Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Finance.

The Deputy Executive Leader / Director of Finance submitted a report detailing the Council’s revenue outturn position for 2017/18, which was £3.342 million under budget.  This overall position reflected the prudent planning taken when setting the 2017/18 budget.

It was reported that there had been some savings challenges across Council services including an overspend of £8.655 million due to the demand on service provision in Children’s Social Care.  The pressures within Children’s Services were expected to continue beyond 2018/19, which would be strongly managed.  The overspend in service areas was counterbalanced by an underspend in Governance, Finance and IT and corporate costs resulting in the final underspend of the revenue budget outturn position for 2017/18.

It was noted that the Medium Term Financial Plan had been updated and presented at Council in February 2018 alongside the proposed balanced budget for 2018/19.  Following a review of the current demand pressures facing Children’s Services there would be additional investment in Children’s Services over the period 2018/19 to 2020/21 to drive the required improvements.

Details were given of Council Tax and Business Rates and the Care Together programme, including the Integrated Commissioning Fund risk share agreement, in addition to risks and emerging financial pressures such as demographic pressures that were increasing the demand for Adults and Early Intervention Services, the liquidation of Carillion in January 2018 and some material risks in relation to the Vision Tameside capital programme.

Members acknowledged the underspend for 2017/18 and thanked Council staff for their hard work in achieving this.  They stressed the need to closely monitor the situation going forward in light of the pressures that had been outlined.

RESOLVED:

(i)        That the revenue outturn position be noted;

(ii)       That the detail for each service area be noted;

(iii)      That the position on the Integrated Commissioning Fund, including the transaction of the risk share be noted; and

(iv)      That the emerging risks and financial pressures be noted.