Issue - meetings

Monthly Council Budget Monitoring Report: Month 6 (Cllr Martin Goddard)

 

Meeting: 10/11/2022 - CABINET (Item 5)

5 Monthly Council Budget Monitoring Report: Month 6 pdf icon PDF 540 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1.    Note the budget monitoring position and treasury management update as at September 2022 (Month 6) as outlined in Part A of the report.

2.    Approve the financial recommendations set out in Part B of the report below:

a)    Approve acceptance of £191k grant funding from the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) for costs associated with the delivery of new post-Brexit port health authority functions at the Heathrow Imported Food Office.

b)   Note the virement of £916k from the general capital contingency fund to the Uxbridge mortuary extension project.

c)    Accept a grant of £43.5k from Groundwork London in respect of the Crane Valley Project Fund.

d)   Ratify an Emergency Contract Decision taken on the 27 October 2022 by the Interim Chief Executive, with the agreement of the Leader of the Council, to vary Lot 2 of the recently approved Framework for Home Care and Outreach Services by Cabinet on 1 September 2022. 

 

Reasons for decision

 

Cabinet was updated on the forecast revenue, capital and treasury position for the current year 2022/23 in order to ensure the Council achieved its budgetary and service objectives.

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the Month 6 report, as of 31 September 2022, welcoming the stability, dependability and strength of the Council’s financial position and noted the benefits that were beginning to be delivered from the Council’s transformation programme.

 

The Cabinet Member informed Cabinet of the continued Covid-19 legacy pressures which were being absorbed by earmarked reserves, similarly with inflationary pressures, but he welcomed the positive financial movement from other factors such as the reduction of NI costs and the robust re-negotiation of contracts. It was also noted that the Council’s forward purchasing strategy for energy had shielded the Council from the increased costs, and further noted that the public sector pay settlement had now been taken into account within the Council’s finances.

 

The Cabinet Member welcomed that savings targets were on track to be delivered and updated Cabinet on the status of the Council’s capital programme and also housing capital funding, where projects would be re-phased over future years in due course. In respect of the Dedicated Schools Grant, it was highlighted that the projected year end deficit was showing a further reduction.

 

 

 

A number of financial recommendations were moved by the Cabinet Member and agreed by Cabinet, including ratification of an Emergency Contract Decision in respect of the procurement framework for homecare and outreach services, the acceptance of grants for the Crane Valley Project and the Imported Food Office at Heathrow.

 

The Leader of the Council thanked the Cabinet Member and Finance Officers for their stewardship of the Council’s finances.

 

Alternative options considered and rejected

 

None.

 

Relevant Select Committee

Finance & Corporate Services

Expiry date for any scrutiny call-in / date decision can be implemented (if no call-in)

Cabinet’s decisions 2 (a) and 2 (b) can be called-in by 5pm, Friday 18 November 2022. The remaining decisions are for noting or ratification and cannot be called-in.

Officer(s) to action

Andy Evans

Directorate

Resources

Classification

Public - The report and any background papers relating to this decision by the Cabinet are available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

 

Urgency provisions this report was issued less than 5 clear days before the Cabinet meeting and agreed by the Chairman to be considered under urgency provisions.