Decisions

That the Committee for Children & Young People:

1. Approved the Home To School Travel Fleet Full Business Case (Appendix H) to implement an in-house Home To School Travel Fleet using BCC vehicles and staff.

2. Authorised the Executive Director for Children and Education in consultation with Chair of the Children and Young People’s Committee to take all steps required to procure and award the contract for the purchase of electric vehicles, in-line with the maximum budget envelopes and as outlined in this report.

3. Authorised the Executive Director for Children and Education to take all steps required to extend the scope of use of the Fleet beyond HTST to deliver savings and benefits to other BCC depts

To inform the committee of the developments across Children and Families services and Education and Skills.

That Children and Young People Committee RESOLVED:

To note the update on the delivery and performance of children’s services in line with the statutory expectations of the Director of Children’s Services. The report identified key challenges and risks for consideration, areas of progress, and upcoming activity.

That the Committee for Public Health and Communities noted:

1.      The Public Health and Communities General Fund forecast outturn revenue position of a balanced position with no variance to budget at Q2/P5 2024/25.

2.      The breakeven position on Public Health Grant funded services (Appendix A1).

3.      The forecast underspend of £1.7 million against the Capital Programme revised budget 2024/25. (Appendix A1)

That the Public Health and Communities Committee:

1.      Noted the Director of Public Health annual report at Appendix A of the report.

The Committee agreed that under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for this item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act.  The Committee took a decision on this matter in exempt session. 

Note: The Committee agreed to defer this report.

The Committee RESOLVED (unanimously):

1. To approve the Household Support Fund Policy October 2024 - March 2025 and change of budget to reflect the funding as outlined in the report.

2. To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chair of the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee, to take all steps required to accept and spend (including procuring and awarding contracts over £500k) the remaining £3 million of the extended allocation of the DWP Household Support Fund as outlined in Household Support Fund Policy October 2024 – March 2025, and up to the maximum budget envelope outlined in this report.

3. To note the finance urgent key decision taken in September 2024 to spend £1,021,500 of the Household Support Fund in respect of Free School Meals food vouchers over the October and Christmas school holidays.

To present the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee with the latest financial outturn report and identify any additional financial approvals that are required.

The Committee RESOLVED:

To note:

1. The council’s General Fund forecast outturn revenue overspend of £18.9 million at P6 2024/25against the council approved budget of £533.7 million.

2. The performance on delivery of savings (Appendix A1, Section 3, Tables 3a and 3b).

3. The additional weighted net risk of £5.6 million per the risks and opportunities register (Appendix A1, Section 4, Tables 4a and 4b)

4. The council’s outturn position of £14.2 million overspend within the Housing Revenue Account to be transferred to the HRA general reserve at the year end (Appendix A1a, Section 5.3).

5. The council’s outturn position of a £31.6 million overspend (net £15.0m) in the Dedicated Schools Grant and that this brings the carry forward deficit to £90.2 million. Following the application of the DfE’s 24/25 Safety Valve combined with contribution from the General Fund a total £52.1 million is forecast to be carried forward at the year end in the DSG deficit reserve (Appendix A1, Section 5.4).

6. The breakeven position on Public Health services (Appendix A1, Section 5.5).

7. The breakeven position on the Bristol Harbour Fund. (Appendix A1, Section 5.6).

8. The council’s forecast underspend of £34.2 million against the Capital Programme revised budget 2024/25, comprised of £15.5 million underspend on the General Fund (including £8.1 million underspend on corporate contingency and adjustments) and £18.7 million underspend on the HRA. (Appendix A1, Section 6).

9. That SCIL budget allocation of £5.0 million will be utilised to support the Investment in the ‘New Cut’ harbour wall works to repair and strengthen the River Avon New Cut retaining walls. (Appendix A1, Section 6.4).

10. The urgent key decision by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chair of Strategy and Resources Committee to approve spend of £1,021,500 to assist 22,700 free school meals food vouchers for the October and Christmas 2024 school holidays. (Appendix A3).

To approve (6 members voting in favour and 3 against):

- Revisions to the revised Capital Budget to incorporate the reprofiling of up to £18.7 million HRA budget into future years following the £18.7 million forecast underspend at P6.