Agenda item

(a)  That the latest forecast financial information for the 2013-14 financial year be noted;

(b)  That the Council’s performance against the balance scorecard indicators to date during 2013-14 be noted;

(c)  That the Council’s performance on ‘Gold’ projects during 2013-14 be noted; and

(d)  That the write-offs detailed within the report be approved.

The Assistant Director Finance & Audit introduced a report setting out the Council’s overall performance from delivery of service to financial management covering the period up to and including December 2013.  It was noted that an updated version of the report had been circulated which replaced the version in the Agenda.

An underspend of £0.003m was forecast as at month 9 which was a significant improvement on the month 8 forecast of a potential £0.363m overspend.  This was due to the net result of an in-year savings initiative conducted in recent months to bring the Council’s budget into balance and it provided a solid basis on which the build the budget for 2014/15.  The Council had spent 28% of the available Capital Budget for 2013/14 and the latest projection for capital expenditure was £44.4m against a revised budget of £65.6m.  It was reported that 79% of the balanced scorecard indicators for 2013/14 were ‘green’ with a further 17% ‘amber’.  In relation the Council’s six ‘Gold’ projects, three had an overall status of ‘green’ and three were ‘amber’.  Members were also asked to agree the write off requests as detailed in section 9 of the report.

The Cabinet welcomed the progress that had been made in bringing spending back in line with budget which would ensure there would no call on reserves to meet any overspend.  The write off requests were discussed and agreed as set out in the report.  Members considered the update on the Better Care Fund (BCF) which had been circulated as an Addendum to the Medium Term Financial Strategy.  The Cabinet were informed that the BCF would pool health and local authority budgets to integrate specified adult services which would help to improve services and increase both innovation and efficiency.  Members recognised the important roles that the Slough Wellbeing Board and the Health Scrutiny Panel had and noted that a full report would be considered by the Cabinet on 14^th April 2014.

Resolved –

(a)  That the latest forecast financial information for the 2013-14 financial year be noted;

(b)  That the Council’s performance against the balance scorecard indicators to date during 2013-14 be noted;

(c)  That the Council’s performance on ‘Gold’ projects during 2013-14 be noted; and

(d)  That the write-offs detailed within the report be approved.