Agenda item

Budget Report 2010/2011

The Head of finance presented the report and pointed Members to the summary of the key financial issues.

It was noted that there were 4 Zero Based Budget (ZBB) review areas which the department would be focusing on, and they were:

• Consumer Protection - It was that this was a high spend area for the group, and the focus would be on the wider impact of the Council’s successful recycling initiatives.

• Highway & Green Spaces - Members noted that £2.5m had been spent on highway maintenance and the review would ensure that external funding opportunities and S106 funds were maximised.

• Business Services – It was noted that £4m per annum had been spent on fleet vehicles with £780k on fuel at per annum. With the fuel being a volatile area due to the prices of diesel, the review would look at the procurement in the purchase of diesel.

• Income Generation – Members noted that the review in this area would look at how the Borough compared with other boroughs. Following a challenge session, a report would be submitted to Cabinet in December 2009.

The following questions and points were raised by the Councillors:

The Chairman questioned how officers would generate income, given the Council’s desire to keep costs low.

Councillor Markham commented that the Council was already three months into the financial year and officers would need to look at measures already in place, managing and monitoring very closely.

Officers advised that no decisions had been made, except to look robustly at better ways of providing services and look for efficiencies in high income generating areas.

In response to comments made, it was noted that work was underway through bench marking to compare against other local authorities. In addition, a corporate grant funding software was now in place, which would assist in applying for more funding.

The Director of Environment and Consumer Protection added that the focus would be on areas which created best opportunities and that this would be an ongoing process for next year and subsequent years.

Quarterly Performance Information Report 2009

Officers brought Members’ attention to the following areas of performance:

·        Members’ enquiries - 96.5% had been answered within 10 working days. It was noted that the improvement was due to a vacant post now being filled.

·        All 15 targets in the Local Area Agreement (LAA) to be delivered by the department were shown as being on track at the end of quarter four.

·        The department was working closely with Hillingdon Homes to extend estate based recycling facilities.

·        Phase1 of town centre improvement had been completed.

·         Four additional Green Flags had been award bringing the total to 10, which exceeded the 9 required to meet the LAA target.

A ‘Place Survey’ had been introduced in early October 2008 as part of the new Comprehensive Area Assessment. Feedback from this survey would be reported to the next meeting for information.

• There had been some minor slippages on 2008/09 Transport for London (TfL) 20mph and Bus Priority programmes.

• The Medium term Financial Forecast against the value for money National indicator 179 was on track following the whole service review.

• Officers advised that all four tasks in the group plan in respect of the Council of achieving ‘value for money’ were shown as being on track.

Councillor Janet Duncan asked whether there had been an increase in fly tipping following the closure of the waste disposal facility in Rigby Lane; and whether finding alternative measures had been considered.

The Director of Community services advised that fly tipping was not as bad as had been expected since the closure of the site. The timescale for completing work on the site had been far exceeded by Sita and discussions were still on going.

It was noted that the Committee would be updated as soon as work on the site had been completed.

The Committee requested further details to be circulated separately in the following areas:

• Fly tipping
• Complaints breakdown
• Unclassified roads needing maintenance (annual survey)

Resolved – That Environment and Consumer Protection Budget Report 2010/2011 and Quarterly Performance Information Report 2009 be noted