Issue - meetings

Councillor B. T. Cooper, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Enabling introduced the report and in so doing highlighted that the Council was on target for a modest underspend.  The report also contained a number of recommendations to Council in respect of accounting measures.  Following discussion the wording of the recommendations was slightly amended to that within the report in order to make the intentions of them clearer.

The Financial Services Manager confirmed that whilst quarter one did not show a lot of detail at this stage, further work was being undertaken in respect of those areas with the largest variance, Keep my place safe and looking good and the Corporate Financing.  It was also noted that the virements referred to in the recommendations did not impact on the Council’s overall financial position.

RECOMMENDED:

1.         The approval of an increase in the 2018-19 Capital Programme of £21k for S106 funding to be used for outdoor fitness equipment and artwork at Sanders Park. This is to be added to the existing budget already approved in 2017/18 and carried forward into 2018/19;

2.         The approval for the virement of £101k from separate identified housing revenue budgets to be amalgamated into a single budget allocation, as a result of the renegotiation of the Housing contract with BDHT; and

3.         The approval for the virement of £41k for budgets relating to housing advice provided by the Citizens Advice Bromsgrove and Redditch (CABR). This virement is requested to consolidate existing budgets into a single budget allocation.