SOCIAL SERVICES,
HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT COMMITTEE –
4 DECEMBER 2003
BUDGET MONITORING
REPORT AS AT END OF OCTOBER 2003
REPORT OF THE
PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
This report sets out the
budget and spending position on revenue for the services within this Committee
remit, as at the end of October. The
figures at Appendix 1 do not include budgets
that are controlled elsewhere. These
are monitored by the Committee, which bears responsibility for the item
concerned. (For example, Resources
Select Committee monitors the building maintenance budget centrally, and
building maintenance costs are not therefore shown against individual services
below). For information a Building Maintenance monitor has been included at Appendix 1A.
REVENUE EXPENDITURE (2003/04)
The net expenditure
statement up to 31st October 2003 for the Social Services and Housing budgets
is set out in Appendix 1.
The previous year reduction in the promoting independence grant is an on-going
pressure of £148,000 on the two independent living resource centres. These are of central importance in reducing
hospital bed blocking and promoting independence.
As part of the 2003/4
budget settlement the Directorate has to achieve a savings target of
£272,000. To date £78,000 has been
identified leaving £194,000 still to be achieved on an on-going basis.
The Directorate is working
towards a balanced budget for the year, however at this time it is considered
prudent to highlight a potential overspend at the end of the financial year of
approximately £118,000. This is
approximately 0.4% of the net budget for the Directorate. This takes into
account the above cost pressures of the reduction in the promoting independence
grant and the savings target still to be identified. This is deemed to be within the limits of tolerance and the
situation will continue to be closely monitored.
FREE NURSING CARE POOLED BUDGET
The
next quarterly monitoring report for the nursing care pooled budget will
be produced after the end December. The
current projected underspend attributable to Social Services is £525,000 and
has been taken into account across the relevant client groups in the overall
position reported in Appendix 1.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE (2003/04)
The capital expenditure is set out in Appendix 2. We will be reporting on this area at
each Committee. Most of the allocation
is for social housing. In most years,
the Housing Capital Programme is approved early in the year, when the
funding/programme is committed.
Building works proceed during the year, with the delivery/spend
occurring largely in the last quarter of the year.
Contact Point: Kerry Hubbleday/Dawn Cousins, ( 520600
ext.2213/2240
G KENDALL
Portfolio Holder for
Social Services and Housing