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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED – That item 5 – Budget Monitoring – be brought forward and taken at this time.
AGREED – That the Committee (i) Thank Officers and the Lead Member for the report. (ii) Recommend to the Lead Member:- · That future revenue budget update reports include more explanation of variations in expenditure relating to grants. · That reports on the work of the School Transport and the Social Care budget Task & Finish Groups be shared with Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee, in addition to Executive Board.
AGREED – That the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report COGC/18/25 be agreed, subject to the aforementioned changes.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Claire Lovett, Rob Walsh and John Pritchard.
AGREED – To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2025.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED – That item 5 – Budget Monitoring – be brought forward and taken at this time.
RESOLVED – That item 5 – Budget Monitoring – be brought forward and taken at this time.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – That the Committee (i) Thank Officers and the Lead Member for the report. (ii) Recommend to the Lead Member:- · That future revenue budget update reports include more explanation of variations in expenditure relating to grants. · That reports on the work of the School Transport and the Social Care budget Task & Finish Groups be shared with Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee, in addition to Executive Board.
The Lead Member for Finance and Performance submitted a report COFI/11/25s which allowed Members to consider the current budgetary position for the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, including the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). He reported that 95% of the savings agreed for 2024/25 were rated either green or yellow (achieved or on track to be delivered) and none were rated as ‘red’ (risk of net being achieved). The Lead Member introduced the report and responded to Members questions accordingly, with input from the Chief Officer Finance and ICT. During the debate, a number of issues were referred to, including: · Recognition that spending pressures are largely as a result of demand and cost increases for statutory services The pressures in adult social care and children social care were significant and this echoed the picture across Wales. · The Chief Officer Finance and ICT gave a detailed explanation of the extensive and robust processes which were in place to deal with and respond to areas of pressure and overspend within departments, including regular reviews with the relevant budget holder, Head of Service and Chief Officer. It was further noted that ‘budget management’ remained a standing item on Departmental Management Team (DMT) meetings. There was, of course, an inevitable variant to the approach of managing departmental pressures; some areas saw an increase and some pressures were likely to reduce. · It was noted that budget pressures were not always permanent and some were temporary in nature. · Confirmation that forecasts have been consistent throughout the year allowing Officers to make adjustments to the budget where appropriate. · Recognition that Lead Members were part of the ongoing budget discussions, which included challenge where necessary. · Officers explained that the underspend within the preventative element of the social care budget was due to the application of grant funding. · Confirmation that there were a range of contingency measures in place with regards to grant funding. · There could be opportunities to capitalise some of costs incurred from the revenue position this year. · There were a number of areas where figures cannot be confirmed until the end of the financial year and these will be reported on in the final outturn report. · Any application to access budget mitigation contingency would have to be approved by Executive Board in June. · The main source of pressure within the Environment Department was in relation to school transport and this was recognised as a national issue and a range of activity is underway through a specific task and finish group to support the budget position. . · The importance of accurate long term forecasts in respect of ALN requirements and school transport was raised. · The need to balance vacancy management against the future resilience of service, particularly in respect of adult social care. AGREED – That the Committee (i) Thank Officers and the Lead Member for the report. (ii) Recommend to the Lead Member:- · That future revenue budget update reports include more explanation of variations in expenditure relating to grants. · That reports on the work of the School Transport and the Social Care budget Task & Finish Groups be shared with Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee, in addition to Executive Board.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – That the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report COGC/18/25 be agreed, subject to the aforementioned changes.
The Chief Officer Governance and Customer submitted a report COGC/18/25 which allowed Members to consider the work programme of the Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee attached at Appendix 1. The Scrutiny Facilitator referred the Committee to the changes that had been made to the work programme since the last meeting. The following proposals were put forward and subsequently agreed: · Planning Governance – Topic Selection Form regarding improvements to planning governance in response to the Audit Wales report be accepted – item to be scheduled for April 2025 meeting. · Hybrid Working Policy – to consider feedback to the review of the Council’s Hybrid Working Policy – to be considered at the April 2025 meeting. · Change Programme Update – possibility of report being deferred from April to May, subject to Committee meeting being held immediately following the HR Data Workshop Session for Committee Members on 15th May at 3pm. AGREED – That the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report COGC/18/25 be agreed, subject to the aforementioned changes.
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