SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT COMMITTEE – 8 JULY 2003

BUDGET MONITORING REPORT AS AT END OF MAY 2003

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF POLICY, PERFORMANCE AND RESOURCES

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 May. 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. A report on the nursing care pooled budget will be developed in conjunction with the pooled budget arrangements and will be brought to future committees when available.

ACTION REQUIRED BY SELECT COMMITTEE

To make recommendations

REVENUE EXPENDITURE (2002/03)

Appendix 3 details the outturn position for the Directorate of Social Services and Housing for 2002/3. The net expenditure was in line with the total budget. The main pressure areas had been the administration of the Supporting People Programme and the reduced Promoting Independence grant, both these pressures were successfully contained within the overall Directorate budget. The overspend on CCTV is to be financed by a reserve set aside centrally and will have no impact on this Directorate’s budget. A total of £658,000 has been carried forward to 2003/4. These items were planned to be carried forward from within the 2002/3 budget and relate to: Childrens Respite Care home (£365k); a contingency for costs associated with childrens disability team and the Climbie report (£111K ); the costs of new accommodation for family solutions team (£52k); a contingency for housing renewal and homelessness strategies (£37K); and the continuation of the integrated community equipment project (£37k); the balance is made up by miscellaneous minor items.

REVENUE EXPENDITURE (2003/04)

The net expenditure statement up to 31 May 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.

Based on the information available to date the Directorate is currently projecting a potential overspend at the end of the financial year of approximately £93,000. This is approximately 0.3% of the net budget for the Directorate. This takes into account the above cost pressure caused by the reduction in the promoting independence grant. This is deemed to be within the limits of tolerance and no action is proposed. It is anticipated that during the course of the financial year this item may be able to be contained within the overall Directorate budget.

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

GLEN GARROD

Strategic Director of Social Services and Housing