Agenda item

Julie Evans, Strategic Director of Resources, outlined a report detailing the Council’s overall performance from delivery of service to financial management covering the period up to and including October 2011. The report set out performance against the Council’s Gold Projects, the Performance Scorecard, and the Revenue and Capital monitoring position to 31st October, 2011.

Gold Project Update

The Committee was referred to the detailed position on Gold Projects set out within the report. The Director advised that of the ten Gold Projects in total, nine reports had been received and the tenth Gold Project, ‘Looked After Children’s Placements’ was in the initiation phase and the first report would be submitted the following month.

It was highlighted that of the nine gold projects which continued to be active, six had been assessed to have an overall ‘Green’ status, three ‘Amber’, and no component of any project had been assessed as having a ‘Red’ status.

The Committee noted the Performance Scorecard Update and that ‘Key People Measures’ highlighted that the total number of staff employed by the Council across all directorates had decreased by 302 (or 16%) in the past year. There were 364 vacant posts at the end of September 2011, and the majority of these were within the Education and Children’s Services (ECS) Directorate.

The Committee noted Key Volume and Quality Measures and a number of Key Inspection Results in the ECS and CWB Directorates.

Financial Reporting

Members noted that the Council’s net revenue budget for 2011/12 was £105.1m and that the Housing Services agreed net operating budget for 2011/12 was a surplus of £87K. There was a forecast under spend for the 2011/12 General Fund at the end of period seven of £335K, being a reduction in net expenditure of £146K since the previous month.  For the Housing Revenue Account there was currently a forecast surplus of £171k.

The Committee noted the detailed month on month movement in variances within all Directorates and the current position regarding the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) where balances were forecast to be £9.702m at year end, being £454k higher than budget and reflecting an improvement of £18,000 in the period.

The Director discussed emerging issues and risks relating to each Directorate and it was highlighted that because the 2011-12 PPRG process was in progress, any identified savings were not reflected in this report. The Committee also noted emerging opportunities within each Directorate.

In the ensuing discussion a member asked what symbols and figures meant in the ‘Good is’ column within App A on page 43 of the report. It was agreed that the actual figures would be circulated to the Committee.

In response to a further question, Kevin Gordon, Assistant Director, Professional Services,advised that the requested report on Staff Appraisals would be presented to the next meeting of the Committee in January 2012.

Resolved - That the report be noted.