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ITEM EX5 - ANNEX D

EXECUTIVE – 19 MARCH 2002

QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT

FORMER PUBLIC PROTECTION COMMITTEE

Report by Director of Business Support & County Treasurer, Chief Fire Officer,
Acting Head of Service Trading Standards and County Emergency Planning Officer

Introduction

  1. This report shows the 2001/02 budget for the former Public Protection Committee together with the projected year end variation based on the latest information available (Annex 1).(download as .rtf file)

  2. The balance brought forward from 2000/01 (column 10) is provisional until the accounts have been signed off.

    3. Virements & Supplementary Estimates

  3. Virements and supplementary estimates are detailed in Annex 2. (download as .rtf file)

    4. Projected Year-end Variations

  4. The current projected year-end outturn shows an overspending of £721,000. This is made up of an overspending of £549,000 to be met by the Council (column 7) and overspendings of

    5. £172,000 to be met from the committee carry forward reserve (column 8). These variations are explained below

    Projected Year-end Council (Column 7)

    Fire Service

  5. As reported in December there is an estimated overspending of £365,000 on the Firefighters Pensions Account, resulting from medical discharges and ill-health retirements of £215,000 and transfer values £150,000 net.

    6. In addition there is an estimated overspend on retained firefighter budgets of £270,000.

    Previous reporting estimated the figure at £250,000. A combination of increase in additional training hours for specific areas, incidents and increased firefighter numbers has raised the projection. It is proposed to meet the £20,000 addition from under-spendings as shown below.

    A decision has yet to be made on the part-time and retained firefighters claims relating to possible access to the wholetime Firefighter Pension Scheme.

    Projected Year End Committee Variations (Column 8)

    Fire Service

  6. There is an estimated underspending/ overachievement of income of £61,000 This relates mainly to savings from the Best Value Review of white fleet and the success of the Commercial Training unit .£20,000 of this will be used towards the overspending on retained firefighter pay. It is planned to carry the remaining £41,000 forward to 2002/2003 towards the provision of Community Fire Safety £32,000 and repayment of £9000

    7. to the innovation fund for performance management software.

    It is anticipated that there will in addition to the above be slippage of £50,000 of planned expenditure into 2002/2003

    Trading Standards, Coroners and Registration Services

  7. It is anticipated that these budgets will be spent by the end of the financial year.

    8. Emergency Planning Service

  8. In the December 2001 Quarterly Financial Report a supplementary estimate of £10,000 was requested as a result of additional expenditure incurred as a result of the relocation of the Emergency Planning Service to the underground bunker at Woodeaton Manor. It is possible that some of the additional expenditure may be charged against Cabinet Office grant allocation. This, together with prudent budgetary control should offset the expected overspending by the year end.

    9. Magistrates Courts

  9. It was reported in the December Quarterly Financial Report that the Thames Valley Magistrates Courts committee (TVMCC) had submitted a bid to the Lord Chancellor’s Department (LCD) for additional revenue grant in order to provide for increased security at courthouses. This bid was not accepted by the LCD, consequently it will not be necessary to ask for a supplementary estimate which would have been needed to fund Oxfordshire’s share of the local authority contribution.

    10. Government Grant Funding (Annex 3) (download as .rtf file)

  10. Details of government grants received by this committee in 2001/02 are included in Annex 3 and summarised below

    11. £ ‘000 % of gross

    PPC Budget

    Government Grants received in 2001/02

    - Civil Defence Grant included in base budget 130 0.95

    - New grants 95

    Total 225

    Council funding required to attract grant 0

    Financial, Staff and Environmental Implications and Implications for People Living in Poverty

  11. The report is solely concerned with finance. There are no staffing or environmental implications or implications for people living in poverty arising directly from this report.

    12. RECOMMENDATION

  12. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to receive the report.

CHRIS GRAY
Director for Business Support & County Treasurer

JOHN KELLY
County Emergency Planning Officer

JOHN PARRY
Chief Fire Officer

BRIAN YENDOLE
Acting Head of Service Trading Standards

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Pam Block Tel: (01865 855204)

February 2002

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