Agenda item

To Consider a report of the Interim Executive Director of Corporate Services.

The Committee considered a report of the Interim Director of Corporate Services on the Mid-Year Review of Performance for 2018/19.

The report outlined the budgetary pressures facing the Council and the mitigation measures used to address forecast overspends. The report also highlighted examples of good performance in Quarter 2.

Annex 1 to the report set out details of how the Council was performing in 2018/19 and was structured into three sections:

Section 1 -  Summary of Council Performance

Section 2 -  Financial Stability.

Section 3 -  Workforce Development

RESOLVED - That the following Comments be forwarded to Cabinet for consideration at its meeting to be held on 9 October 2018:

1.    That this Committee notes the projected overspend of £5.3 million in 2018/19 and that although this amount is less than in previous years at the comparable point in the financial year, the Committee still has concerns about the overall level of the projected overspend;

2.    The Committee also notes that for the first time, there is a projected overspend in Corporate Services;

3.    The Committee notes that savings of £1.5 million were projected in the Medium Term Financial Strategy but that only £500,000 have been achieved;

4.    The committee acknowledges and notes that there are difficulties in producing realistic business cases for digital projects and notes that a meeting of the Best4Business joint working group will be convened in the near future where consideration will be given to this matter and that  the Council’s representatives on the working group will report be invited to report back this Committee in due course.

5.    The Committee acknowledges the hard work of Directorates to improve services across the Council and specifically draws attention to the following:

·         The continuing good work in children’s services managing high numbers of  cared for children;

·         Excellent A level results across the borough with a provisional pass rate of 99%;

·         The reported 4% increase in usage of leisure centres in the borough;

6   That the attention of Cabinet be drawn to the following additional comments:      

·         That the Committee intends to undertake a review of the content and style of report it would like in future in relation to performance data and  will advise Corporate Leadership Team accordingly on its preferred reporting style;

·         That in response to a question about allocation of business rates to Local Authorities, the Head of Finance agreed to circulate a briefing note to all Members;

·         The Chief Executive undertook to provide additional information about the 73 awareness events referred to in section 1 of the report – summary of performance paragraph 7;

·    In response to a question regarding the number of gypsy and traveller encampments reported in paragraph 24 in section 1 a link to the consultation document on the Council’s website would be provided for Members;

·         That when the performance score card for Place is considered by Environment and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 15 October 2018 that details on the removal of weeds on the highway is provided.

·         That ANSA would be asked to provide information to town and parish councils on how they can arrange visits to the Environmental Hub in Cledford.