Our budget amendments - working document - getting to zero rise.

Waldorf and I have looked through the budget papers. We've come up with some suggestions to save money and enable the Council to cut Council Tax this year.

Please send in your comments or email us. We are getting towards a zero % / Council Tax freeze but need your help.. fast...

We have borrowed what we like from the amendments placed by some Councillors and added our own.

• Delete post of Cabinet Officer (£65,500 saving) (The Conservative Party should pay if OGL wants a right hand man / woman)
• Members allowances savings - cut basic allowance to £4,995, to send message to voters that Councillors are tightening their belts too, plus more... (£623,619 saving)*
• Abolish Leader Lectures (£107,000 saving)
• Abolish Barnet First (£92,390 saving)
• Reduce Communications Team (£200,000 saving)**
• Delete 2 Executive Directors (£540,000 saving)***
• Switch recruitment advertising from local papers to Job Centre / Internet (£42,000 saving)
• Delete Director of Strategy (£165,000 saving)
• Delete Assistant Director - Policy, Intelligence & Analysis (£108,000 saving)
• Remaining contingency from reduction in inflation provision (£270,000 saving)
• Traveling Expenses Budget efficiencies (£50,000 saving)
• Energy saving - turn off lights and PCs at night (£300,000 saving)
• Cancel consultants for Future Shape (£250,000 saving)

Running total £2,813,509

* Members Allowances - decline recommendation to 'restructure' SRA bands. Instruct Council reappoint Panel afresh and instruct to meet in public and take evidence from interested parties.
Members Allowances - remove Licensing Committee members SRA
Remove payment for membership of Licensing Committee and Pension Fund Committee.
Remove payment for Political Party Whips and Secretaries. Councillors should fund these through their Group membership fees / political parties.
Reclassify Chairman of Pension Fund to Scale 5.
Remove payment for Vice-Chairman of OSCs.
Remove payment for Shadow Cabinet Members.
Reduce payment of Leader of Labour Group to Scale 3.
Reduce payment to Licensing Sub Committee Chairman to Scale 6.
Remove payment for Vice-Chairman of Area Environment Sub Committees.

** The plans for more information and a better website will cut most communications requests

*** Kensington and Chelsea are streamlining management. Barnet must catch up.