Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to advise the Executive Member of the performance and financial outturns for housing and adult social care in 2007/8.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

(i)                 Note the contents of the report;

(ii)               Agree the carry forwards set out in paragraph 19 of the report, to be forwarded to the Executive for approval;

(iii)             Approve the virements over £100k outlined in paragraph 12.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      For information and in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution and Financial Regulations.

Members considered a report which presented the performance and financial out-turns for the Housing and Adult Social Services departments at the end of the 2008/09 financial year.

Details of performance within each service plan area were set out in Annexes 1-6 to the report.  Progress on key service objectives included:

• Continued improvement on letting empty homes, completion of repairs and reducing rent arrears (Housing Landlord services);
• Helping 31 households via the Golden Triangle and Homebuy schemes, a 33% improvement in preventing homelessness and replacement of 100 Discus Bungalows (Housing General Fund);
• A 30% reduction in staff sickness absence, and approval of 4 joint projects with NY&Y Primary Care Trust (Corporate Services);
• A reduction in delayed hospital discharges attributable to the Council, the establishment of personal plans for day centre customers, and reduced waiting times for assessments (Adult Social Services).

With regard to financial performance, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) working balance had increased by £916k to £6,546k at out-turn, while the approved Housing General Fund (HGF) budget now stood at £1,400k.  The draft out-turn on the HGF was £110k less than the approved budget, representing an underspend of £92k after carry-forwards.  The approved budget for Adult Social Services was now £34.3m, with a draft out-turn of £941k less, representing a net underspend of £656k.  Reasons for the budget variations were detailed in the report annexes.  It was proposed to carry forward HRA projects totalling £8.4k and HGF projects totalling £302.2k into the 2008/09 financial year. Details were set out in paragraph 19 of the report.  Executive Member approval was sought for the following virements exceeding £100k:

Officers responded to Members’ questions regarding Annex 1 (HRA Service Plan / Outturn).  In particular, it was noted that the out-turn figures for minor and major adaptations under the ‘Process Based Measures’ section should read 28% and 26% respectively and that a report on revised processes for estate improvements would be brought to EMAP in July.  The Executive Member paid tribute to staff in both departments for their hard work during a difficult and challenging year

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

(i)                 Note the contents of the report;

(ii)               Agree the carry forwards set out in paragraph 19 of the report, to be forwarded to the Executive for approval;¹

(iii)             Approve the virements over £100k outlined in paragraph 12.²

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      For information and in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution and Financial Regulations.