Agenda item

The Commission to consider and comment on the relevant Business Change/Resources extracts detailed below taken from the Period 6 Finance Report that went to Cabinet on 6th December 2016.

The Commission considered a report from the Interim Service Director, Finance. The report set out the relevant Business Change/Resources extracts taken from the Period 6 Finance Report that went to Cabinet on 6^th December 2016 and focused on significant variances to meeting the budget in 2016/17.

In discussion and in response to Members questions the following points were raised:

a.      The Commission noted that the Service Director Finance and Section 151 Officer  Denise Murray was in post; and noted that Richard Billingham would be leaving the organisation at the end of January with an Interim Service Director of Human Resources, Nicky Beardmore recruited to the post.

Capital Disposals

b.      It was noted that an officer led Capital Board would provide guidance for future capital disposals and prioritise a review of the way capital spend was managed and monitored, this would require a closer relationship between the finance and property services teams to have robust management of Capital disposals.

Agency Spend

c.       It was confirmed that there were 12 agency staff in Resources Directorate including interim senior posts.  For the period 8 report officers to review within each of teams how many covering interim roles and how many contingent roles. Action: Anna Klonowski

d.      Officers confirmed that £100k previously forecast related to an expected cost of agency staff within the software development service until the end of financial year. After subsequent review and detailed work this had been adjusted downwards and would be reversed out in period 8.

Property Portfolio

e.      A member referred to a Property Portfolio presentation at Place Scrutiny on 8 December and asked whether the strategy for managing the Council’s £200m property portfolio and analysis of the opportunities to maximise potential yield, should be a subject of interest for Resources Scrutiny. It was agreed that this should be raised as a matter of concern to the Overview and Scrutiny Commission.  Action: Johanna Holmes/Chair

Voluntary Severance

f.        It was confirmed that 308 staff had been released under voluntary severance resulting in savings of £9.3M to date.  The previous estimate of 1000 equivalent FTE had been required in order to state the maximum number of staff that could have been affected when publishing statutory the s108 Notice.

Income Generation

g.      It was noted that the remit of the Directors Working Group was to work through corporate proposals, taking account of known risks to validate savings for income generation as part of budget process and provide assurance on robustness of what is being proposed.  The Chief Executive had asked each Strategic Director to assume a coordinating role in own areas of income generation.  In addition, Cllr Pearce had been talking to members and working up suggestions and ideas. Members to feed further ideas and suggestions through OSM or direct to the Service Director Finance or the Interim Director Resources.  Action: Members

Members ICT

h.      It was noted that Members should return any ICT equipment that was not being used as these may have licence fees attached. Action: Members

The Commission resolved:

To note the report, and the comments and actions arising.