Issue - meetings

(A)            the projected revenue budget forecast underspend of £37k in 2019/20 be noted;  (B) the capital budget for 2019/20 is £78.319m, of which £62.787m is to be carried forward to future years be noted;  (C) the reported performance for the period April 2019 to September 2019 be noted;  (D) it is agreed to fund, up to £100k, of planning costs relating the recent Little Hadham planning application issues from the New Home Bonus priority spend reserve; and (E) it is agreed that equalisation reserves are used to offset the Planning service under achievement of income by £150k.

The Executive considered a report submitted by the Executive Member for Financial Sustainability on the quarterly corporate budget monitoring for Quarter 2 2019/20. 

Councillor G Williamson said the report had been considered by the Performance, Audit and Governance Oversight Committee.  He referred Members to the predicted revenue underspend of £37,000 and the fact that there would be a carried forward amount of £62.7m from the capital budget.  He said the report also sought agreement to fund, up to £100,000, the planning costs relating to the recent Little Hadham planning application issues from the New Homes Bonus priority spend reserve.  Finally, the report sought agreement to the use of equalisation reserves to offset the Planning Service under-achievement of income by £150,000. 

Regarding monitoring of performance, Councillor G Williamson drew Members’ attention to the fact that missed bin collections were gradually improving.  The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had also considered the reasons for not achieving the target at its meeting of 5 November 2019.  The target would be reviewed in line with the new corporate strategy.  

Councillor G Williamson proposed, and Councillor G Cutting seconded, a motion that the recommendations now detailed be supported.  After being put to the meeting, and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED. 

RESOLVED – that the projected revenue budget forecast underspend of £37k in 2019/20 be noted;

(B) the capital budget for 2019/20 is £78.319m, of which £62.787m is to be carried forward to future years be noted;

(C) the reported performance for the period April 2019 to September 2019 be noted;

(D) it is agreed to fund, up to £100k, of planning costs relating the recent Little Hadham planning application issues from the New Home Bonus priority spend reserve; and

(E) it is agreed that equalisation reserves are used to offset the Planning service under achievement of income by £150k.