Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2023/031

Contact: Louise Tustian, Head of Insight and Corporate Programmes, louise.tustian@oxfordshire.gov.uk / Kathy Wilcox, Head of Financial Strategy, kathy.wilcox@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Director of Finance (CA7).

1.     The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

a)    note the report and annexes.

b)    approve the virement requests in Annex B-2a.

c)    approve the use of £2.0m from the Transformation Reserve to fund the council’s Delivery Unit and associated costs associated with transformation and driving efficiency.

d)    note the use of £0.1m funding held in the COVID-19 reserve to further extend capacity needed within the Information Management team within Governance to support the council’s ability to respond to Subject Access Requests (SARs) and approve the use of £1.5m one – off funding to support pressures in Children’s Social Care in 2023/24.

e)    agree the overall allocation of Homes for Ukraine grant funding as set out in Annex B-6 and authorise the Director of Finance to finalise the agreements with the City and District Councils following consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Finance.

f)      approve the write-off of four unrecoverable social care debts with a combined total of £0.070m as set out in Annex B paragraph 93. 

Recommendations approved.

Cabinet had before it a report presenting the May 2023 performance, risk, and finance position for the council.

Cllr Liz Leffman, Leader of the Council, introduced the report.  She referred to the popularity of the 20mph scheme, and the achievements of carers in the County which were recognised in the Oxfordshire Care Awards. Councillor Leffman then explained the background to the performance indicators and commented in particular, on the indicators showing red in relation to the introduction of LED lighting, household waste recycling, adult social care debtors, and the Council’s financial position.

Cllr Leffman then explained the recommendations in the report.

Cllr Glynis Phillips, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, explained the background to the percentage of telephone calls abandoned at the Customer Service Centre.  She commended all those involved in achieving nationally acknowledged CCA accreditation for customer services.

During discussion, members welcomed the introduction of the Citizens’ Portal which would enable the information on the Council’s performance indicators to be widely available. 

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

RESOLVED to

a)    note the report and annexes.

b)    approve the virement requests in Annex B-2a.

c)    approve the use of £2.0m from the Transformation Reserve to fund the council’s Delivery Unit and associated costs associated with transformation and driving efficiency.

d)    note the use of £0.1m funding held in the COVID-19 reserve to further extend capacity needed within the Information Management team within Governance to support the council’s ability to respond to Subject Access Requests (SARs) and approve the use of £1.5m one – off funding to support pressures in Children’s Social Care in 2023/24.

e)    agree the overall allocation of Homes for Ukraine grant funding as set out in Annex B-6 and authorise the Director of Finance to finalise the agreements with the City and District Councils following consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Finance.

f)      approve the write-off of four unrecoverable social care debts with a combined total of £0.070m as set out in Annex B paragraph 93.