Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Core Services presented a report on the Council’s revenue budget monitoring position for the 2019/20 financial year as at 31 October 2019 (Month 7).

The forecast expenditure in the General Fund was £159.059m against a budget of £148.820m. Once planned drawdowns from reserves and surpluses from Collection Fund and Business Rates budgets had been taken into account, the overall budget gap was projected at £7.562m, which was broadly in line with last month.

The Cabinet Member referred to the extremely high pressures within service areas, particularly in care and support services, and referred to the Government’s austerity programme and the harm it was bringing to the most vulnerable in the community.

Cabinet Members referred to the challenges in meeting the needs of those with mental health problems such as dementia and the high number of families who were struggling to cope.  The Council had lobbied the Government on the issue and the need for services to be properly funded, and reference was also made to local initiatives that were being progressed to help facilitate care needs and cushion the high rise in demand.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Note the projected revenue outturn for Council services as set out in sections 2 to 11 and Appendix A to the report, and

(ii)   Note the implications for the reserves position and the need to identify in-year action in relation to General Fund expenditure.