Agenda item

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

Officers confirmed that this report shows income and expenditure until June 2024 and then this data is taken and a projection is made for the end of the financial year. As this point in time, the projected overspend for the whole of Council at the year-end is £1.8m

Members referred to the items identified using the RAG method and queried the status of the amber items. If they are close to completion or are close to not being completed. Officers confirmed that items identified as green are completed as at the end of June. If an item is identified as amber, officers are confident as at the end of March they will be completed.

Members queried about the overspends in Education. Further, if there was an indication about the anticipated level of school reserves as this will impact on the wider council budget.

In terms of the overspend, members drew attention to the unattained vacancy targets. Members queried if there was an ongoing issue with regards to unattained vacancy targets and what would the impact of achieving those have on the stresses on staff moving forward? Officers confirmed in terms of schools, they are expected to increase their deficits by £7.6m by the end of the financial year. Officers have met with the Director of Education and the Chief Executive to try and determine what can mitigate this. A report is also scheduled for a future Cabinet meeting which will

Members referred to ‘other country parks’ and also specifically The Gnoll. It was noted that the report is up until the end of June, however references reasons referring to August. Officers confirmed that officers will use information they are aware of to predict the position as at the end of the financial year. Therefore, information will be provided which refers to the whole year.

Members referred to the item public lighting and the RAG table. The report references that the £220k saving is unlikely to be achieved due to the price increases, however the item is currently identified as green on the RAG table. Officers confirmed that the saving in relation to dimming has been achieved, in terms of the energy usage of the lights, however because the price has not decreased as much as anticipated, it is still showing as an overspend. The RAG rating is green due to the fact that the consumption target has been met, but it shows as an overspend due to the price of the units, not the usage.

Members referred to the red item on the report, the technical infrastructure modernisation in digital services. Members queried if this is still going ahead and what the explanation is behind the red status. Officers advised that whilst the saving was attached to digital services, the budget for the savings sits within the Environment directorate. Therefore, the savings will not be achieved by digital services, therefore is flagged as red, however the savings itself has been achieved through the Environment directorate, where the budget sits.

Members referred to the overspend identified in the school transport budget and the consultancy cost. Members queried what service the consultancy carried out that the internal staff could not do and what would have been the overspend if internal staff had been used to carry out the work?

Officers advised that the overspend is due to an increase in places for home to school transport since the budget was set. Members were advised with regards to the consultancy query, if this they wish to take forward it should be done via the appropriate scrutiny committee, which would be the Environment scrutiny committee, which is where school contracts ultimately vest.

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.