Issue - meetings

This report includes 2021/22 budget monitoring information as at the end of September 2021. The projected outturn for the revenue account can be balanced by allocating a further £4.2 million from the Covid pressures grant tranche 5.

The projection for the 2021/22 revenue account is an overspend of £10.2 million within services and the transformation programme. The application of largely one-off central resources can balance this position, including the release into the revenue account of further Covid pressures grant tranche 5, leaving £4.0 million available to support Covid pressures next year.   

The updated 2021/22 projections for reserve movements, the capital programme and housing revenue account (HRA) are also included.

RESOLVED that Cabinet agree the £0.84 million allocation from the contain outbreak management fund (COMF) for additional adult social care expenditure as set out in paragraph 70 and appendix A3 of the report.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)     delegates the final decisions in spending the COMF allocations for winter planning to the director of public health in consultation with the chief executive, and leader of the council as urgent decisions may be required as considered in paragraph 72 of the report; 

(b)    approves the use of £4.2 million of the Covid pressures grant to support the net unavoidable pressures within services as set out in paragraph 67 of the report; and 

(c)     approves the capital virement to accept new grant funding as set out in paragraph 94 of the report.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Leader of the Council

Reason

To comply with accounting codes of practice and best practice which requires councils to regularly monitor the annual budget position. To comply with the council’s financial regulations regarding budget virements.

The Leader of the Council presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report included 2021/22 budget monitoring information as at the end of September 2021, and that the projected outturn for the revenue account can be balanced by allocating a further £4.2 million from the Covid pressures grant tranche 5.

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that the projection for the 2021/22 revenue account is an overspend of £10.2 million within services and the transformation programme, and that the application of largely one-off central resources can balance this position, including the release into the revenue account of further Covid pressures grant tranche 5, leaving £4.0 million available to support Covid pressures next year.   

In addition, Cabinet was advised that the updated 2021/22 projections for reserve movements, the capital programme and housing revenue account (HRA) were also included.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet advising that the Board at their recent meeting had expressed concern with regards to staff retention and that this would be taken forwards by the Board.

RESOLVED that Cabinet agree the £0.84 million allocation from the contain outbreak management fund (COMF) for additional adult social care expenditure as set out in paragraph 70 and appendix A3 of the report.

1.              RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(a)     delegates the final decisions in spending the COMF allocations for winter planning to the director of public health in consultation with the chief executive, and leader of the council as urgent decisions may be required as considered in paragraph 72 of the report; 

(b)    approves the use of £4.2 million of the Covid pressures grant to support the net unavoidable pressures within services as set out in paragraph 67 of the report; and 

(c)     approves the capital virement to accept new grant funding as set out in paragraph 94 of the report.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Leader of the Council

To consider the Quarter Two Budget Monitoring (page 43 – 82) and MTFP Update (page 83 – 108) reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 15 December.

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise and comment on the report and if required make recommendations or observations as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Drew Mellor, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Transformation.

The Cabinet report for this item is included with the agenda for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

Quarter Two Budget Monitoring Report - The Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Transformation presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each member of the Board and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these minutes in the Minute Book. The Portfolio Holder and officers addressed a number of points raised by the Board including:

A Board member asked about the newly created local satellite special schools, the aim of which was to ensure that children would be able to go to a school closer to home. However, it was noted that these were creating an additional budge pressure in SEND transport. It was noted that the cost increase was due to the significant upturn in the number of EHCPs and until the local places were actually delivered, the additional EHCPs created a significant pressure on SEND travel.

A Councillor questioned the staffing issues within Children’s Services. The Leader was asked whether the Council’s offer was competitive and whether recruiting people from outside the area required the Council to pay more. It was noted that the Director of Children’s Services had explained that the Council’s offer wasn’t an issue in recruitment. It was thought that the Council were paying competitively and recruitment wasn’t an issue. The Leader advised that there was still a difficulty in recruiting across Children’s Services and there were a large number of agency staff. However, this wasn’t an issue particular to BCP. The leadership structure in children’s services had been fully recruited. They were also actively recruiting from overseas and working with university to increase local links.

It was suggested that it was important that Councillors were able to look at the differences in rates paid across the country and that the Council would need to pay a premium in this area due to the cost of living and help the service move away from the over reliance on agency workers.

In response to requests to follow up on this issue the Leader undertook to advise the Director of Children’s Services that this had been a line of enquiry around the budget children’s services. The Chairman undertook to write to the Chairman of Children’s Services O&S Committee to ask them to address the issue. It was noted that the Council was going through a pay review and harmonisation exercise and also that this issue may extend to staff within adult social care. A Board member commented that there may be other reasons why people work for an agency other than money and this should be looked into.

·       A Board member commented on the workforce pressure in social care and asked whether there were plans to expand the budget in this area to address the problem. It was noted that there were plans to recruit, retrain and motivate the workforce there was also work with Tricuro on plans to upscale recruitment, which provided an opportunity to develop a grow your own project. There was a strategy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 136