Agenda item

DECISION

1.    To note the quarterly monitoring information for Q4.

2.    To agree the draft revenue position for the year ended 31 March 2021, indicating a £704,000 underspend, with the recommendation that this is carried forward into 2021-22 in a ‘COVID Pressure Smoothing Reserve.’

Portfolio Holders and Officer

PS/JN

AS

REASON FOR DECISION

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report, which set out quarterly monitoring information relating to performance, risk and finance for Quarter 4, being the period from 1January to 31 March 2021.

Performance

Areas of success / improvement were noted as:

·         Planning applications and appeals (Cllr Welton)

·         Switchboard – abandoned calls (Cllr Welton)

·         Benefit and Council Tax Support processing times (Cllr Noble)

·         Information requests (Cllr Noble)

·         Broadly compliant food businesses (Cllr Stevens)

·         Fly tip response times (Cllr Evans)

·         Number of affordable homes delivered (Cllr Griggs)

·         Number of non-local authority owned empty properties returned into occupation (Cllr Griggs)

·         Improved housing standards (Cllr Griggs)

Areas of concern / watching brief were:

·         Switchboard waiting time (Cllr Welton) - increase in calls due to Garden Waste and Twin bin roll out

·         Business Rates and Council tax collection rates (Cllr Noble)

·         Car parking income (Cllr Noble)

·         Residual household waste per household (Cllr Evans)

·         Market income (Cllr Abbott)

Other items of note:

·         Narrative update on climate change work

·         One non-RIPA authorisation in Q4, relating to fly tipping

The Portfolio Holder for Finance referred to the collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates, which, although below target, were still reasonable given the circumstances of the financial impact of the pandemic on residents and businesses. 

Another Member commended staff for the collection rates and response times relating to incidents of fly tipping and referred to the efforts of Members and officers in dealing with fly tipping.  Members of the public were urged to report any incidents they became aware of.  Also highlighted was the significant loss of car parking income and need for the Council to reinstate charges to avoid having to make cuts to other services. 

Risk

The Portfolio Holder for Finance reported that the strategic risks had been reviewed in light of the change in management structure in Quarter 2 and would be reviewed in light of the new Corporate Plan in 2021/22.

The two high strategic risks in Quarter 4 remained as housing and budget. There had been no change to the strategic risk scores in Quarter 4.  Full details of risk information were set out in Appendix B.

Finance

The Portfolio Holder for Finance reported as follows. 

It was welcome news that the draft position for the year ended 31 March 2021 indicated a £704,000 underspend, with the recommendation to carry this forward into 2021-22 in a ‘COVID Pressure Smoothing Reserve’.

The Government had been generous, providing several Covid-19 tranche grants, with more to come, as well as compensation for lost fees and charges.  The Council had also received significant amounts to give financial aid to businesses. 

The Council’s financial position was healthy and the borough would recover well provided there were no further lockdowns. 

OTHER OPTIONS OR ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

Alternative reporting arrangements.

RECORD OF ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

RECORD OF ANY DISPENSATION GRANTED

None.