Agenda item

Report of the Chief Finance Officer

The committee received the report of the Chief Finance Officer.  Following this the officer responded to questions on the following issues from the committee members:

·        Temporary accommodation budget.

·        Ring-fenced housing grants.

·        Rephasing of Hart Homes scheme as it was not viable in its current form.

·        Provisional offer of £16.3 million Government grant for the Colosseum and the Innovation and Incubation Hub.

·        Reasons for rephasing of various budgets.

·        The £65,000 for town boundary signage (see recommendation 2 below). 

·        The importance of replenishing the reserve budgets. 

·        High risk of donating to the paddling pools, explained as target income was unlikely to be met and alternative models to generate income. 

There was a very lengthy discussion on how best to ensure the Finance Scrutiny Committee properly scrutinises the council’s expenditure and budget management.  Members expressed a desire to have better access to costs and budget information.   

ACTIONS –

1.      The Chief Finance Officer to advise members of the cost to the council for each litter picker supplied by Veolia.  

2.      The Associate Director of Property and Asset Management to provide figures for the number of social housing units provided under the Mayoral Commitment. 

            RESOLVED –

1.      that the Finance Scrutiny Committee has considered the Financial Monitoring Report for 2023/24 and noted both the revenue and capital forecasts for 2023/24.

2.      that the Finance Scrutiny Committee recommends to Cabinet that, given the current financial position, there is a careful prioritisation of costs and that they re-examine the decision for the boundary signage. 

3.      that the Chief Finance Officer look at ways to improve the provision of costing and budgetary information to the committee.