Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Chief Operating Officer (to follow)

            The Committee considered a report of the Chief Operating Officer containing a summary and detailed information about the Council’s financial and non-financial performance at the first quarter year stage of 2013/2014.

Section 1 of the report brought together the impact that service performance, the change management programme and financial performance were having on the 5 Outcomes in the Council’s 3 Year Plan. The section highlighted key aspects of service performance and significant exceptions against the change programme and capital programme designed to deliver the outcomes. It considered the key financial pressures which the Council’s Services were facing, potentially as a result of delays in implementing change, and the proposed remedial measures identified by Services to mitigate these pressures.   

            Section 2 provided an update on the overall Financial Stability of the Council. It demonstrated how spending in 2013/2014 was being adequately funded, including the positions on overall Service budgets, Grants, Council Tax and Business Rates, Treasury Management, centrally held budgets, and the management of the Council’s Reserves.    

            Section 3 provided a summary of the key issues relating to the Council’s Workforce Development Plan.   

            The Committee was informed that the Council had a savings target of £31m for 2013/2014. At the First Quarter stage, an overspend of £3.7m (1.4%) was projected against a budget of £260.3m. This would result in a decrease in the Council’s general reserves level to £14.8m, which still compared favourably with the opening balance forecast in the 2013/2014 budget of £13.2m.

            In relation to performance, the report stated that 54% of the basket of performance measures for external reporting achieved, exceeded or were within agreed tolerance.

RESOLVED -

(a)  That the report be received;

(b)  That Cabinet be informed that this Committee believes that good progress has been made by the Council in the first quarter of the 2013/14 in relation to the Council’s overall budget, but is mindful of the need to remain vigilant, particularly in relation to spending on Adult Social Care, in view of the Council’s recent history and continuing pressures on service demand in that area.