Councillors and committees

Agenda item

DEPUTY CABINET MEMBER FOR RESOURCES UPDATE

Minutes:

Witnesses:

Becky Rush, Deputy Cabinet Member for Resources

 

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    A Member asked which risks in the 2020/21 budget were currently RAG (red, amber, green) rated red and whether some risks that had previously been red had now been rated black. How did this affect the position with regards to risks at year-end? The Deputy Cabinet Member replied that a £3.2m deficit was currently forecast for the end of the 2020/21 financial year. There had been little change in the forecast delivery of efficiencies in the last few months. Black rated (undeliverable) efficiencies stood at £4.6m at month 8 of 2020/21, and red rated (at risk) efficiencies stood at £5.5m. The majority of these risks were related to efficiencies in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). All efficiencies were regularly reviewed within the transformation programme, and as well as this a review was being conducted on the effect of the current Covid-19 lockdown.

 

2.    A Member requested to see the year-on-year level of Adult Social Care debts. The Deputy Cabinet Member stated that a full report was being compiled for the Adults and Health Select Committee and once the information was available, she would share it with the Resources and Performance Select Committee.

 

Chris Townsend left the meeting at 11:54am.

 

3.    A Member requested that the monthly deep dives reported back to the Transformation Board also be reported to the Resources and Performance Select Committee on a monthly basis. The Deputy Cabinet Member agreed to share this information with the Select Committee monthly.

 

4.    A Member asked what the modernisation review was, as mentioned in the report. The Deputy Cabinet Member responded that this was a monthly meeting with procurement, whereby discussions took place about how improvements could be made to procurement processes. The new Digital Business and Insights (DB&I) project would provide a new procurement programme. Also discussed at the modernisation review were a renewed emphasis on business partnering, changes due to Britain’s exit from the European Union, and increased focus on climate change.

 

5.    A Member enquired what the key risks in the Resources portfolio were and what issues the Deputy Cabinet Member would address once she became Cabinet Member for Resources from 26 January 2021 onwards. The Deputy Cabinet Member said that she was working closely with the current Cabinet Member for Resources and the finance team to ensure a smooth handover. The main budgetary risks included SEND and waste, as well as the agile office programme, agile IT, the relocation of the County Hall to Woodhatch Place and staff retention. Project governance, risk management, interim workplace solutions and regular communications led by the Executive Director of Resources mitigated these risks. Moreover, Covid-19 had impacted services, leading to staff sickness and redeployment, for example. Reprioritisation of the transformation programme and of critical functions within teams helped mitigate this risk. The focus at present was on delivery of the budget at 2020/21 year-end. The Deputy Cabinet Member commended the abilities of the team and the governance within the Resources directorate.

 

6.    The Select Committee was informed that Mel Few, Cabinet Member for Resources, and Zully Grant Duff, Cabinet Member for Corporate Support, would be stepping down from their Cabinet roles from 26 January 2021 onwards. The Select Committee thanked these Cabinet Members for their work and diligence in these roles.

 

Actions/further information to be provided:

1.    Deputy Cabinet Member for Resources to share the report on Adult Social Care debts (being compiled for the Adults and Health Select Committee) with the Resources and Performance Select Committee;

2.    Deputy Cabinet Member for Resources to share monthly Transformation Board deep dives with the Select Committee.

Supporting documents: