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Once a budget or a policy framework document has been agreed, it is the responsibility of the Mayor, the Executive and officers to implement it.

The process by which the budget and policy framework shall be developed is:

The Executive will publicise, by publishing a notice in accordance with the Access to Information Procedure Rules at Part B Section 8 of this Constitution, a timetable for making proposals to Council for the adoption of any plan, strategy or budget that forms part of the budget and policy framework and its arrangements for consultation after publication of those initial proposals.

estimates of the amounts to be aggregated in making a calculation (whether originally or by way of substitute) in accordance with any of sections 32 to 37 or 43 to 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (calculation of budget requirement etc.); or

Decisions Outside the Budget or Policy Framework

Subject to the provisions of Rule 5 (virement) the Mayor, Executive, Committees of the Executive and any officers or joint arrangements may only take decisions which are in line with the budget and policy framework. If any of these bodies or persons wishes to make a decision which is contrary to the policy framework, or contrary to or not wholly in accordance with the budget approved by Council, then that decision may only be taken by Council, subject to Rule 4 below.

If the Mayor, Executive, a Committee of the Executive, any officer or joint arrangements want to make such a decision, they shall take advice from the Monitoring Officer and/or the Chief Finance Officer as to whether the decision they want to make would be contrary to the policy framework, or contrary to or not wholly in accordance with the budget. If the advice of either of those officers is that the decision would not be in line with the existing budget and/or policy framework, then the decision must be referred by that body or person to Council for decision, unless the decision is a matter of urgency, in which case the provisions in Rule 4 (urgent decisions outside the budget and policy framework) shall apply.

Urgent Decisions Outside the Budget or Policy Framework

The Mayor, Executive, a Committee of the Executive, an officer or joint arrangements may take a decision which is contrary to the Council’s policy framework or contrary to or not wholly in accordance with the budget approved by Council if the decision is a matter of urgency. However, the decision may only be taken:

Steps taken by the Mayor, the Executive, a Committee of the Executive, an officer, or joint arrangements to implement Council policy shall not exceed the budgets allocated to each relevant budget head. However, such bodies or individuals shall be entitled to vire across budget heads within the limits laid down in the Financial Procedure Rules. Beyond those limits, approval to any virement across budget heads shall require the approval of the Council.