Agenda item - Worcestershire Regulatory Services Budget Monitoring April 2011 - March 2012

Agenda item

Worcestershire Regulatory Services Budget Monitoring April 2011 - March 2012

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report which detailed the financial position for the period April 2011 to March 2012. 

 

The Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Resources, Bromsgrove District Council introduced the report and in doing so informed the Committee that for the financial year 2011/2012 the body (Worcestershire Shared Services Joint Committee) had been classified as a small relevant body by the Audit Commission as its income was less than £6.5 million.  As a result of this classification the requirement of the formal accounting statements had been limited to the return as detailed at Appendix 2 to the report.  At this stage in the meeting the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Resources, Bromsgrove District Council provided Members with an amended version of Appendix 2 to the report and in doing so explained the amendments to Members.

 

At this stage in the meeting Councillor Mrs. L. Hodgson, Worcester City Council declared a prejudicial interest during the discussion on Agenda Item 6 (Worcestershire Regulatory Services Budget Monitoring April 2011 – March 2012) as Cabinet Member, Worcester City Council with regard to Appendix 3, Acting Worcestershire Internal Audit Shared Services Manager’s Opinion on the Effectiveness of the System of Internal Control at Bromsgrove District Council for the Year Ended 31st March 2012.  Worcester City Council were the host council for the Internal Audit Shared Services.

 

The Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Resources, Bromsgrove District Council responded to Members’ questions with regard to the following:

 

§         Proposal to set aside £35,000 to fund an enhanced development programme for managers.

§         Underspend due to salary savings arising from two Grade B posts.

§         Environmental Protection increase in expenditure.

§         Agency Staff and Contractors / Consultants

 

The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services responded to Members’ questions with regard to agency staff and contractors / consultants and in doing so informed Members that agency staff had been engaged to “backfill” for staff whilst contractors had been engaged for specific projects.  Moving forward agency staff would be engaged to “backfill” for staff involved in the ICT project.

 

At this stage in the meeting and with agreement from Joint Committee Members, the Chairman for the meeting signed the amended version of Appendix 2 to the report - Audit Commission, Small Bodies in England, Annual Return for the year ended 31 March 2012.

 

RESOLVED:

(a)               that, in response to the questions raised as detailed in the preamble above, The Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Resources, Bromsgrove District Council be tasked to check the accounting codes used with regard to agency staff and contractors / consultants;

(b)               that  the financial position for the period April 2011 to March 2012, be noted;

(c)               that a reserve of £35,000 to fund a leadership development programme for senior managers, be approved;

(d)               that the refund of the remaining balance of the 2010/2011 reserve of £301,000 together with the underspend of £267,000 from 2011/2012 to the participating Councils, to be allocated on the % basis as detailed in the Business Case 2010/2011.  The total of £568,000 to be repaid in 2012/2013, as set out below, be approved;

 

 Council

% Share

Refund of savings

 

 

£

 

 

 

Bromsgrove

11.05%

62,801

Malvern Hills

9.58%

54,447

Redditch

11.31%

64,279

City of Worcester

11.11%

63,142

Wychavon

16.55%

94,059

Wyre Forest

10.82%

61,494

Worcestershire

29.58%

168,114

 

 

568,336

 .

(e)               that the Annual Return to include the Accounting Statements for the Joint Committee for the period 1st April 2011 to 31st March 2012, be approved; and

(f)                 that the Internal Audit Manager’s assurance statement for the financial year 2011/2012, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report, be noted.

Supporting documents: