Agenda item

Julie Evans, Director of Resources and Regeneration highlighted the Council’s overall performance from delivery of service to financial management covering the period up to and including December 2011, against the following key areas:-

  i.  Council’s Gold Projects

  ii.  Performance Scorecard

  iii.  Revenue and capital monitoring position to 31^st December 2011.

It was reported that of the ten active gold projects, seven had been assessed to have an overall ‘Green’ status and three as ‘Amber’.  Members’ attention was drawn to the fact that no component of any project had been assessed as being of ‘Red’ status.

With regard to the Britwell Regeneration Project a Member asked for details relating to the relocation of the business premises within the affected area.  The Director of Resources and Regeneration informed Members that dialogue had been entered into with all those affected by the project and details relating to the current position would be sent to Members for their information. 

A Member asked a question with regard to the Delivering Personalised Services Programme Gold Project and in particular the Voluntary Sector Commissioning aspect.  Corporate Director of Community and Wellbeing, Jane Wood, updated Members that evaluation of tenders that had been received had been undertaken and that a final evaluation was close to conclusion. 

A number of questions were asked with regard to the gold project relating to School Places in Slough.  A Member questioned whether the Local Authority was playing ‘catch-up’ on school places or whether the projection for school places in the future was accurate.  Clair Pyper, Strategic Director Education and Children’s Service stated that the demand for school places and the supply of school places was extremely fluid and depended on a number of factors. These included the number of applications received, which varied on a weekly basis and the number of places vacated by families moving their children. The matter was further complicated by movements of people in and out of Slough and changes in parental preference for specific schools. Members were informed that the process of placing children was ongoing and the objective was to maintain a small surplus of places so that supply nominally exceeded demand.  However, Members attention was drawn to the concern for secondary school places within the borough for 2014.  Members were informed that although the intake at Wexham Secondary school had recently been increased, the Authority still required the equivalent of three secondary schools within the next ten years to cater for demand and that the situation was being closely monitored.

Financial Reporting

The Committee was informed that there was currently a forecast underspend for the 2011/12 General Fund of £2.578m and that this was a reduction in net expenditure of £1,255K since the previous month.  It was noted that further details regarding financial reporting would be discussed under agenda item 4. 

Resolved – That the report be noted.