the best use of resources.

"Ditch the ideology and come with us in making the best use of resources."

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton Cllr John Harrison addresses a few of Cllr Temperton's points, saying South Hill Park will still receive a grant from BFC despite some cut in funding.

He also says BFC will continue to support and help Shopmobility going forward. "I think it does have a future", he adds.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton Cllr Bettison now summing up before the vote. He points out, as Cllr Temperton did earlier, that local authorities now only operate on 40 per cent of the money they received ten years ago.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton He adds: "This council has delivered services within its budget every time.

"That is a proud boast."

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton .@LeaderatBFC continues: "I would love to be saying we are not increasing council tax but sadly that is not practical."

He points out council tax in Bracknell Forest is one of the lowest in the country for a council of its size.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton @LeaderatBFC Cllr @TriciaEBrown says: "The council tax rise of 3.99 per cent is badly needed by the council but will be a huge blow for many residents whose pay will not have increased much in the last few years."

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton @LeaderatBFC @TriciaEBrown Cllr Dale Birch up to speak. He says: "We came through a period of austerity and it has driven innovation.

"It has made have to think differently, so why shouldn't a council think differently."

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton @LeaderatBFC @TriciaEBrown Cllr Birch says there is a "total commitment in this budget" towards helping vulnerable people including homeless people, hitting back at Cllr Brown's comments on a need for more support for those in need.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton @LeaderatBFC @TriciaEBrown He sums up: "This is a budget about the future wellbeing of our residents.

"I really want everyone to join us and take these initiatives forward."

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton @LeaderatBFC @TriciaEBrown Finance chief Cllr Heydon wrapping up now. He says the council is "efficient" and "effective."

"We dropped the ideology and we put people first", he concludes.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton @LeaderatBFC @TriciaEBrown We're having a recorded vote on the budget, which means members get to say whether they're for, against or would like to abstain.

Cllr D Birch says he is "very for" and Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker is "absolutely for." The three Labour councillors abstain.

The budget is approved.

@wpheydon @RishiSunak @MaryTemperton @LeaderatBFC @TriciaEBrown Now - councillor questions. First one is a joint effort.

Cllr Chris Turrell, BFC's transport boss, says he will meet with residents to understand more about their desire for a pelican crossing.

Cllr Ingham says 326 have signed a petition asking for this provision.

Cllr @MaryTemperton's question now being addressed.

Cllr Bettison says calculations are being prepared for March 2020.

The leader says he believes the authority will achieve carbon neutrality in years to come.

That's the end of the meeting - thanks for following!