Agenda item - Targeted Budget Management (TBM) 2018/19: Month 2

Report of the Executive Director Finance & Resources

RESOLVED: That the Committee –

(i)            Noted the forecast risk position for the General Fund, which

indicated a budget pressure of £2.897m. This includes an overspend of £0.716m on the council’s share of the NHS managed Section 75 services.

(ii)          Noted that the one-off Adult Care Support Grant has been

allocated to meet a gross forecast risk on Adult Social Care of £2.926m including Adult Learning Disability services.

(iii)         Noted that the one-off financial risk safety net of £1.500m was

available to mitigate the forecast risk if the risks cannot be completely eliminated by year-end.

(iv)         Noted the forecast for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), which was currently an underspend of £0.400m.

(v)          Noted the forecast risk position for the Dedicated Schools Grant which was an overspend of £0.385m.

(vi)         Noted the forecast outturn position on the capital programme and approve the variations and slippage in Appendix 4 and the new schemes as set out in Appendix 5.

(vii)        Approved a transfer the Concessionary Travel budget from Corporate Budgets to the Environment, Economy and Culture

Directorate (paragraph 6.3).

30.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Finance and Resources which set out an early indication of forecast risks as at Month 2 on the Council’s revenue and capital budgets for the financial year 2018/19.

30.2    Councillor Wealls noted that there was a delay in recruiting staff to support homeless households into permanent accommodation, and asked why that was. The Executive Director Finance and Resources said that they were struggling to recruit staff and that was an issue. The authority was looking at hard to recruit positions across the Council, and considering options such as supplementing pay if possible.

30.3    Councillor Mac Cafferty said that last year’s budget equality impact assessments assured us that savings would be met through efficiency, and asked if that approach was working. The Executive Director Finance and Resources said that in the budget process the amount of pressure funding that was felt was needed to meet the rising demand and inflationary pressures had been applied. However, over the last few years that had not been adequate, and so budget saving opportunities had to be applied. In this year’s budget proposal officer’s would be looking capacity and being realistic on what could and could not be delivered. To date the Council had continued to deliver the vast majority of services, but with the level of cuts over the last seven to eight years departments were now straining to deliver them.

30.4    The Chair referred to Recommendation 2.7 and asked if the virement was a one off, or whether it was a permanent transfer of the Concessionary Travel budget. The Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture confirmed that it was permanent.

30.5The Chair proposed the following amendment to recommendation 2.7:

Approved a virement to transfer the Concessionary Travel budget from Corporate Budgets to the Environment, Economy and Culture Directorate (paragraph 6.3).

30.6Councillor Mitchell seconded the amendment.

30.7The Committee agreed the amendment.

30.8    RESOLVED: That the Committee –

(i)            Noted the forecast risk position for the General Fund, which

indicated a budget pressure of £2.897m. This includes an overspend of £0.716m on the council’s share of the NHS managed Section 75 services.

(ii)          Noted that the one-off Adult Care Support Grant has been

allocated to meet a gross forecast risk on Adult Social Care of £2.926m including Adult Learning Disability services.

(iii)         Noted that the one-off financial risk safety net of £1.500m was

available to mitigate the forecast risk if the risks cannot be completely eliminated by year-end.

(iv)         Noted the forecast for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), which was currently an underspend of £0.400m.

(v)          Noted the forecast risk position for the Dedicated Schools Grant which was an overspend of £0.385m.

(vi)         Noted the forecast outturn position on the capital programme and approve the variations and slippage in Appendix 4 and the new schemes as set out in Appendix 5.

(vii)        Approved a transfer the Concessionary Travel budget from Corporate Budgets to the Environment, Economy and Culture

Directorate (paragraph 6.3).