Issue - meetings

Quarter 3 Finance Report

Meeting: 27/02/2012 - Overview and Scrutiny Board (Item 95)

95 April to December 2011 - Quarter 3 Finance Monitoring Report PDF 196 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Quarter 3 Finance monitoring report 2011/12 which set out the Council’s financial position for the period April to December 2011 was considered by the Board. The Executive Director for Finance and Resources informed Members that Officers were aware of the financial pressures that the Council was under and were ensuring quality services were maintained, whilst minimising spend to essential items only.

Members discussed the following areas in more detail:

Unfilled vacancies and the use of agency staff and external consultancy and professional advice.
The necessity for the increase in the budget for Building Control (Executive Director for Finance and Resources to provide Board with further detail.)
The budget estimates and the savings made.
Environmental Services underspend - it was confirmed that no increase in complaints had been received following the restructure of Street Cleansing team.
Installation of Solar panels – these should be in place by the end of the financial year and the feed in tariff rates.
Regulatory Services – underspend from Environmental Health and savings made following the move of Regulatory Services to White House.
Revenue and Benefits – shortfall due to benefit calculation, error rate and active recovery of overpayments.
Elections and Electoral Services – the expected cost of the election of a Police Commissioner. (Executive Director for Finance and Resource to provide Board with details.)
Sundry Debtors – Garden Waste, invoicing process and payment options.
Write offs – approved by the Portfolio Holder for Finance and the Section 151 Officer and reported quarterly through the Audit Board and the Cabinet.
Treasury Management – credit ratings of the companies used and investment rates.

The Executive Director Finance and Resources provided Members, as requested at a previous meeting, with details of the use of agency staff at the Depot (Environmental Services). The Board was also provided with an update in respect of Section 106 monies, which it was confirmed were agreed with the Legal and Finance Teams and in liaison with Planning and the Leisure Team to ensure these were being used appropriately and within the required timescale.

After further discussion it was

RESOLVED that the Quarter 3 Finance Monitoring Report 2011/12 be noted and in future, where appropriate, the relevant Head of Service be invited to attend future meetings.