Decision details

To consider the month end budget report and make any recommendations as appropriate

That the report be noted, including the following:

1.         That the council forecasts a £3.0m overall revenue budget underspend at year end, which includes use of £6.9m central government grant plus temporary use of a £0.8m unplanned underspend against Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards budget to offset pressures in Adult Social Care, as set out in the Annex, paragraph 1 of the submitted report.

2.         That services are forecast to achieve £63.1m efficiencies and service reductions by year end, as set out in the Annex, paragraph 41 of the submitted report.

3.         That the total forecast capital expenditure for 2015/16, including long term investments, is £196.8m, as set out in the Annex, paragraph 54 of the submitted report.

4.         That services’ management actions to mitigate overspends, were set out throughout the submitted report.

5.         That £0.9m increase to the existing B4S school improvement programme over the next two years, specifically to focus on creating a leadership development package for schools and to increase the number of high quality mainstream places for students with Special Education Needs and Disabilities, as set out in the Annex, paragraphs 3 to 6 of the submitted report, be approved.

6.       That £2.2m spending reductions Public Health, which have been identified to meet the cut in the Public Health ring fenced grant, announced by the Chancellor in June 2015 and recently confirmed by the Department of Health, as set out in Annex, paragraphs 7 to 8 of the submitted report, be approved.

Reasons for Decisions:

This report is presented to comply with the agreed policy of providing a monthly budget monitoring report to Cabinet for approval and action as necessary.

[The decision on this item may be called in by the Council Overview Board]