PAPER B

ADULT AND COMMUNITY SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE – 16 DECEMBER 2004

BUDGET MONITORING REPORT AS AT END OF OCTOBER 2004

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR ADULT AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

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 3.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To debate and make recommendations.

REVENUE EXPENDITURE (2004/5)

The net expenditure statement up to 31st October 2004 for the Adult and Community Services Directorate budgets is set out in Appendix 1.

As part of the 2004/5 budget settlement the Directorate has to achieve an efficiency savings target of £349,000. This has been identified along with the on-going effect of the shortfall in the Promoting Independence Grant of £148,000.

The Directorate is working towards a balanced budget for the year. The homelessness budget is a particular pressure area and it is anticipated that the projected overspend will continue to increase during this financial year. Community Care is also another pressure area and continues to be closely monitored. At this stage in the year the Directorate is projecting an overspend of approximately £55,000. This is approximately 0.2% of the net budget of the Directorate. This is deemed to be within the limits of tolerance and will continue to be closely monitored.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE (2004/5)

The capital expenditure is set out in Appendix 4. 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.

FREE NURSING CARE POOLED BUDGET

The Free Nursing Care Pooled Budget to the end of quarter 2 (1 April – 30 September 2004) indicated that there is a projected year-end underspend of approximately £154,000. Any underspend at year-end will be shared between the organisations based on the respective contributions made to the pool. Based on the projected underspend amount, Social Services would receive approximately £116,000 and the Primary Care Trust would receive

approximately £38,000. However at this stage it is anticipated that this underspend may be required to fund any increase in costs arising from the approaching winter period.

BUDGET POSITION 2005/6

The Committee will be presented with information about the 2005/6 budget settlement and potential pressures at the end of this budget monitoring report.

Contact Point: Kerry Hubbleday ( 520600 ext.2213

COUNCILLOR GORDON KENDALL

Portfolio Holder for Adult and Community Services