Issue - meetings

A report from the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing is attached.

TheCabinet Member for Finance and Housing submitted a report which informed Cabinet of the financial position of the Council for the period April 2017 to December 2017 and projects the estimated outturn at the end of 2017/18.   The Report also includes Prudential Indicators in accordance with CIPFAs Code of Practice.

              Delegated decision:

              That the financial position of the Council as at 31 December 2017 be noted.

              Reasons for the decision:

              Budget Monitoring falls within the appropriate statutory duties and powers and is a requirement of the Council’s Financial Regulations.

              Other option considered and rejected:

              To reject the recommendations.

A report from the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing is attached.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing submitted a report informing the Committee of the Council’s financial position for the period April to December 2017 and projecting the likely outturn at the end of 2017/18.

                The report included Prudential Indicators in accordance with CIPFA’s Prudential Code.

                The Cabinet Member reported that the current projected overspend was £1.838m which represented approximately 1.36% of the total net budget of £135.330 and was a reduced figure from both months 3 and 6.

Questions and comments were invited from the Committee and the following issues were raised:

·         Councillor Hankey referred to the delayed achievements and non-achievements of cuts options and asked whether the Council was confident that the savings targets could still be achieved.

Councillor O’Brien referred to the ongoing service redesigns and explained that actions relating to these were constantly being monitored. Where there were delays or where an objective was unachievable other savings were identified. It was also explained that new funding streams were being researched and identified. The Council was confident that the savings targets can be achieved in the timescale.

·         Councillor Hankey referred to the review of civic facilities which seemed to have been carried out in one form or another for at least 6 years’ and stated that losses were still being recorded.

Councillor O’Brien stated that improvements and savings were expected to be seen in these areas.

·         Councillor Harris explained that she was aware that schools were now in a position to decide who provided their contracted services such as catering and maintenance and cleaning. These were historically provided by the Council but some schools were looking to other providers. Councillor Harris asked what was being done to try to retain or regain the contracts within schools.

It was explained that the Council have established a Traded Services Group which have reviewed the way in which the Council was offering its services and had identified better ways of working. The Council will look to provide a high quality, competitive and appropriate service offer at a price that customers are willing to pay. There had already been meetings with head teachers and school business managers to discuss the offer to schools and it was reported that the revised packages would be with all schools by the end of March 2018.

·         Councillor S Wright referred to the table at 4.3.3 within the report and the action being taken column in reference to Children, Young People and Culture Department. Councillor Wright asked why the column contained reasons for an overspend rather than an explanation of the actions being taken to address it.

It was explained that demand pressures drive up the cost and it was the Councils statutory duty to provide these services, Work was being undertaken in relation to prevention and early intervention but this would take time. It was reported that the Council was looking at options to provide in house higher level care.

Peter Lowe, Head of Financial Services - Children, Young People and Culture explained that each  ...  view the full minutes text for item 389