Issue - meetings

To consider the Finance Report Quarter 1 2019/20 as presented to Cabinet on 30 July 2019.

The committee reviewed the Quarter 1 Finance Report, which had been presented to Cabinet on 30 July 2019.  In presenting the report, the Executive Director of Corporate Development welcomed any feedback on the content and format of the report.

·                A request was made for detail of the level of reserves from each of the predecessor councils to be included in the report

·                The report was influenced by overspends in the areas of Adults and Children’s Services.  It was noted that the committee would be receiving presentations on these two areas at their meeting on 14 October 2019

·                In respect of the above point, information on user numbers was available and could be included in the quarterly finance monitoring reports to Cabinet

·                A point was raised with regard to the table at paragraph 6.7 of the report and the reference to ‘Director’s Services’.  In response, the Corporate Director, Financial and Commercial confirmed that some stranded costs could not be saved into directorates and had therefore been consolidated into ‘Director’s Services’

·                The Capital Assets and Strategy Group was meeting this week to look at assets and investment required

·                A date for the fair funding review was not currently known

·                In response to a point raised, it was noted that the forecasting method made assumptions but could not prevent all factors causing overspending

·                In response to a comment about the level of overspend, the Deputy Leader noted that the Council had reserves and also a transformation programme with a savings goal

·                A point was raised as to back up plans in the case of the main council buildings being unavailable.

The report was noted.