Issue - meetings

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the revised Capital Programme, as set out in the report.

          Executive Board had considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on revisions to the 2016/17 Capital Programme.

          RESOLVED: That the revisions to the Council’s 2016/17 Capital Programme, as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report, be approved.

The Board received a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which reported on the 2016/17 Quarter 3 Spending as at 31 December 2016.

          A summary of spending against revenue budget up to 31 December 2016 was attached at Appendix 1. This provided individual statements for each department. The Board was advised that, in overall terms, revenue expenditure was £0.764m above the budget profile, even after having released the remaining contingency budget of £0.5m. It was noted that, given the adverse variance position and continuing budget pressures, Directorates had been asked to restrict any non-essential spend over the final quarter of the year. The Strategic Director, People, had been asked to report to a future meeting as to how it was intended that spend on Children’s Social Care could be brought back into line with the budget.

          The report contained details of the main budget pressure within the Children and Families Department, and, in particular, out of Borough residential placements and fostering. It was reported that the numbers of children in care had increased by 31% compared to the same period last year.

          The report also outlined details of a continued shortfall in income in the Community and Environment Department; underspends in the Corporate and Democracy and Economy, Enterprise and Property Departments; spending on employees; staff turnover targets; expenditure on general supplies and services and the Council Tax collection rate for the third quarter  for 2016/17

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          The Capital Spending Programme had been revised to reflect a number of changes in spending profiles as schemes developed, and these were detailed in the report.

RESOLVED: That

1)    Strategic Directors ensure that all spending continues to be limited to the absolute essential and is contained as far as possible within their operational budget by year-end;

2)    the Strategic Director, People, present a strategy, action plan and timescales to a future meeting, detailing what steps can be taken to bring spending on Children’s Social Care back into line with budgets, as far as possible; and

3)      Council be recommended to approve the revised Capital Programme, as set out in Appendix 3, attached to the report.