Agenda item

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Report of the Leader of the Council to provide the Committee with an overview of Council performance for the fourth quarter of the 2023-24 financial year (January to March 2024).  Reporting the council’s position in relation to progress with strategic corporate plan projects and updates on the financial position, corporate risks, audits, information governance and complaints. Cabinet will consider the report on 18th July 2024.

The Committee sought clarity on the following:

1.     Outrun Variants - Variance is 3.3 million which is an increase from £2.274 million that was reported previously the difference relates to a bad debt adjustment. In process of finalizing the accounts and will be working through under spends with budget managers to look at consistent underspends.

2.     Red marker on Financial stability into the future with no data assigned to it.   Is red the correct rating given the three years balanced budget and then we know that certain things drop out the budget that actually do get added back in by Government. - The red status on this risk relates to the long-term financial sustainability of the council the deficit in future years in increasing significantly.  The risk relates to the 2023/2024 budget setting, but we will look at for the next meeting with a view of changing the name.

3.      Future High Street Fund (FHSF) – Program - Risks – more understanding on risks moving forward, is the risk profile reducing. 

           FHSF is a complex program with a number of risks which have mitigated

           as far as they can, but what is reflected from the report it is not possible

           to entirely mitigate all the associated risks.  The project board meets on

           a monthly basis, so the project is kept under regular review.  The risks

           are managed and will continue to be managed.

4.     FHSF – PDF page 89 Individual notes and due date on the right.  These dates are all in the past can we have a complete column included in the report.

Officers will take back to look at the presentation whilst looking at  making the report more transparent.

5.     Public open spaces.  Underspend could this be given to Councillor’s to spend on Wards. – Underspend due to Some staff shortages which are now back in post.  Certain 106 monies do come with conditions Officer to bring back explanation of how the monies are spent. 

6.     Page 16 Strategic Projects – risk showing green is that correct?  Officer to check if this is realistic and update on progress.

7.     ‘Where managed by’ is included in the report are these all up to date - Yes, checked by Corporate Management Team

8.     Review of Leaseholder Services and are leaseholders being kept up to date - Full implementation of all the recommendations within the timescales and yes leaseholders will know the outcomes but the delivery will take longer.

9.     Where a budget hasn’t been spent is the budget lost.  (pg 62) - 106 set aside it’s not lost its set aside for the next financial year.  Under normal budget underspent budget managers have an opportunity to request it to be carried forward if there was a legitimate reason for it not being spent they can request for it to be carried forward.