The Head of Financial Services and Head of Business Improvement have submitted a report to update Members on finance, risk and corporate performance matters as at 30 September 2019.

The minutes of this meeting are available at Item 13a of this agenda.

Councillor Turner, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, will present the report.

Recommendations: Cabinet recommends that Council:

1.     Approve a virement of £0.500 million from Compulsory purchase of property (N7049) to Extensions & Major Adaptions (N7020) to cover the work of four extensions within the Housing Revenue Account Capital programme as set out in paragraph 10 of the report; and

2.     Approve the revised Capital Programme budget to be £59.962 million in line with the latest forecast following the major review carried out by officers.

Council considered a report from the Head of Financial Services and the Head of Business Improvement which updated Members on finance, risk and corporate performance matters as at 30 September 2019.

Councillor Turner, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, presented the report.

During the debate on this item reference was made to the Jericho boatyard and Jericho Community Centre capital project.  At that point Councillors Brown and Hollingsworth each declared a financial interest which they considered to be prejudicial and left the chamber until the conclusion of the discussion on that particular topic.

Councillors Brown and Hollingsworth left the chamber.

Councillor Turner undertook to provide a written response in relation to the development of a business case for the potential purchase of the Jericho boatyard rather than investment in the Jericho Community Centre.

Councillors Brown and Hollingsworth returned to the chamber.

On his return to the chamber Councillor Hollingsworth responded to the question relating to cost increases for the Seacourt Park and Ride extension and made the point that “decking” had been ruled out on planning rather than financial grounds. He said that there was no proposal to remove coach parking spaces at Redbridge Park and Ride site but that members would be updated when the scheme details were available.

Councillor Turner provided clarification on what constituted a project change, project slippage and project re-profiling which was inevitable in such a large capital programme. He acknowledged that previously there had been an element of “optimism bias” in the capital programme but he now believed that there was greater rigour and challenge.

Councillor Turner moved the recommendations, which were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1.     Approve a virement of £0.500 million from Compulsory purchase of property (N7049) to Extensions & Major Adaptions (N7020) to cover the work of four extensions within the Housing Revenue Account Capital programme as set out in paragraph 10 of the report; and

2.     Approve the revised Capital Programme budget to be £59.962 million in line with the latest forecast following the major review carried out by officers.

The Head of Financial Services and Head of Business Improvement have submitted a report to update Members on Finance, Risk and Performance as at 30 September 2019.

Recommendations: That Cabinet resolves to:

Note the projected financial outturn as well as the current position on risk and performance as at 30 September 2019;

Recommend the Council to vire £0.500 million from Compulsory purchase of property (N7049) to Extensions & Major Adaptions (N7020) to cover the work of four extensions within the Housing Revenue Account Capital programme as set out in paragraph 10 of the report; and

Recommend to Council to approve the revised Capital Programme budget to be £59.962 million in line with the latest forecast following the major review carried out by officers.

Councillors Brown and Hollingsworth both declared for the sake of  transparency that  the Jericho Community Centre, mentioned briefly in the report, was situated close to their home.

The Heads of Financial Services and Business Improvement had submitted a report to update Cabinet on Finance, Risk and Corporate Performance matters as at 30 September 2019.

Councillor Ed Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance & Asset Management, introduced the report. There was a slight adverse variance in the General Fund forecast outturn alongside a favourable variance in the Housing Revenue Account. The Capital programme had been subject to a major review by officers to get a deliverable and well timetabled programme.

It was agreed that it would be helpful, in future reports, to present the  capital projects sorted by project status.

The Leader drew attention to new requirements relating to accessibility of public documents, noting that the appendices to this report, in particular, would not meet the new standards. Data presented in narrative form rather than (or as well as) tabular form would often be helpful.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Note the projected financial outturn as well as the current position on risk and performance as at 30 September 2019;

2.    Recommend the Council to vire £0.500 million from Compulsory purchase of property (N7049) to Extensions & Major Adaptions (N7020) to cover the work of four extensions within the Housing Revenue Account Capital programme as set out in paragraph 10 of the report; and

3.    Recommend  Council to approve the revised Capital Programme budget to be £59.962 million in line with the latest forecast following the major review carried out by officers.

The Heads of Financial Services and Business Improvement have submitted a report to update Members on Finance, Risk and Performance as at 30 June 2019.

Recommendation: That Cabinet resolves to:

Note the projected financial outturn, the current position on risk and performance as at the 30 June 2019.

The Heads of Financial Services and Business Improvement had submitted a report to update Members on Finance, Risk and Performance as at 30 June 2019.

Councillor Ed Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance & Asset Management, introduced the report. The observations made by Scrutiny Committee had been helpful and he welcomed them. It was important to refresh the indicators used for performance monitoring from time to time to reflect changes in council activity and or ensure their value or relevance. There had been some unexpected costs such as those relating to necessary work on the Town Hall and for which reserves had, properly, been called upon. The overall adverse variance was not significant in the context of the total budget. A report on capital expenditure would be included in the Q2 report.

Cabinet resolved to:

Note the projected financial outturn, the current position on risk and performance as at the 30 June 2019.