Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2015/042

Contact: Kathy Wilcox, Chief Accountant Tel: (01865) 323981

Report by Chief Finance Officer (CA6).

This report focuses on the delivery of the Directorate Business Strategies that were agreed as part of the Service and Resource Planning Process for 2015/16 – 2017/18.  Parts 1 and 2 include projections for revenue, reserves and balances as at the end of August 2015.   Capital Programme monitoring and update is included at Part 3 and Part 4 sets out a change to Fees and Charges. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)                          note the report;

(b)                         approve the virement requests set out in Annex 2a;

(c)                          Recommend Council to approve:-

                                   i.           the virement in respect  of the unringfenced grant               received by the Council relating to the closure of the    Independent Living Fund as set out in paragraph 34;

                                  ii.           the transfer £2m from Public Health reserves to the            Children’s     Homes Capital Project as set out in         paragraph 66;

(d)                         approve the bad debt write off as set out in paragraph 59;

(e)                          note the Treasury Management lending list at Annex 4;

(f)                           approve the fees and charges as set out in Part 4 and Annex 7a;

(g)                         approve the updated capital programme in Annex 9 (changes to the Capital Programme set out in Annex 8c);

(h)                         approve the inclusion in the capital programme of :

                                   i.           £1.3m adult social care capital grant to fund the adult social care management system in the capital programme;

                                  ii.           £2.4m Disabled Facilities Grant which will be pass ported to District Councils;

                                 iii.           an increase in budget of £0.4m for Frideswide Square;

                                iv.           £5m increase in the Broadband programme reflecting contributions from District Councils and the Local Enterprise Partnership.

Recommendations agreed with an amended annex 2a as set out in the addenda.

Cabinet considered a report that focussed on the delivery of the Directorate Business Strategies that were agreed as part of the Service and Resource Planning Process for 2015/16 – 2017/18. Parts 1 and 2 included projections for revenue, reserves and balances as at the end of August 2015. Capital Programme monitoring and update is included at Part 3 and Part 4 set out a change to Fees and Charges.

Councillor Nick Hards, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance highlighted the difficult financial position particularly for children, education & families and adult social care. He noted that severe measures were likely to be needed such as a recruitment freeze and a stop on non-essential expenditure. He expressed concern that this could result in areas least able to cope being hit. He was concerned about the demands being placed on staff. He further commented that reductions in administration staff inevitably impacted on all staff, who then had to take on more administration work.  He referred to the road building plans within the capital programme, noted the growth plans that could result in thousands more homes being built and suggested that the Leader lobby the Local Enterprise Partnership to support the Council’s bids on road building.

Cabinet members responded to the points made with the Leader confirming that he was pushing for the schemes referred to. Councillor Lawrie Stratford Cabinet member for Finance accepted the concerns over staff and Cabinet generally thanked all staff for their continuing efforts in difficult circumstances.

Councillor Stratford introduced the contents of the report and moved the recommendations highlighting the revised Annex 2a set out in the addenda

RESOLVED:           to:

(a)                                note the report;

(b)                                approve the virement requests set out in the revised annex 2a submitted as an addenda;

(c)                                RECOMMEND Council to approve:-

                                            i.             the virement in respect of the unringfenced grant                  received by the Council relating to the closure of the         Independent Living Fund as set out in paragraph 34;

                                           ii.             the transfer £2m from Public Health reserves to the    Children’s      Homes Capital Project as set out in paragraph 66;

(d)                                approve the bad debt write off as set out in paragraph 59;

(e)                                note the Treasury Management lending list at Annex 4;

(f)                                  approve the fees and charges as set out in Part 4 and Annex 7a;

(g)                                approve the updated capital programme in Annex 9 (changes to the Capital Programme set out in Annex 8c);

(h)                                approve the inclusion in the capital programme of :

                                            i.             £1.3m adult social care capital grant to fund the adult social care management system in the capital programme;

                                           ii.             £2.4m Disabled Facilities Grant which will be pass ported to District Councils;

                                          iii.             an increase in budget of £0.4m for Frideswide Square;

                                         iv.             £5m increase in the Broadband programme reflecting contributions from District Councils and the Local Enterprise Partnership.