Decision details

Members received a report which presented the draft outturn figures for revenue and capital expenditure for the Environment and Sustainability portfolio in 2005/06 and outturn performance against target for Best Value Performance Indicators, Customer First Targets (letter and telephone answering) and Staff Management Targets (sickness absence).

Members were advised to disregard pages 53-70 in Annex 1 of the report, as these were additional sheets inadvertently left in the Excel workbook and not intended for circulation.

Overall, the Environment and Sustainability Portfolio provisional revenue budget outturn was an under spend of £39k (-0.2% of the gross portfolio budget).  There was also an under spend of £80k on the capital programme, of which £76.2k related to scheme slippage.  The report considered the outturn position in terms of whether any variances highlighted were of a recurring nature that would affect 2006/07.  The shortfall of income at the Crematorium and the Pest Control service had been addressed in the 2006/07 budget.  The other significant overspends related to one-off expenditure at the Crematorium and the interim arrangements for toilet cleaning.  The under spend in Waste Strategy due to reduced tonnages being sent for landfill suggested that the Waste Strategy budget was adequate for 2006/07.

Performance for Waste Strategy indicators were improving compared to the 2004/05 figures.  Sickness absences were well below the corporate target of 12 days per Full Time Equivalent (FTE) for 2005/06.  Customer First statistics were excellent in respect of correspondence with the exception of one problem service area (Waste Strategy) which was anticipating a future increase in performance for 2006/07.

Members congratulated Officers on bringing the budget close to target and for tripling  the recycling rate in the year.  The only concerns related to Air Quality Management in the Lawrence Street area, the decline in some areas regarding satisfaction with local tips/recycling and the number of staff days lost due to sickness.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised that the financial and performance position of the portfolio be approved.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and the suggested decisions, above, be endorsed.

REASON:               In accordance with budgetary and performance monitoring procedures.