Agenda item

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources which sets out financial monitoring report details including budget variances, year-end forecasts, and progress made against agreed savings targets for the 2nd quarter ended 30th September 2017.

67.1    The Committee considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources concerning Quarter 2 Financial Monitoring.

67.2    The Chair welcomed the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources, Councillor D. Norman and the Head of Policy and Resources, Jon Topping to the meeting. Councillor Norman provided an overview of the report and invited discussion.

67.3    Councillor Stephens questioned how the saving of £230k had been made as there had been no prior indication. He further queried what the current vacancy rate was. Jon Topping advised that the saving was a result of overachievement in the Together Gloucester process and that vacancies were not held permanently. He advised that there was a small number of vacant posts and would provide this information to Members.

67.4    Councillor Stephens raised the fact that frontline staff had left posts and questioned whether necessary work was not being done due to staff savings. By way of example, Councillor Stephens reported that when he had enquired about fly-tipping, he was told that there was a lack of staff. Councillor Norman responded that between six and nine months into the process, there would be an opportunity for the senior leadership team to assess progress going forward.

67.5    Councillor Pullen expressed concern that the Regeneration and Economy portfolio forecasted an increased deficit. Jon Topping advised that the change was forecasts for markets and street trading but further advised that it was approaching full occupation. The Corporate Director, Jonathan Lund, advised that six were unoccupied but that four of those had been let and were awaiting occupation.

67.6    Councillor Stephens stated that he was concerned that Members had not been informed of measures to mitigate a deficit increase. Jon Topping advised that this work was going and, as part of the whole Council, wished to achieve a balanced position.

67.7    With regard to the underspend in Democratic Services, Councillor Hilton queried whether it would be useful for the General Purposes Committee to report on preparedness for an election and to review electoral procedures. He further shared his view that skilled staff were required and the Council needed to be sure an election could be delivered.

67.8    Councillor Norman stated that the recruitment process was in progress. He advised the Committee that there had been a number of applicants, that other members of the team would be trained and he was confident in senior members of the team. He further stated that, in order to conduct a review of the kind Councillor Hilton had suggested, it would have to be agreed by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the General Purposes Committee.

67.9    RESOLVED – That the Chair liaise with the General Purposes Committee to review electoral procedures and processes.

67.10  In response to a question from Councillor Smith regarding whether  Performance and Resources budgets were to facilitate the restructure or were to come out of the restructure, Jon Topping advised that the restructure had saved more than targeted.

67.11  Councillor Stephens noted that customer services were forecast to overspend and asked that the Committee be informed, when the Customer Services Transformation Manager had completed his work, what changes would be made. He further noted that the number of apprentices was less than had been budgeted for, that this was unfortunate and asked how many apprentices the Council employed.

67.12  Councillor Norman advised that the Customer Service Transformation Manager had started his work recently and would be looking at how the service moved forward. With regard to apprenticeships, Jon Topping stated that he would circulate the number of apprentices employed at the Council. He further advised that there would be an increase in this number and that the process was in train.

67.13  In relation to the Culture and Leisure portfolio, Councillor Hilton questioned what plans there were to deal with the overspend and requested a response on the storage of collections i.e. whether it was in a controlled environment and if it was being funded properly.

67.14  Councillor Norman advised that there was a new team of staff in place which would need time going forward to reduce the costs of the service and that he was confident that this would happen. With regard to the collections, he stated that Cabinet colleagues could provide an answer to this.

67.15  In response to an intervention from the Chair that the Culture and Leisure portfolio was a persistent offender in terms of overspending, Jon Topping suggested that there was a need to see the new Culture team bed in. He added that if it was not realistic, then it would be natural to revise it.

67.16  With regards to the Planning and Housing portfolio, Councillor Stephens expressed a great deal of concern about homelessness and the spending of close to £1m. He suggested that much of this was the increasing numbers of homeless people being placed in hotels and outside the Council area. He held that it was necessary to look at solutions to this in greater detail. Council Norman stated that this had been considered at Council and that his Cabinet colleague was examining it.  

67.17  Councillor Hilton stated that the planning overspend of £65k appeared to be a heavy cost and queried how this was the case. He further shared his view that retaining staff should be a priority as stability was needed at the top of the planning department. Councillor Pullen also asked if the Council had the capacity to realistically deliver major projects. In response, Jon Topping advised that there had been a period where it was necessary to employ specialist temporary consultant staff who had technical knowledge. He also advised that the projects to which Councillor Pullen referred were in progress and that a new Head of Place had been recruited.

67.18  RESOLVED – That the Quarter 2 Financial Monitoring report be noted.