Decision

1.    To note the Council’s provisional outturn position against General Fund, Dedicated Schools Budget, Housing Revenue Account and earmarked reserves for 2021-22, based on forecasts as at 31st March 2022;

2.    To note the reserves position of the Council is uncertain pending the closure of the statement of accounts for the period 2016 – 2021;

3.    To note the progress made against the 2021-22 savings targets, based on forecasts as at 31st March 2022;

4.    To note the Council’s projected outturn position against General Fund and Housing Revenue Account capital programme approved budgets, based on forecasts as at 31st March 2022 and approve the net slippage of 2021-22 budgets to periods 2022-23 to 2024-25;

5.    To note that there are no equalities implications directly resulting from this report, as set out in Section 4.

Action by:

INTERIM CORPORATE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES (K. BARTLE)

(Director of Finance, Audit and Procurement (N. Visram)

Councillor Saied Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cost of Living, introduced the report setting out the Council’s budget monitoring report for 2021-22.

He highlighted the small underspend set out in the report but he also highlighted a number of risks including the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as service pressures in areas such as adults and children’s social care. Finally he noted that £1.3million of unachievable savings had been identified which would need to be managed.

The Mayor noted the report and agreed the recommendations as set out.

RESOLVED

1.    To note the Council’s provisional outturn position against General Fund, Dedicated Schools Budget, Housing Revenue Account and earmarked reserves for 2021-22, based on forecasts as at 31st March 2022;

2.    To note the reserves position of the Council is uncertain pending the closure of the statement of accounts for the period 2016 – 2021;

3.    To note the progress made against the 2021-22 savings targets, based on forecasts as at 31st March 2022;

4.    To note the Council’s projected outturn position against General Fund and Housing Revenue Account capital programme approved budgets, based on forecasts as at 31st March 2022 and approve the net slippage of 2021-22 budgets to periods 2022-23 to 2024-25;

5.    To note that there are no equalities implications directly resulting from this report, as set out in Section 4.