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 December 2019 (Month 9) and the revised Capital Programme.

The General Fund showed a projected end of year overspend of £8.214m against the budget of £148.82m. There was an increase of £0.395m in the overall expenditure forecast made up of small increases across a number of services, £0.286m in Community Solutions and £0.318m in Contracted Services. However, there had been an improvement in the Public Realm forecast for the first time in many years. The increase in expenditure forecast was offset by a £0.5m increase in Corporate Income resulting in a net reduction of £0.1m since month 8.

Members were critical of the Government’s reliance on 2011 census data to calculate the Council’s funding need, as that data no longer accurately reflected the Borough population.  Concern was also expressed at proposals to end the census altogether, which would potentially create gaps in local data and therefore make service planning more difficult.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Note the projected revenue outturn for Council services as set out in sections 2 to 12 and Appendix A to the report;

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

(iii)  Approve the additions to the Capital Programme as set out in section 13 and Appendix C to the report; and

(iv)  Note the projected outturn on the Capital Programme as set out in section 13 and Appendix B to the report.