Agenda item

The Committee considered details of the Quarter 3 Performance and Finance report. Although the Council was forecasting an overspend of £700k remedial action had managed to reduce the overspend by £270k compared to the previous month. The Council was continuing to work towards decreasing the overspend by the end of the financial year as the current position was likely to have a significant impact on the Council’s General Reserves. Members were informed that the Council had developed a recovery plan in Children’s Social Care to mitigate the in year budgetary presures and reduce them going into future years. All other Council service areas would continue to review all budget areas to drive out further underspends. 

The main area showing an overspend continued to be the Children’s and Families Service area with a forecast overspend of £1.38m. Although the area’s overspend had increased by £160k, this had been more than offset by an improved position within the Education (Non Schools) service area.

The latest position for the Council’s balanced scorecard was outlined. Key areas of noteworthy concern and more than 5% adrift of their currently defined target values were highlighted as average staff sickness rate (days lost per FTE), number of families placed in Bed and Breakfast and percentage of single assessments completed and authorised within 45 working days.

Referring to the net total of £1.662m that had been written off during the third quarter of 2014/15, the Assistant Director was asked what steps were being taken to minimise the risk of write offs in future. The Panel were informed the majority that the majority off write offs related to business rates and explained the difficulties in tracing businesses that had gone into administration. It was agreed that details of the number of current and historic cases would be provided in the next quarterly report. 

Following an update in progress regarding the Council’s Gold Projects, a Member queried whether the timescale for completion of The Curve had been delayed, given the fact that asbestos had been discovered on site and the capacity for ICT support to meet deadlines and complete work on schedule was shown as red status. Members were assured that the project was still anticipated to be completed within budget by December 2015.

(Councillor Malik joined the meeting)

A Member expressed concern regarding the percentage of single assessments completed and authorised within the relevant time period. The Assistant Director explained that this indicator had achieved significant improvement  - 85.9% in comparison to an approximate 60% compliance rate for the previous quarter. The nationally set target for this indicator was demanding at 100% hence the status would remain as red.

Further information was sought regarding sickness levels and what measures were being implemented to address the issues that were continuing to contribute to this indicator remaining at red status. Members were advised that the Employment and Appeals Committee at its meeting in January 2015 considered a report which detailed sickness absence levels by directorate and any relevant action that was being taken. It was agreed that the report would be circulated to Committee Members.

Members discussed the various restructures currently taking place across the Council and requested further details regarding the Council’s Re-Deployment Policy. The Committee  agreed that the Assistant Director, Professional Services, be invited to the April Committee meeting todiscuss the implementation of the Re-Deployment Process, including the number of vacancies and the number of individuals matched to them.

The summary of the six Gold Projects updates as at December 2014 indicated that the overall status of all six projects had been assessed as amber.

Resolved – That the report be noted.