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The responsibility for agreeing the budget and policy framework lies with Council, and decisions by the Mayor, the Executive, a Committee of the Executive, officers, or joint arrangements must be in line with it. No changes to any budget, plan or strategy which comprises part of the budget and policy framework may be made by those bodies or individuals except those changes:

which will result in the closure or discontinuance of a service or part of service to meet a budgetary constraint;

Call-In of Decisions Outside the Budget or Policy Framework

Where the Overview and Scrutiny Committee is of the opinion that an executive decision is, or if made would be, contrary to the policy framework, or contrary to or not wholly in accordance with Council’s budget, then it shall seek advice from the Monitoring Officer and/or Chief Finance Officer.

Where the Overview and Scrutiny Committee is of the opinion that an executive decision is, or if made would be, contrary to the policy framework, or contrary to or not wholly in accordance with Council’s budget, then it shall seek advice from the Monitoring Officer and/or Chief Finance Officer.

If the decision has yet to be made, or has been made but not yet implemented, and the advice from the Monitoring Officer and/or the Chief Finance Officer is that the decision is or would be contrary to the policy framework or contrary to or not wholly in accordance with the budget, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee may refer the matter to Council. In such cases, no further action will be taken in respect of the decision or its implementation until Council has met and considered the matter. Council shall meet within twenty-one days of the request from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (or within twenty-eight days if a meeting of Council is scheduled within that period). At the meeting Council will receive a report of the decision or proposals and the advice of the Monitoring Officer and/or the Chief Finance Officer.

endorse a decision or proposal of the decision taker as falling within the existing budget and policy framework. In this case no further action is required, save that the decision of Council be minuted and circulated to all Councillors in the normal way; or

amend the budget, financial rule or policy concerned to encompass the decision or proposal of the body or individual responsible for that function and agree to the decision with immediate effect. In this case, no further action is required save that the decision of Council be minuted and circulated to all Councillors in the normal way; or

where Council accepts that the decision or proposal is contrary to the policy framework or contrary to or not wholly in accordance with the budget, and does not amend the existing framework to accommodate it, require the Mayor or Executive to reconsider the matter in accordance with the advice of the Monitoring Officer and/or the Chief Finance Officer.

If Council does not meet, the decision will become effective on the date of Council or expiry of the period in which Council should have been held, whichever is the earlier: providing that the Monitoring Officer and/or the Chief Finance Officer is/are satisfied that the decision is within the budget and policy framework or falls within Rules 6.1(a) – 6.1(d).