Agenda item

This report provides details of the headline performance issues from the performance monitor period for 2008/09. It also builds on this to present the latest projection of the Council’s revenue income and expenditure for the current year.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the performance issues identified in the report be noted.

REASON:      So that corrective action on these issues can be addressed by Directorates and meetings of Executive Members and Advisory Panels (EMAPs).

                        (ii)        That the following applications for supplementary estimates to be funded from contingency, as set out in paragraph 51 and Annex 8, be approved:

REASON:      In accordance with the Executive’s Constitutional powers to make decisions on the level and granting of supplementary estimates.

                        (iii)       That the information provided at the meeting on the increased costs of legal charges within the Director of Learning, Culture and Children’s Services be noted and that the Director be asked to report to the Executive later in the year on the action being taken to address this issue.

REASON:      To ensure that the projected overspend is kept under review.

                        (iv)       That the movements in the Prudential Indicators, as set out in Annex 12 to the report, be noted.

REASON:      To ensure the continued performance of the Council’s Treasury Management function.

Members considered a report which provided details of the headline performance issues arising from the 2008/09 performance monitor period and presented the latest projection of the Council’s revenue income and expenditure for the current financial year.

With regard to performance, significant progress had been made across the Council in the last quarter.  Headlines included:

• an increase in customer satisfaction levels to 65%
• 4 out of 6 corporate standard targets reached or exceeded
• continuing improvement in staff sickness levels
• staff turnover levels 41% lower than last year
• a significant reduction in the number of health and safety incidents.

The main areas of concern included:

• low turnover growth in the City compared to last year (11.4%)
• the impact of the ‘credit crunch’ on new house building
• a continued reduction in the percentage of initial care assessments for adults completed on time (an action plan was in place to address this).

With regard to the revenue budgets, an overspend of £1,092k was projected across all service areas, although applications had been made for the release of £512k from contingency to fund some of the overspending pressures.  Central budgets were forecast to overspend by £134k.  Offsetting this, an underspend of £1,136k on Treasury Management activity was projected, due to an improved position on interest rates and the ability to defer borrowing.  Overall, the Council faced a number of on-going budget pressures and future budget rounds would need to identify actions to control and mitigate these.  Members were asked to consider seven requests for supplementary estimates, totalling £512k, as detailed in Annex 8 to the report. 

In respect of the projected overspend on legal fees in Childrens’ Services, it was noted that this was due to an increase in the number and complexity of cases, requiring the use of local private solicitors to supplement the in-house team, together with significant increases in court fees for public law cases.  Officers were working to ensure that as many cases as possible were retained in-house.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the performance issues identified in the report be noted.

REASON:      So that corrective action on these issues can be addressed by Directorates and meetings of Executive Members and Advisory Panels (EMAPs).

                        (ii)        That the following applications for supplementary estimates to be funded from contingency, as set out in paragraph 51 and Annex 8, be approved:¹

REASON:      In accordance with the Executive’s Constitutional powers to make decisions on the level and granting of supplementary estimates.

                        (iii)       That the information provided at the meeting on the increased costs of legal charges within the Director of Learning, Culture and Children’s Services be noted and that the Director be asked to report to the Executive later in the year on the action being taken to address this issue.²

REASON:      To ensure that the projected overspend is kept under revise.

                        (iv)       That the movements in the Prudential Indicators, as set out in Annex 12 to the report, be noted.

REASON:      To ensure the continued performance of the Council’s Treasury Management function.