Issue - meetings

To consider the consolidated revenue and capital outturn for the 2013/14 financial year.

(Report attached)

Members considered the consolidated revenue and capital outturn position for the preceding financial year and the Financial Reserves Statement for the same period. It was reported that Officers had provided considerably more detail within this report than had previously been the case, detailing the budget positions and variances across the various service areas in turn. It was acknowledged that there was still some work to be carried out in appropriately apportioning recharges between services but the present report did provide a clear and comprehensive picture of the situation at the year end.

Officers were able to report that the £550K of unidentified savings for the year had been found and, indeed, greater savings had been achieved which had resulted in the Council transferring money back into balances, a situation that had not been envisaged at the start of the year. Officers had also detailed the current levels of reserves and explained that the Council had approximately £2M currently in reserves once the reserves for dilapidations to Threadneedle House and those for Mercury Emissions works at the Crematorium were drawn down and the NNDR reserves discounted.

The Committee was generally pleased to see that savings had been achieved although there was a recognition that the funding situation was not liable to improve in the near future and difficult times were set to continue. Following some discussion around the continued underspend on the Disabled Facilities Grant budget, Officers undertook to ask the team to review their budget requirements, although there was a reluctance to propose reducing the budget given the nature of the service. In relation to a specific enquiry, Officers undertook to request that the Head of Environmental Services contact Councillor Brandon Clayton to confirm the current situation with the Estate Enhancements programme and its associated funding.

RESOLVED that

1)        the current financial position on Revenue and Capital be noted, as detailed in the report;

and RECOMMENDED that

2)        the transfer of £165K into balances be approved;

3)        the carrying forward £3.2M for Capital project schemes be approved;

4)        the movement in reserves as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report be approved; and

5)        an increase in the 2014/15 Capital Programme to include the following Section 106 funded project: £16,500 for Pitcheroak Golf Course for improvements to the greens and creation of a par 3 course to encourage juniors and beginners to play golf, be approved.