You mustn't scrutinise budgets...

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Bradford's Children's Services Scrutiny Committee took an item on the 2011/12 budget for the service and made a resolution:

Resolved –

(1) That the Strategic Director, Children’s Services be requested to progress the resolution of Council with regard to monitoring how the Pupil Premium was spent and report back to this Committee at the meeting on 29 November 2011.
(2) That a report on the budget savings 2011-12 made to date; the risks in achieving the remainder of those savings and details of specific pressures on the service be presented at the meeting on 29 November 2011.
(3) That a detailed breakdown of efficiency savings be provided at the meeting on 29 November 2011.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Children’s Services

Now you'll agree that this all seems perfectly reasonable - the Committee has asked some sensible questions about an important matter. However, the Council's leadership think otherwise and the Chairman is now told that such a resolution is outside the remit of the Committee since it might stray into the discussion of a budget for 2012/13.

What utter nonsense. On stilts. What is the point of scrutiny if it can't scrutinise?

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