Issue - meetings

This item is exempt from publication because it contains information regarding the financial and business affairs of a particular company (relevant legislation: paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972)

The Chair raised a number of issues in relation to an urgent action concerning a grant that she had been notified of under Section 17 of Article 1 of the Council’s Constitution.  Some other Board Members also expressed concern or raised queries but in doing so a number of Members expressed support for the general activity associated with the grant.  The Chair was particularly concerned over the original decision to set aside monies for the grant which it was felt had not been transparent in the committee papers at the time, last August.  Concern was also raised about the length of time since then and the way in which the matter had been handled.  The Chair was also unhappy with the letter notifying the urgent action and felt appropriate consultation had not taken place.

Officers were present to respond to all the queries and to give full assurance that, whilst there may have been some delays which were regrettable, the original decision had been made properly.  No Call-In had taken place.  The more recent action in relation to various conditions and the making of related payments were in line with usual procedures for grants. 

After a long debate the Board agreed that they had three main concerns:

(1)   the urgent action provision

(2)   that grants to individuals of individual organisation in excess of £200,000 should be a full Assembly decision

(3)   the Board should be notified of any late additions to the Forward Plan regarding Key Decisions.  This can be done verbally at the Board meeting.

Received a report on the Council’s revenue and capital position for 2007/08 at the end of the first quarter.

Agreed, as a matter of good financial practice and to bring budgets into line with agreed expenditure, to:

(i)  Note the current position of the Council’s revenue and capital budget as at 30 June 2007;

(ii)  Note the position and projected out-turn for the Housing Revenue Account;

(iii)  Note that Directors are continuing to identify and implement the necessary action plans to alleviate current budget pressures to ensure that the necessary balanced budget for the Council is achieved by year end;

(iv)  An in-year budget adjustment of £1m in relation to the budget pressures in the Adult and Community Services department, resulting from recent Member reconsideration and decisions regarding the Older Persons Modernisation savings, to be funded from central provisions (contingencies);

(v)  Adjustments to both the Temporary accommodation and Revenues and Benefits working budgets as detailed in the report;

(vi)  The sum of £165,000, representing the costs of the continuing implementation of Single Status, being funded from the central resources budget set-aside to fund the Single Status Agreement;

(vii)  The re-profiling of individual capital schemes as detailed in Appendix D to the report; and

(viii)  Note the Prudential Indicators and the key Financial Health Indicators for the first quarter period.