Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which reported on the 2019/20 Quarter 2 spending as at 30 September 2019.

A summary of spending against the revenue budget up to 30 September 2019 was attached to the report at Appendix 1, along with individual statements for each department. The Board was advised that, in overall terms, revenue expenditure was £2.654m above the budget profile at this stage. It was reported that the trend showed the overspend continuing at a steady pace over the first six months of the year. If current spending patterns continued, projections showed that the Council would have a year-end outturn overspend position of approximately £6.145m, if no corrective action was taken.

In March 2019, Council approved budget savings proposals totalling £9.250m. However, it was noted that a delay in implementing a number of savings proposals impacted detrimentally upon the forecast outturn position in Appendix 1.

Within the overall budget position for the quarter, the key budget variances were in the Children and Families Department; Community and Environment Department; Education, Inclusion and Provision; ICT and Support Services; Complex Care Pool; and Corporate and Democracy.

The Capital Programme had been revised to reflect a number of spending profiles and funding as schemes had developed and these were reported in Appendix 2, attached to the report.

RESOLVED: That

1)    all spending continues to be limited to only absolutely essential items;

2)    Departments seek to implement as soon as possible the 2019/20 budget savings proposals which were approved by Council in March 2019;

3)    Strategic Directors take appropriate action to ensure overall spending is contained as far as possible within their total operational budget by year-end; and

4)    Council be asked to approve the revised Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 2.