Issue - meetings

To consider a report which gives summary and detailed information about the Council’s financial and non-financial performance at the mid-year stage of 2013/2014.

Cabinet considered a report on the Council’s financial and non-financial performance at the mid-year stage of 2013/2014.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance reported that the Council’s financial and non-financial performance at mid-year showed a significant improvement on the first quarter and in comparison with previous years. He was working with officers to address the small deficit forecast in the report.

Annex 1 to the report gave summary and detailed information about the Council’s financial and non-financial performance at the mid-year stage. There had been an improvement in the financial position since the first quarter, and a substantial improvement compared to previous years.

The report identified any approvals required for supplementary estimates or virements.

Councillor S Wilkinson, Chairman of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee, commented that the report had been considered by the Committee at its meeting on 11^th November. The Committee had welcomed the improving position in the first quarter in relation to finance and performance. However, it has expressed disappointment at the recent decision to stop green waste collections early this year, and had asked that Cabinet be informed of the Committee’s view that the scrutiny of the new service delivery vehicles should be recognised as a formal scrutiny function and that such arrangements should be written into the articles of association for each of the new companies. Finally, the Committee had expressed its appreciation of the progress made in repairing potholes across the Borough.

RESOLVED

That

1.    Cabinet notes:

§  the summary of performance against the Council’s 5 key outcomes  (Section 1 of the report); 

§  the projected Service revenue and capital outturn positions, overall financial stability of the Council, and the impact on the Council’s general reserves position (Section 2);

§  the delivery of the overall Capital Programme (Section 2, paragraphs 122 to 124 and Appendix 4);

§  reductions in the approved capital programme (Appendix 5);

§  Supplementary Capital Estimates and Virements up to £250,000 In accordance with Finance Procedure Rules  (Appendix 6a);

§  Treasury Management investments and performance (Appendix 7);

§  the Council’s invoiced debt position (Appendix 9);

§  Workforce Development and staffing issues (Section 3).

2.    Cabinet approves: 

§  Supplementary Capital Estimates and Virements over £250,000 but under £1m  in accordance with Finance Procedure Rules  (Appendix 6b);

§  Supplementary Revenue Estimates to be funded by additional specific grant (Appendix 8). 

3.    Cabinet recommends that Full Council approve:

§  Supplementary Revenue Estimate of £46,500 for development of Dragons Den initiatives to be funded from General Reserves (Section 3, paragraph 151). 

Before closing the meeting, the Chairman announced that Richard Hennahane from Adult Services had won a gold medal for Great Britain at the World Para-Archery Championships in Bangkok last week.