Issue - meetings

To receive Quarterly Monitoring Reports (Revenue and Capital Q2 reports attached).

RECEIVED for information the quarterly monitoring reports (revenue and capital Q2 reports).

NOTED

1.    Fay Hammond, Executive Director Resources, responded to Members’ queries regarding the capital overspend in respect of Meridian Water.

2.    The finite Covid-19 earmarked reserve was clarified, and that the longer term impacts in the future would be built into the Council’s budgeting.

3.    Key cost pressures in the Place Department were confirmed as Temporary Accommodation and SEN Transport. There had also been reduction in income.

4.    Councillor Georgiou raised the General Fund key issues within Place Department and would like a breakdown of numbers for comparison with previous years in respect of homeless residents. He noted that landlords were leaving the market in Enfield. Temporary accommodation pressures and the rental market and regulation were suggested as a good topic for discussion by this Panel.

ACTION:  Fay Hammond / Joanne Drew

5.    In response to a question regarding the under-recovery of Parking income, it was advised this was not expected to be a cost pressure in the next medium term financial plan.

6.    It was queried if mitigating actions were being taken in respect of the additional pressure resulting from the award of appeal costs incurred relating to rejected / overturned planning appeals. A response would be sought in writing.

ACTION:  Fay Hammond / Brett Leahy

7.    In response to queries regarding the Finance function £450k residual forecast overspend, it was confirmed that there would be a report to the next meeting of the General Purposes Committee. Agency staffing had been reduced, but there would be recruitment to the corporate team.

8.    In respect of work backlog in Place Department, it was advised that the Director had a timeline in place and was confident this would be resolved. Impacts from recovery from the pandemic were expected to taper off.

9.    In respect of pressures relating to Digital Services, it was advised that a report was being presented to Cabinet on 18/1/23.

10. In respect of Meridian Water, it was advised that a report would be submitted to Cabinet in March regarding review of the model.

11. A response would be sought in respect of the Q2 approved capital programme entry in respect of ‘Genotin Road (Metaswitch)’.

ACTION:  Fay Hammond

To receive Quarterly Monitoring Reports (Revenue, Capital, and Performance).

RECEIVED for information the quarterly monitoring reports (revenue, capital, and performance).

NOTED

1.    Fay Hammond responded to Members’ queries in respect of the profiled saving from the new CRM/CMS and need to be reprofiled to 2023/24.

2.    James Newman responded to Members’ queries in respect of closure of accounts.

3.    Michael Sprosson responded to Members’ queries in respect of challenging contract costs affected by inflation.

4.    Officers responded to Members’ comments regarding savings and income monitoring relating to Place Directorate, and on re-prioritisations in the Council’s current capital programme.

5.    Members raised concerning sickness absence trends. Appropriate officers would be asked to attend the next meeting of the Panel.

ACTION:  Fay Hammond

6.    It was acknowledged there were ongoing issues in relation to temporary accommodation, average sick days, and MEQs, which had also been discussed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee and General Purposes Committee.