Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Recommendations

1.          That the current General Fund Revenue Budget forecast of a balanced budget be noted.

2.          That it be noted that actions will continue to be taken to ensure that a balanced financial outturn is delivered.

3.          That the Capital Programme update be noted.

4.          That the use of the additional Local Support Grant, as detailed in section 2.45, and the use of unringfenced Covid grants to cover the estimated overspend of £50k, be noted.

5.          That authority for the management and delivery of the extended Infection Control and Testing Fund is delegated to the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Consideration was given to the report which set out the financial position as at the end of May 2021 and was based on the actual costs and income for the first two months of 2021/22 and forecast for the remainder of the financial year.

Members noted that financial performance was a key element within the assessment of the Council’s overall performance framework and was essential to achievement of the objectives within the Council’s Policy Agenda. The report was the first in a series of monitoring reports for the 2021/22 financial year which would continue to be brought forward to Cabinet on a regular basis.

As at May 2021, the Council expected to deliver the overall outturn within budget for the financial year 2021/22. However, it was noted that the longer term impacts of COVID-19, extended restrictions and the pace at which Services could return to normal was unknown.

It was noted that the report had been submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board for pre-decision scrutiny on 14th July 2021, where Members had supported the recommendations in the report. OSMB had also requested that a report be presented at a future meeting of the Board that detailed how the changes that had been made to how the Council operated and provided services as a result of the pandemic had informed budget management procedures, and whether these changes to how the Council operates had highlighted any new opportunities where future budget savings could potentially be made. The Board also requested that information on the budget processes and on the assumptions used to determine staffing budgets across all Directorates be circulated to members of OSMB.

Resolved:-

(1)  That the current General Fund Revenue Budget forecast of a balanced budget be noted.

(2)  That it be noted that actions will continue to be taken to ensure that a balanced financial outturn is delivered.

(3)  That the Capital Programme update be noted.

(4)  That the use of the additional Local Support Grant, as detailed in section 2.45, and the use of unringfenced COVID grants to cover the estimated overspend of £50k, be noted.

(5)  That authority for the management and delivery of the extended Infection Control and Testing Funding is delegated to the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

(6)  That a report be presented at a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board that details how the changes that have been made to how the Council operates and provides services as a result of the pandemic have informed budget management procedures, and whether these changes to how the Council operates have highlighted any new opportunities where future budget savings could potentially be made.

(7)  That information on the budget processes and on the assumptions used to determine staffing budgets across all directorates be circulated to members of OSMB.