Admin edit: Post Split from the WiFi Enquiry 'Business Case' Thread
Dougal
We seem to be straying off the topic of the business case, but…
As the council has an annual budget of about £130M, I wouldn't describe a decision to invest just under £½M as a 'large financial decision' and looking at the budget proposals for next year I don't see mention of anything less than £½M. In council budget terms, this is a relatively small financial decision. However, the chain of delegated authority for such decisions has criteria that are not purely financial.
Geoff has earlier referred to cabinet minute 28 of the 23rd July 2008, allowing two directors in consultation with the Cabinet member for Resources to make decisions to invest in joint ventures. However, every cabinet member's delegated authority is itself constrained, by the council's constitution.
To speed-up decision making and to allow the Cabinet to concentrate on major matters, Cabinet Members have the delegated power to make day-to-day decisions in relation to the areas within their portfolio. Councillors and officers operate in accordance with various agreed procedures and protocols as set out in Part 5 of this Constitution.
So cabinet members have delegated authority for 'day-to-day decisions', but not for 'major matters'. This 'investment' was launched in a blaze of publicity. How many 'day-to-day decisions' are accompanied by press releases and a launch graced with the presence of a member of the parliamentary shadow cabinet?
Even if small financially, politically this seems to have been planned as something major.