Cabinet Member: Finance, Property and Transformation

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/098

Contact: Kathy Wilcox, Head of Corporate Finance

Kathy.wilcox@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Executive Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer

This report presents the year-end position for 2024/25 performance, risk, and finance position for the council.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    Note the report and annexes including the council’s Annual Report for 2024/25 (Annex D).

b)   Note the summary of the provisional year-end financial position for 2024/25 along with the year-end position on general balances and earmarked reserves (Annex B).

c)    Approve the following proposals relating to reserves and the use of general balances:

                       i.                Add the £1.8m underspend against budgeted funding for investments in 2024/25 to the Budget Priorities reserve for use in 2025/26 (Annex B Paragraph 12).

                     ii.                Agree that the £1.2m 2024/25 On-Street Parking Account surplus, that has not yet been applied to fund eligible expenditure in accordance with Section 55(4) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, is carried forward to 2025/26 as set out in Annex B-3c (Annex B Paragraph 64).

                    iii.                Approve the use of one - off funding from General Balances to support Innovate Oxfordshire (£0.5m) and the Business and Intellectual Property Centre (£0.1m) (Annex B Paragraph 14).

Recommendations approved.

The business management reports were part of a suite of performance, risk and finance documents which set out the council’s ambitions, priorities, and financial performance.

Cabinet had before it a report which presented the year-end position for 2024/25 performance, risk, and finance for the council. It also provided the council’s Annual Report for 2024/25.

In the absence of the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of the Council, presented the report. She highlighted the following points from the report:-

·       Oxfordshire County Council remained the top-performing waste disposal authority for the 11th consecutive year, with nearly 58% of household waste being recycled, reused, or composted.  

·        Progress was being made on the Vision Zero initiative to improve road safety and reduce road traffic accidents.  

·       £106,530 in grants had been awarded to maintain community transport services.  

·       The Council became the first County Council to be awarded Authority of Sanctuary status.  

·        Digital and information support sessions have been rolled out in libraries, with several libraries undergoing refurbishment.  

·       Oxfordshire had become a Marmot Place, focusing on reducing health inequalities.  

·       The longest waiting time for social care assessments has been reduced to 42 days, an 80% reduction over the last four years.  

·       The quality of education healthcare plans has improved, with 44% rated good or outstanding in November 2024, compared to 21% in July 2023.  

Councillor Leffman reported that the Council reported an underspend of £0.3 million for 2024-2025, with a £12.5 million underspend on corporate budgets due to unused contingency and higher-than-expected income from interest on cash balances.   £20.1 million of the planned £30.1 million savings were delivered in 2024-2025. Some savings were delayed due to timing issues, such as the introduction of lane rental charges.  

After accounting for the underspend, general balances were £15.1 million above the risk-assessed level of £30.2 million, putting the Council in a strong financial position.  

The high needs deficit for 2024-2025 was £36.5 million, increasing the cumulative negative balance to £92.3 million. The Council awaited government action to address this national issue.  

Members noted that the Cheers M’Dears community support service in Banbury had won the MJ Award for Innovation in Children's and Adult Services and that two graduates were runners-up in the Young Local Authority of the Year Awards.

During discussion, a member highlighted that Oxfordshire County Council remained the top council in the Climate Emergency Scorecards, with an improved score from the previous year.  

Councillor Leffman moved, and Councillor Roberts seconded the recommendations, and they were approved.

RESOLVED to:-

a)             Note the report and annexes including the council’s Annual Report for 2024/25 (Annex D).

b)            Note the summary of the provisional year-end financial position for 2024/25 along with the year-end position on general balances and earmarked reserves (Annex B).

c)             Approve the following proposals relating to reserves and the use of general balances:

                                i.           Add the £1.8m underspend against budgeted funding for investments in 2024/25 to the Budget Priorities reserve for use in 2025/26 (Annex B Paragraph 12).

                               ii.           Agree that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87