Issue - meetings

Cabinet considered a report that focussed on the delivery of the Directorate Business Strategies which were agreed as part of the Service and Resource Planning Process for 2013/14 – 2016/17. Parts 1 and 2 included projections for revenue, reserves and balances as at the end of July 2013. Capital Programme monitoring is included at Part 3. Changes to Fees and Charges are included in Part 4.

Councillor Nick Hards, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, expressed concern at the level of overspend detailed in the report and highlighted the difficult decisions to be taken in balancing need and finances particularly in the area of care home placements. Councillor Tilley drew attention to the new children’s homes being developed within the County that would bring young people back in County which was both generally considered to be better for them and an economic use of resources. The Leader in introducing the report responded to the comments made and commented that it was early in the year and that he disliked underspends aswell.

Stephanie Skivington undertook to respond to all Councillors on a question from Councillor Heathcoat about foster care debt write off.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)          note the report;

(b)          approve the virement requests set out in Annex 2a and the supplementary estimate requests set out in Annex 2e;

(c)          approve the bad debt write off as set out in paragraph 39;

(d)          note the updated Treasury Management lending list at Annex 7;

(e)          approve changes to the Capital programme set out in Annex 8c and to approve the increase to the Wheatley River Bridge scheme of £0.550m to be funded from the earmarked reserves of the capital programme as set out in paragraphs 56 and 57, and approve the inclusion of the grant funding set out in paragraph 58; and

(f)        approve the changes to charges at Hill End Outdoor Education Centre as set out in Part 4 and Annex 9.