Agenda item

Report of the County Treasurer (CT/18/03) on Budget Monitoring and the Month 10 position, attached. 

(Councillors Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade, Hannaford and Shaw attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of County Treasurer (CT/18/03) on Budget Monitoring and the Month 10 position, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Cabinet Member for Resources and Asset Management highlighted that the total underspend at month 10 was forecast at just over £6.0 millions.

The Report further outlined that Adult Care and Health Services were forecast to underspend by £6.5 millions, an increase of £1.8 millions from the underspend reported at month 8. This was being driven by the operational position being influenced by recent reductions in client numbers, additional staff vacancy savings and further savings on contracts. The position reflected the £77,000 of management action yet to be achieved. As a breakdown, Adult Care Operations were forecasting to underspend by £5.4 millions, Older People and Physical Disability services forecast to underspend by £2.5 millions, Sensory, Community Enabling, Social Care Reablement and other operational budgets were showing an underspend of £767,000, Learning Disability services, including Autistic Spectrum Conditions, were forecast to overspend by the end of the year by £1.6 millions, the result of higher numbers of care packages than budgeted and Adult Commissioning and Health was forecast to underspend by £1.1 millions.

In Children’s Services, a forecast overspend of £3.4 millions was showing, an increase on the month 8 position of £50,000. Children’s social care was forecast to over spend by £2.6 millions, the Placements budget to overspend by £3.3 millions. Disabled Children’s Services were forecasting a £387,000 overspend. The overspends had been partially offset by other savings including vacancy management, lower legal disbursement charges and other variations of £1.1 millions. The non DSG element of Education and Learning was forecasting an overspend of £801,000, a decrease of £104,000 since month 8 and the Dedicated Schools Grant forecasting  to overspend by £2.7 millions.

Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste were forecasting an underspend of just over £1.0 million, an improvement of £794,000 from month 8.

Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity (COPHEP) were showing a forecast underspend of £502,000, an improvement of £268,000 against month 8.

Corporate Services were forecasting an underspend of £315,000 against a month 8 break-even position.

In terms of Capital Programme Expenditure, the year-end forecast was £133.2 millions, producing slippage of £32 millions. Slippage had been identified in respect of Marsh Barton station (£3.7) millions, South Devon Highway (£2.5) millions, A361 Gornhay to M5 (£3.2) millions, Connecting Devon & Somerset (£2.0) millions and Street Lighting improvements (£2.4) millions.

The Cabinet noted that whilst it was pleasing that a relatively small underspend was being projected, it was impossible to forecast or control the weather and the Council was dealing with the aftermath of significant levels of snow and a storm and the cost of dealing with the emergency was still being assessed.

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability, carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the County Treasurer’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

It was MOVED by Councillor Clatworthy, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the financial position and forecast for the Authority at month 10 (to the end of January) of the financial year be noted; and

(b) that the Cabinet note that the total underspend at month 10 is forecast at just over £6.0 millions, however, this figure must be viewed with caution as it does not reflect the additional financial pressures associated with the very adverse weather conditions experienced at the start of March 2018.  At the time of writing the report, the financial impact of that adverse weather was still being assessed.  There is potential that the magnitude of the response required to manage the impact of the snow and storms could be sufficient to trigger a claim under the Bellwin scheme for financial recompense.