Agenda item

Kevin Gordon, Assistant Director (AD), Professional Services, introduced a report setting out the Council’s overall performance from delivery of service to financial management covering the period up to and including February 2012.  It was highlighted that due to financial and performance end of year close down, the next  finance and performance report would be made at the start of the new municipal year at the Committee meeting scheduled on 31^st May, 2012.  The AD referred the Committee to the Gold Project update and the performance scorecard set out in the report.  It was highlighted that the reported average sickness rate for the quarter was slightly down on average for the same period in the previous year and that lower salary bands had reported higher rates of sickness absence.  It was also highlighted that the Council’s new website had been launched recently and public response would be monitored.

The AD also discussed the increased demand in Children’s Social Care services and that the number of looked after children in the care of the authority remained higher than historic figures.  Adult Social Care faced similar increases in demand and between April 2011 and February 2012 there had been 187 adult safeguarding referrals requiring a strategy meeting to be convened.  Members noted that the Council’s adoption service was inspected by Ofsted in February 2012 and it had been confirmed that SBC provided a good service and outstanding performance in helping children to achieve well and make a positive contribution. 

In the ensuing debate members raised a number of questions and comments.  The AD was asked to provide details of the reasons for sickness absence and it was suggested that this be examined in a report to the Employment and Appeals Committee. In response to a question regarding the Red status for the Business Continuity Gold Project, Gillian Ralphs, Assistant Director, advised that there had been difficulties around the resources available to support the project and delays due to the need on occasions to cancel meetings.  She confirmed that the final report was nearing completion.

Emma Foy, Interim Head of Central Finance, referred the Committee to the financial reporting section of the report.  The net revenue budget for 2011/12 was £105.1m and the Housing Services agreed net operating budget for this period was a surplus of £87K. The Committee noted that there was currently a forecast underspend for the 2011/12 General Fund at the end of period 11 of £1.656m after the agreement of budget carry forward.  For the Housing Revenue account there was currently a forecast underspend £161K.  It was highlighted that the Customer and Transactional Services contract awarded to Arvato had now gone live. 

Resolved  -   That the Council’s Gold Project, Performance Scorecard, and Revenue and Capital monitoring position to 29th February, 2012  be noted.