Issue - items at meetings - Targetted Budget Management (TBM) 2015/16 Month 2

Report of the Interim Executive Director for Finance & Resources (copy attached).

1)               That the Committee note the forecast risk position for the General Fund, which indicates a budget pressure of £9.430m. This consists of £8.735m on council controlled budgets and £0.695m on the council’s share of the NHS managed Section 75 services.

2)               Note that Financial Recovery Plans are being developed and finalised and will be reviewed by the cross-party Budget Review Group which will provide member oversight.

3)               That the Committee note the forecast for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), which is an underspend of £0.045m.

4)               That the Committee note the forecast risk position for the Dedicated Schools Grant which is an overspend of £0.209m.

5)               That the Committee note the forecast outturn position on the capital programme.

6)               That the Committee approve the capital programme variations and reprofiles in Appendix 3 and new capital schemes in Appendix 4 (excluding the Dorothy Stringer all weather pitch).

22.1       The Committee considered a report of the Interim Executive Director for Finance & Resources in relation to Targetted Budget Management (TBM) 2015/16 Month 2. The TBM report was a key component of the Council’s overall performance monitoring and control framework; the report set out an early indication of forecast risk as at Month 2 on the Council’s revenue and capital budgets for the financial year 2015/16.

22.2       Councillor Hamilton noted the comments made by the Interim Executive Director by way of introduction, and stated, that despite forecast risk in the report, this was a very early position in the financial year and Officers were looking in detail at mitigation measures. Councillor Hamilton had confidence that this would be brought down by the end of the year.

22.3       In response to Councillor Sykes it was confirmed that the funds in the dedicated schools grant were ring-fenced for priorities relating to schools and school support.

22.4       In response to a further query from Councillor Sykes that it was clarified that there were pressures on budgets in Children’s Services that related to child protection, this was similar to the trend being seen nationally. The Children’s Services Assistant Director provided assurance that the department was working hard towards a recovery plan. The recent Osted inspection had provided assurance that the thresholds were correct to ensure the right level of support was in place. The Executive Director of Adult’s Services provided assurance that the work on TBM 3 was seeing the increase in the community care budget begin to slow down.

22.5       Councillor G. Theobald welcomed the addition information in the report to map TBM progress against planned budget savings. He noted that the number of those claiming Council Tax benefit had reduced to reflect the increased number of people in work, and he attributed this to measures from Central Government.

22.6       Councillor G. Theobald raised a number of questions, and Officers explained that the Council would not take on the award of costs following the withdrawal of the authority from University of Sussex planning appeal, but there would be some costs involved as the authority had instructed counsel. In relation to City Clean the bank holiday and service guarantee was an agreement between staff and the unions; there would be an overspend this financial year, due to the way the bank holidays fell across the financial year, but this would fall back in line in the following years. The Director of Public agreed to send information to the Committee in relation to reductions in the late night noise service.

22.7       Councillor Wealls welcomed the early intervention work taking place and noted that there was real evidence this was effective. In response to queries about the review of special educational needs and disability the Executive Director for Adult’s Services clarified that the adult review related to personal approaches to packages; a number of actions had been put into place and there would be a full report to the October Health & Wellbeing Board. The Children’s Services Assistant Director added that where there were issues with home to school transport this was very much linked up with wider conversations about other interventions; the report in the autumn would provide more opportunity to look in detail at the recommendations. In relation to children in care it was added that emerging patterns matched the national trend; Ofsted had not highlighted anything that was cause for concern, and the transformation of the social work service would use resources better and more efficiently.

22.8       Councillor A. Norman drew attention to the inclusion of Surrendean and Fiveways parking scheme, and noted she and her Ward colleagues were already carrying out parking surveys.

22.9       Councillor G. Theobald proposed an amendment to recommendation 2.6 that the words ‘with the exemption of permanent traveller site (as at page 83)’ be added to the end of the sentence.

22.10    The Chair then put the amendment to the vote. This was lost.

22.11    The Chair then put the substantive recommendations to the vote.

22.12    RESOLVED:

1)        That the Committee note the forecast risk position for the General Fund, which indicates a budget pressure of £9.430m. This consists of £8.735m on council controlled budgets and £0.695m on the council’s share of the NHS managed Section 75 services.

2)        Note that Financial Recovery Plans are being developed and finalised and will be reviewed by the cross-party Budget Review Group which will provide member oversight.

3)        That the Committee note the forecast for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), which is an underspend of £0.045m.

4)        That the Committee note the forecast risk position for the Dedicated Schools Grant which is an overspend of £0.209m.

5)        That the Committee note the forecast outturn position on the capital programme.

6)        That the Committee approve the capital programme variations and reprofiles in Appendix 3 and new capital schemes in Appendix 4 (excluding the Dorothy Stringer all weather pitch).