Issue - meetings

A report from the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services is attached. This sets out the Council’s revenue budget monitoring position  based on information to the end of July 2014. (Key decision – reference number 3946)

(Report No.49)

(8.20 – 8.25 pm)

Councillor Andrew Stafford (Cabinet Member for Finance) introduced the report of the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services (No.49) setting out the Council’s revenue budget monitoring position based on information to the end of July 2014.

NOTED

1.         The current £2.3m overspend revenue outturn projection, based on the summary of departmental and corporate projected outturns and variances outlined in Table 2 of the report.

2.      The key variances identified related to pressure on demand led services in both Finance, Resources and Customer Services (as detailed in section 5.3 of the report) and Children’s Services.  In the case of Children’s Services this pressure had (as detailed in section 5.5 of the report) resulted from a significant increase in the number of interventions involving young people, often with complex needs.  This was also a trend being reflected nationally.

3.      The ongoing management action being undertaken to address the pressures identified and ensure the necessary control measures were established to balance in-year spend and the final outturn.

4.      The need identified for the Government to recognise and respond to the increasing demand being experienced both locally and nationally on, Children Services and to ensure that sufficient funding was made available to assist in managing these pressures.

Alternative Options Considered: Not applicable to this report.

DECISION: Cabinet agreed:

1.            To note the £2.3m overspend revenue outturn projection.

2.            That departments reporting pressures should formulate and implement action plans to ensure that they remain within budget in 2014/15.

3.            The use of £0.5m of the £1.0m central contingency to fund expenditure on the No Recourse to Public Funds Children’s Service as detailed in paragraph 6.2 of the report.

Reason: To ensure that Members were aware of the projected budgetary position for the Authority, including all major budget pressures and underspends which had contributed to the present monthly position and that were likely to affect the final outturn.

(Key decision – reference number 3946)