To receive the Budget Scrutiny Report on the Executive’s Draft Budget Proposals for 2013-14, and agree the Executive’s Response.

(a)  Budget Scrutiny Report   (attached)

(b)  Proposed Executive Response   (to follow)

Councillor Shaw, as Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee, was in attendance and thanked the Executive and its officers for their commitment to the Budget Scrutiny process, the report arising from which was now before the Executive. The Leader of the Council in turn thanked Scrutiny Members for their report, and invited the Executive to endorse the proposed response, noting that a number of the recommended actions were completed or in progress. Councillor Shaw thanked the Executive for its response, which would be formally presented to Scrutiny Committee on 6^th February, and requested that any further queries from Members arising from the response be forwarded to the Scrutiny Office as soon as possible.

RESOLVED: That the Budget Scrutiny report be received and noted, and the proposed response endorsed for referral to Scrutiny Committee on 6^th February, 2013.