Members of the Committee are requested to bring their copy of the agenda for the Executive meeting on 21 May 2019
Minutes:
The Committee considered the following reports on the Part 1 agenda for the meeting of the Executive on 21st May 2019:
(7) Provisional Final Accounts 2018/19
Report FSD19061
The Committee considered the 2018/19 provisional outturn at portfolio level and Council-wide as well as the potential implications for the Council’s financial position in 2019/20. The 2018/19 provisional outturn provided for no variation in general fund balances, subject to the recommendations in the report being agreed.
The Committee noted that more detailed reports would be submitted to individual PDS Committees. The report also considered details of the carry forward requests and a summary of the Council’s capital programme.
A Member raised a query regarding prior year adjustments relating to overspends in previous years. It was agreed that the Director of Finance would provide a detailed explanation outside of the meeting.
In relation to the recommendations to the Executive; the Vice-Chairman suggested that for future reports it would be helpful to consolidate under one heading recommendations relating to movements in the central contingency.
In response to a question concerning earmarked reserves, the Director of Finance confirmed that the Council’s reserves would be lower but for the budget gap of £32m over 4 years. Had that budget gap not existed the Council could have lowered the level of its reserves. Reserves were used to generate income as well as to fund invest-to-save schemes including some housing schemes.
RESOLVED: That the Executive be recommended to:
(a) consider the provisional revenue and capital outturns for the 2018/19 financial year and the earmarked balances on the General Fund as at 31st March 2019;
(b) note that a more detailed analysis of the 2018/19 final outturn will be reported for each Portfolio to the Relevant PDS committees;
(c) consider the variations in 2018/19 impacting on the Council’s 2019/20 financial position;
(d) consider the comments from Chief Officers as detailed in Appendix 2;
(e) approve the requests for carry forwards totalling £906k (net) as detailed in Appendix 6, subject to the funding being allocated to the Central Contingency in 2019/20 to be drawn down on the approval of the relevant Portfolio Holder;
(f) agree the release of £291k from the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in para. 3.6.2 of the report;
(g) note the return to contingency of £138k of additional grant to the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in para 3.6.4 of the report;
(h) agree the release of £500k from the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in para. 3.6.5 of the report;
(i) agree the release of (£2,900k) from the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in para. 3.6.6 of the report;
(j) note the return to contingency of £567k of additional grant to the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in para 3.6.7 of the report;
(k) agree the release of £873k from the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in para. 3.6.8 of the report;
(k) agree the release of £89k from the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in para. 3.6.9 of the report;
(l) recommend to Council that a sum of £3,409k be set aside as a contribution to the Housing Invest to Save Fund earmarked reserve as detailed in para. 3.7.2 of the report;
(m)agree to set aside a sum of £130k as a contribution to the YES Project Reserve as detailed in para. 3.7.3 of the report;
(n) agree to set aside a sum of £76k as a contribution to the Day Centre Rent Relief Reserve as detailed in para. 3.7.4 of the report;
(o) agree a contribution of £900k subject to (q) below being agreed by Council as detailed in para. 3.7.2 of the report;
(p) agree that any variations in the Business Rate Pool distribution be allocated to the Business Rate Risk Reserve as detailed in para. 3.10 of the report;
(8) CAPITAL PROGRAMME OUTTURN 2018/19
Report FSD19046
The Committee considered a report setting out the final outturn on capital expenditure and receipts for 2018/19. Capital expenditure in the year was £30.9m, compared to the final approved budget of £37.8m, resulting in a total net variation of Cr £6.9m. For funding purposes, £5.0m slippage was assumed in the Quarter 3 capital programme monitoring report, so there was an overall variation of Cr £1.9m in the use of capital receipts and external and relevant contributions.
The Director of Finance reported that the increase of £20k for the Housing IT scheme was a result of additional burdens relating to the Homelessness Reduction Act. A more detailed update would be presented to the Executive meeting on 21st May 2019.
Members noted that the increase of £81k to the Orpington Town Centre Scheme related to Orpington Police station.
RESOLVED: That the Executive be recommended to:
(a) Note the report;
(b) Approve the following amendments to the Capital Programme for 2019/20:
(i) Increase of £20k to the Housing IT scheme funded from the H-CLIC new burdens grant as detailed in the report;
(ii) Increase of £671k to the MyTime Investment Fund scheme to reflect the final contribution in 2018/19 as detailed in the repot;
(iii) Addition of £250k to the Capital Programme for Property Disposals/Feasibility Works as detailed in the report;
(iv) Increase of £81k to the Orpington Town Centre Scheme as detailed in the report;
(v) Reduction of £6k to the Transport for London (TfL) funded Traffic and Highways schemes as detailed in the report; and
(vi) Deletion of the £32k residual balance on the CCTV Control Room scheme as detailed in the report.
(c) Recommend that Council approves the increase of £2,153k to the Disabled Facilities Grant scheme to reflect the 2019/20 allocation as detailed in the report;
(d) Recommend that Council approves the increase of £1,321k to the Housing Unallocated PIL scheme as detailed in the report; and
(e) Note that a report elsewhere on the Executive agenda requests the addition of £8.4m to the Capital Programme for the provision of housing at Bushell Way and Anerley Town Hall Overflow Car Park.
(9) REGIONALISATION OF ADOPTION SERVICES
The Committee considered a report which sought approval from Executive to formally enter into the ‘Ambitious for Adoption, CORAM Capital’ Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) arrangement via a joint contract between the participating local authorities and CORAM for a six year contract with two extension options of two years (6+2+2). The annual value of the contract for Bromley was £386k with a whole life value of £3.86m.
RESOLVED: that the Executive be recommended to
a) Approve that Bromley Council enter into the ‘Ambitious for Adoption, CORAM Capital’ RAA arrangements via a join contract with participating local authorities for a period of six years with two extension options of two years each, commencing 1 June 2019 at an annual value of £386k and a whole life value of £3.86M;
b) Delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Social Care, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, the Director of Corporate Services, the Director of Finance and the Assistant Director Governance & Contracts, to finalise suitable contractual arrangements (including any relevant TUPE requirements) between the participating boroughs and the service provider to form the RAA; and to approve the available extension options at the due time.
(12) MORE HOMES BROMLEY – APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR
Report CSD19062
The Committee considered a report requesting that the Executive appoint a Director to the More Homes Bromley Board.
RESOLVED: that the Executive reaffirms the appointment of Sara Bowrey, Director of Housing, to the More homes Bromley Board, and appoints James Mullender, Head of Finance, Adults, Health and housing to the vacancy for the Council’s other member of the Board.
(14) ELECTORAL REVIEW
Report CSD19078
The Committee considered a report setting out the Council’s submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on Council size.
In response to a question, the Director of Corporate Services confirmed that some of the figures in the report would be reviewed and reissued for the meeting of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee on Thursday 16th May 2019. The update would be circulated to all Members. The Director of Corporate Services confirmed that the changes would not affect the recommendation as an overall increase in the population was predicted.
RESOLVED: that the Executive be recommended to approve the draft Electoral Review Council Size Submission for consideration by Full Council.