Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources seeking Members to note year-end forecasts and financial pressures on the Council during the 1^st Quarter ended 30^th June 2021.

RESOLVED it is noted that:

       (1)               the forecast year-end position for the financial year is currently an increase to the General Fund balance of £173k against a budgeted increase of £123k

       (2)               the details of specific budgetary issues identified by officers and the actions being taken to address those issues

       (3)               the current level of Capital expenditure as shown in Appendix 2 to the report

       (4)               the financial implications of COVID-19 and the level of economic recovery from the effects of the pandemic will continue to be monitored and reported alongside any grant funding provided to mitigate the spend or lost income.

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources that sought Members to note year-end forecasts and financial pressures on the Council during the 1^st Quarter ended 30th June 2021.

The Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources highlighted some of the major headlines from the report including a £173,000 increase to the General Fund balance exceeding the budgeted increase by £50,000 (4.2).  She reminded Members that COVID-19 continued to impact all portfolios including her own.  Although the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources warned that even the smallest percentage change in housing subsidy and benefit payments in a quarter would have a significant impact to the final outturn due to the large sums involved (5.5), she nonetheless expressed cautious optimism at this early stage for the year end position. 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy noted the £240,000 favourable position in his own portfolio (5.13).  He commented that this was testament to great work going on behind the scenes.  The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy informed Members that £27,000 had been collected in penalty notices issued to landlords and that more would follow as while the majority of private landlords were good the small number who were not would be pursued.  The Cabinet Member for Environment drew Members’ attention to the favourable position of his portfolio due to increased income from recyclable materials (5.18).  He informed them that just three years ago this income was £350,000 for the whole year compared to the £319,000 for the first five months of 2021-22 alone.  The Cabinet Member for Environment further advised that improved collections and sorting had contributed to a yearend forecast of £209,000 to the favour on the waste contract as opposed to a £500,000 deficit in previous years.  He stated that this would be the first year the waste contract would not have to be topped up, and credited much of this improvement to the work of the former Corporate Director Jonathan Lund.

RESOLVED it is noted that:

       (1)               the forecast year-end position for the financial year is currently an increase to the General Fund balance of £173k against a budgeted increase of £123k

       (2)               the details of specific budgetary issues identified by officers and the actions being taken to address those issues

       (3)               the current level of Capital expenditure as shown in Appendix 2 to the report

       (4)               the financial implications of COVID-19 and the level of economic recovery from the effects of the pandemic will continue to be monitored and reported alongside any grant funding provided to mitigate the spend or lost income.