Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2016/018

Contact: Katy Jurczyszyn, Strategic Finance Manager (Finance, Strategy & Monitoring) Tel: (01865) 323975

Report by Chief Finance Officer (CA8).

This is the first financial monitoring report for 2016/17 and focuses on the delivery of the Directorate Business Strategies that were agreed as part of the Service and Resource Planning Process for 2016/17 – 2019/20.  Parts 1 and 2 include projections for revenue, reserves and balances as at the end of May 2016.   Capital Programme monitoring and update is included at Part 3. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)          note the report;

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

(c)          approve the virement requests set out in Annex 2f;

(d)         approve the foster care loan write-off as set out in paragraph 41;

(e)          note the Treasury Management lending list at Annex 3;

(f)           approve the updated Capital Programme at Annex 8 and the associated changes to the programme in Annex 7c;

(g)         approve the increase of £2.2m in the budget for the Great Western Park Primary School in Didcot;

(h)         approve the contractual commitment for construction of the Access to Headington Project, with a total budget of £11.2m; and

(i)            approve the contractual commitment for construction of the  Harwell Link Road Project, with a total increased budget of £11.6m.

Cabinet had before them the first financial monitoring report for 2016/17 that focused on the delivery of the Directorate Business Strategies that were agreed as part of the Service and Resource Planning Process for 2016/17 – 2019/20.  Parts 1 and 2 included projections for revenue, reserves and balances as at the end of May 2016.   Capital Programme monitoring and update was included at Part 3. 

Councillor Hards, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, highlighted a number of areas of concern. In relation to Children, Education & Families although the position on home to school transport for mainstream education was now satisfactory, SEN transport was still a problem. He asked that on mainstream transport with the changes to the bus services following the withdrawal of bus subsidies that care was taken that suitable public bus services were available if that was the agreed method of travel. With SEN transport the biggest difficulty was that children needed to travel large distances as local provision was not available and Councillor Hards asked for an update on special school provision. Councillor Hards also highlighted the position with regards to asylum seekers and sought assurances that the County Council would be able to afford whatever it was decided we should do. He welcomed a conversation outside the meeting about any strategy to deal with the difficulty highlighted in paragraph 17 where the expected National Schools Funding Formula is likely to ring-fence the various DSG funding blocks making it increasingly difficult to manage such overspends within DSG going forward. He made further comments in relation to the use of agency placements for fostering and older people and public health.

Councillor Tilley, Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families responded to the comments made and advised that the need for special school places was a known need and discussions were taking place. Independent foster carers were used as little as possible. Councillor Heathcoat Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care commented that detailed discussions were taking place.

Councillor Stratford, Cabinet Member for Finance, introduced the contents of the report. He shared Councillor Hards concerns around issues around asylum seekers. He supported the government approach but it was important to understand what funding was needed and how it would be managed. He acknowledged that it continued to be a struggle to finance the needs of the growing older population. He shared concerns about funding for public health. He moved the recommendations.

RESOLVED: to:

(a)            note the report;

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

(c)             approve the virement requests set out in Annex 2f;

(d)            approve the foster care loan write-off as set out in paragraph 41;

(e)            note the Treasury Management lending list at Annex 3;

(f)              approve the updated Capital Programme at Annex 8 and the associated changes to the programme in Annex 7c;

(g)            approve the increase of £2.2m in the budget for the Great Western Park Primary School in Didcot;

(h)            approve the contractual commitment for construction of the Access to Headington Project, with a total budget of £11.2m; and

(i)               approve the contractual commitment for construction of the  Harwell Link Road Project, with a total increased budget of £11.6m.