Issue - meetings

Report of the County Treasurer (CT/20/37) on the budget monitoring position at Month 10, attached.

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

The Cabinet considered the Report of the County Treasurer (CT/20/37) on the month 10 budget monitoring 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 Report outlined the financial forecast for the Authority at month 10, which was a total projected overspend of £1.3 millions, a £2.1 millions reduction from the £3.4 millions forecast at month 8.

In relation to Adult Care and Health Services, the forecast was an overspend of £6.2 millions, a reduction of £702,000 from month 8. This position included £291,000 of management actions yet to be delivered but which were still considered achievable.

Children’s Services were showing a forecast overspend of just under £6 millions, a reduction of £615,000 from month 8.  However, this figure did not include projected funding shortfall of £21 millions on SEND, explained in more detail in the Report.

In relation to the DSG High Needs Block, SEND was forecasting a funding shortfall of £21 millions for the current financial year. The High Needs Block continued to be under significant pressure with placements in Independent Special Schools continuing to be the main area of overspending. The number of students with Education and Health Care Plans continued to grow along with the complexity of need of pupils.  In line with the outcome of the consultation the SEND funding deficit would not be dealt with at the end of this financial year but held on the balance sheet as a negative reserve. 

Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste showed an underspend of £729,000 at month 10, an increase of £214,000 from month 8.

Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity (COPHEP) were forecasting an underspend of £790,000, an increase of £308,000 from month 8 and in Corporate Services the position was an overspend of £2.2 millions, a similar position to month 8.

Non-service items were forecasting to underspend by £11.4 millions, which would be achieved by not making the planned £8 millions transfer to reserves this year. In addition it recognised underspends on capital financing and interest of £875,000, general grant and other income of £680,000 and an underspend on other expenditure which totalled £1.9millions.

The approved capital programme for the Council was £150.9 millions, which incorporated amounts brought forward from 2018/19 of £29.5 millions, and in year additions of £10.5 millions.  The year-end forecast was £119.8 millions, producing forecast slippage of £31.1 millions. The main areas of slippage could be attributed to variations and programme delays in Planning and Transportation (£23.7 millions net slippage) which reflected the complexity of the major schemes within this service.

The Cabinet Member for Resources Management updated the Cabinet on the current position with outstanding debt, some which had been recovered since the writing of the Report, but other incoming liabilities that needed to be collected.

To summarise, whilst it was pleasing that the projected  ...  view the full minutes text for item 473