Issue - meetings

To receive performance management information on the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2015/16 and updates on current projects, including the Provisional Outturn for 2015/16.

i.  Considered and commented on progress made against Key Activities and Corporate Indicators in the Corporate Plan and current projects, as summarised in Appendix A and detailed in Appendices B and C of the Officer’s report;

ii.  Considered and commented on the Council’s 2015/16 provisional outturn.

iii.  Approves the:

§  deletion of 21 Earmarked Reserves as detailed in paragraph 4.14.1 of the Officer’s report;

§  formation of 9 Earmarked Reserves as detailed in paragraph 4.14.2 of the Officer’s report;

§  transfer of £0.244m from the Budget Surplus Reserve to the Collection Fund Reserve, and

§  transfer of £0.561m from the Budget Surplus Reserve to finance the Democratic and Organisational Governance and Efficiency initiatives.

The Cabinet considered a report by the Corporate Team Manager and Head of Resources (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) and commented on progress against the Key Activities and Corporate Indicators listed in the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2015/16 for the period 1 January to 31 March 2016.  The report also incorporated progress on the current projects being undertaken at the Council; details of the 2015/16 provisional outturn for revenue and capital spend; and an update on the Commercial Investment Strategy including details of the investments to date and the level of returns these were expected to generate.

The Cabinet were informed regarding the year end outturn revenue position for 2015/16 of the net revenue spend of £17.1m resulting in a saving against budget of £2.0m when compared to the updated Budget.  The main reasons for the £2.0m variance were detailed within paragraph 4.4 of the Officer’s report.

The Councils final 2015/16 net capital programme was £9.3m, following slippage of £0.3m as a result of a loan to Luminus for financial support of the Langley Court development not commencing.

In December 2015 the Cabinet approved that the minimum level of the General Fund to be maintained was 15% of net expenditure.  The 2015/16 opening General Fund balance was £9.3m.  As a consequence of the service saving noted in the report; the transfers to and from Earmarked Reserves in respect of the Collection Fund and external grant; maintaining the general fund at 15% of net expenditure; and a transfer to the Commercial Investment Reserve, the revised forecast General Fund balance was £2.7m.

During the year there had been a significant review of the Earmarked Reserves held by the Council. At the start of the financial year there were 38 separate Earmarked Reserves, as detailed within Appendix D of the Officer’s report, totalling £15.7m.

As per the requirements of the Reserves Strategy, the Cabinet were requested to approve the deletion of 21 Earmarked Reserves as listed within paragraph 4.14.1 of the Officer’s report as well as the formation of the reserves listed in paragraph 4.14.2 of the Officer’s report.

Regarding the £0.805m held in the Budget Surplus Reserve at the end of the financial year, the Cabinet were requested to approve the transfer of £0.244m to ‘Collection Fund Reserve’ to finance the Department for Communities and Local Government’s contribution as a consequence of the District Council being above the Non-Domestic Rates baseline funding in 2015/16; and £0.561m to finance the Democratic and Organisational Governance and Efficiency initiatives noted in Section 7 of Appendix D of the Officer’s report.

The Cabinet were informed that as of 31 March 2016, the Council had invested £3.9m in Commercial Investment Strategy related assets, compiling investment of £2.5m in Churches, Charities and Local Authorities Mutual Investments Trust Property Fund and the purchase of 2 Stonehill, Stukely Meadows, Huntingdon for £1.4m.

The Cabinet considered and discussed each of the performance indicators with a ‘red’ status, those being where progress was behind schedule.

It  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16

The Panel is to receive the Quarter 4 Integrated Performance Report and Provisional Outturn 2015/16 (To Follow).

With the aid of a report by the Head of Resources and the Corporate Team Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Integrated Performance Report 2015/16 Quarter 4 was presented to the Panel. Members were informed that of the four Key Actions rated as red, three of them have not been included into the Corporate Plan 2016-18.

In response to a question on the key action of ‘implement action plan to adopt the Local Plan 2036’ and when would the Local Plan be completed, the Panel was informed that consultation would begin in Quarter 1 and the progress of the Local Plan relies on the outcome of the consultation.

The key action of ‘develop a market town centre improvement strategy and action plan for St Neots’ would not be reported on in next year’s Integrated Performance Reports as it won’t be in the Corporate Plan. Following a question on the progress of the market town centre improvement strategy, Members were advised that the Council are willing to engage with St Neots’ Town Councillors if they would like to progress the strategy.

Members were advised that sickness absence has been a significant issue for the Council. The number of staff on long term sickness has reduced and this would be reflected in Quarter 1 for 2016/17. In addition there is targeted action to enable managers to effectively manage employees return to work. The cost to the Council is £400k which equates to 23 Full Time Equivalents (FTE) and if the rate is reduced to the public sector average then the Council could employ an additional 12 FTE.

Following a question on the number of homeless acceptances in relation to the performance indicator of ‘number of unintentional priority homeless acceptances’ Members were informed that a strategic report on the topic would be presented to the Panel at its meeting in September 2016. Members were advised that there is increased homelessness as a result of the reluctance of private rented landlords to take people on benefits as the incentives for private rented landlords to take people on benefits are no longer working and private rented landlords are choosing to take people from employment.

In relation to a question on the performance indicator of ‘number of affordable homes delivered gross’, Members were informed that there has been a dip in the number of houses built however there are major housing projects being developed which will add to the provision of affordable housing.

The Panel was informed that the Registered Social Providers Working Group invited seven of the Housing Associations operating within the District to a workshop where all but one stated that they are planning on developing social housing.

During the discussion of the Budget Surplus Reserve, Members were informed that the Government Levy Payment is a compulsory payment however the rest of the surplus will be reallocated.

A discussion ensued about the possibility of using reserves to buy accommodation for temporary housing as this is seen  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7