Councillors and committees

Decision details

Finance and Budget Monitoring Report to 31 October 2017

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

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

 

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

That the following be noted

 

1.    Forecast revenue budget outturn for 2017/18 is £18m overspend (Annex 1, paragraphs 1 and 8 to 41 of the submitted report). This includes:  £9m savings to be identified, £16m savings considered unachievable in 2017/18, £13m service demand pressures less £20m underspends, additional savings and income.

 

2.    Significant risks to the revenue budget (Annex 1, paragraphs 42 to 47) could add £13m to the forecast overspend, including: £9m in Children, Schools & Families and £3m in Adult Social Care.

 

3.    Forecast planned savings for 2017/18 total £79m against £95m agreed savings and £104m target (Annex 1, paragraph 50 of the submitted report).

 

4.    All services continue to take all reasonable action to keep costs down and optimise income (e.g. minimising spending, managing vacancies wherever possible etc.).

 

5.    The Section 151 Officer’s commentary and the Monitoring Officer’s Legal Implications commentary in paragraphs 16 to 19 of the report state that the council has a duty to ensure its expenditure does not exceed resources available and move towards a sustainable budget for future years.

 

That the following be approved:

 

6.    Transfer £0.9m revenue from the New Homes Bonus budget to the Strategic Transport group to enable major transport scheme development to continue (Annex 1, paragraph 48 of the submitted report).

 

7.    Increase the SEND reform staffing budget by £0.6m and to increase the corresponding grant income budget by £0.6m (Annex 1, paragraph 49 of the submitted report).

 

8.    Reprofile £0.9m of Surrey Fire & Rescue Service’s vehicle and equipment replacement programme capital budget from 2017/18 to 2018/19 (Annex 1, paragraph 66 of the submitted report).

 

9.    Draw down £83,000 from amounts carried forward from 2016/17 by Schools & SEND for planned spend on school kitchen schemes in 2017/18 (Annex 1, paragraph 67 of the submitted report).

 

 

Reason for Decisions:

 

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

 

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Overview and Budget Scrutiny Committee]

Report author: Kevin Kilburn

Publication date: 29/11/2017

Date of decision: 28/11/2017

Decided at meeting: 28/11/2017 - Cabinet

Effective from: 07/12/2017

Accompanying Documents: