Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member of the Month update be noted.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources provided the Cabinet with an update on the work he and the services he supports had been undertaking. The following key points were raised:

·         The Cabinet Member stated that given both the pressures that we face and the large increase in demand for the services we provide, to end the financial year with a slight surplus in our revenue budget was a positive outcome. The council was able to produce a balanced budget which protects the delivery of our frontline services whilst limiting the Council tax increase to 2.99%.

·         As far as the capital budget was concerned, there was a £12 million underspend against the reset budget. The service was looking to see how the council can improve forecasts for complex capital schemes.

·         The Cabinet Member was a board member of the Additional Needs and Disability Transformation Board and explained that a large amount of work had gone into delivering the DSG high needs block safety valve agreement which was on track.

·         My Surrey, which is the enterprise resource planning system and will replace the existing SAP system would be going live at the beginning of June. The Cabinet Member thanked all staff who had worked really hard and tirelessly to get the project to this stage.

·         The council’s internal audit plan was on track however it was disappointing that the 2021/22 statement of accounts remain unsigned by Grant Thornton due to a national issues. It was explained that the council’s external auditors would change to Ernst and Young from this financial year onwards.

·         The Cabinet member was responsible for a busy portfolio that cut across all the Council's activities and thanked and acknowledged the hard work of staff.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member of the Month update be noted.