Agenda item

To consider a report setting out the projected 2024/25 financial position and the performance position for the period covering 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2024. This is the third report of the financial year and assesses performance against budgets, including progress in delivering the Council’s savings programme.

Members considered a report setting out the projected 2024/25 financial position and the performance position for the period covering 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2024.

Officers provided an overview and drew members’ attention to paragraph 50 of the report where it was stated that the Housing Services directorate was forecasting an overspend of £711k; this was an error and in fact the directorate was forecasting a £790k underspend.

In response to questions from the committee it was noted that:

·       With reference to the increase of around £300k forecast overspend for Adult Social Care and Integration over the last quarter, it was noted that the high cost of certain placements could affect this figure, that savings delivered since the previous quarter had been lower than expected.

·       Staffing overspends in the Hospital Discharge, Mental Advocacy, and Mental Health Social Work teams were due there being no budget for necessary existing posts and the use of agency staff. A shift to multidisciplinary working in the Hospital Discharge team should help reduce costs, while efforts were underway across the service to bring down agency use and do as much work as possible with Council staff to ensure consistency for service users.

·       In relation to Housing indicators, the increased numbers of housing consents and affordable homes delivered were welcomed. It was noted that it was difficult to track the number of short-term lets as the available data was changeable given that some properties were only let on this basis for part of the year, but that officers would explore what was possible. The data on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) was also welcomed and it was agreed that officers would signpost any comparable datasets for other cities with a high student population.

·       Winter rough sleeper numbers could vary due to weather conditions and economic factors. It was noted that the new strategy had been introduced in December 2024, and that quarterly data showed a positive direction of travel since the transfer of some services in-house.

·       Every opportunity was being taken to ask Council tenants who required repairs to contact the Council before embarking on potentially costly disrepair claims, and work was being to ensure tenants were aware of the risk of substantial legal bills if unsuccessful. Several disrepair claims were received monthly requiring a response regardless of their merit, which took up legal resource; this was a growing trend nationally, but York was in favourable condition compared to many authorities. Local authority tenants were encouraged to report any required repairs to the Council.

·       With reference to the Public Health indicators, it was agreed to seek further clarification from the Director of Public Health on action to address the widening of the gap in breastfeeding rates at 6-8 weeks between the highest and lowest wards, the fall this quarter in the proportion of infants receiving a 6-8 week review by the time they were 8 weeks old, and on the relevance of health metrics from 2020-21. The increased percentage of smokers successfully quitting was welcomed.

·       The increased level of detail in the report was welcomed by members.

Resolved:

                i.                    To note the finance and performance information.

              ii.                    To note that work will continue on identifying savings needed to fully mitigate the forecast overspend.

Reason:     To ensure expenditure is kept within the approved budget.