(KEY DECISION)

Report No. 37/2017 from the Director for Resources was received.

The purpose of the report was to inform Cabinet and all Members of the full year forecast position as at Quarter 3 for 2016/17 and to alert them to issues that may impact on the Medium Term Financial Plan to enable them to maintain sound financial management of the Council’s operations.

Cabinet considered Appendix H to Report No. 37/2017: Adverse variances over £50k.

During discussion the following points were raised:

i)                  That paragraph 3.8 of Report No. 36/2017 summarised the key areas where performance had deteriorated compared to the previous 12 months.  It was noted that actual figures concerned were low.

ii)               The Council would look to work with Job Centre Plus to encourage employers to become Disability Confident Employers.

iii)              The Director for Places (Development and Economy), Mr Phillipson and the Portfolio Holder, Mr Clifton, to form a scoping group to address the problems encountered in the county due to the low numbers of claimants claiming the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Incapacity Benefits, following the shortlisting of providers in April 2017.

iv)             The increase in the number of days lost to sickness: It was acknowledged that the number of days lost was lower than the national average.  The Director for Resources, Mrs Mogg, undertook to provide further analysis of sickness absence.

v)               The way that IT was supplied had changed since the Audit recommendation concerning the finalisation and communication of the ICT Disaster Recovery Plan with LiquidLogic and Agresso now provided externally.  Plans were being finalised to move the system backup site.

vi)             Safeguarding: When inspected by Ofsted the completion rate for single assessments was 100%.

DECISION

1)    That Cabinet APPROVED:

i)                 The use of £23k from the Invest to Save reserve as requested in Appendix B to Report No. 37/2017, note iii; and

ii)               The release of £46k from the Integrated Transport Block funding for the design works for Oakham Town Centre.

2)    That Cabinet NOTED:

i)                 The 2016/17 revenue and capital outturn position as at Quarter 3 (Appendix A to Report No. 37/2017, section 1 and section 2);

ii)               The proposed transfers from earmarked reserves as shown in the table in Appendix A to Report No. 37/2017, para 1.6.3 (to be finalised and agreed in the 2016/17 outturn); and

iii)              The changes to the Approved Capital Programme as outlined in Appendix A to Report No. 37/2017, para 2.2.1 (to be finalised and agreed in the 2016/17 outturn)

Reason for Decision

The Council was required to make savings over the medium term, the Q2 position was positive as, despite a number of significant variances, the Council was still forecasting a surplus and contributing to general reserves.