Agenda and minutes

Fiona Earl, Acting Finance Manager, to report.

-           to report performance against the revenue budget as at the end of November, 2009.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Acting Finance Manager, detailing the performance against the revenue budget for the Environment and Development Services Directorate as at the end of November 2009 and which provided a forecast outturn for the whole of the 2009/10 financial year.

It was reported that at this stage in the financial year the Directorate was forecasting an overspend of £475,000 against its total net revenue budget.

Reference was made to the following key pressures:-

-                      Restructuring costs within Culture and Leisure

-                      Under recovery of income due to a reduced number of planning applications

-                      Flood related costs (June 2009)

-                      Under recovery of income on the Parking Budget

Other issues highlighted included:-

-                      Winter maintenance and cost of road salt

-                      Non recovery of income for School Crossing Patrol

-                      Moratorium on training in the Business Unit

-                      Temporary transfer arrangements of staff to Children and Young People’s Services

-                      The current financial position of the Clifton Park Restoration Project

-                      Lower than anticipated Housing Planning Delivery Grant

-                      Savings identified in Waste management

-                      Shortfall in parking fee income due to town centre initiatives

Agency and Consultancy spend for the period April to November 2009 was also reported.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the current forecast year end outturn position of an overspend of £475,000 for the Environment & Development Services Directorate based on expenditure and income as at November 2009 and forecast expenditure and income to 31st March 2010 be noted.

(2)  That the report be referred to the Regeneration Scrutiny Panel for information.

(3)  That a report be submitted to a future joint meeting in respect of the budget implications following the agreement of permanent transfer arrangements of staff from Environment and Development Services to Children and Young People’s Services.