Issue - meetings

            (a)       That the report be noted;

(b)       That a request be prepared for the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the income received from recycling; and

(c)        That the Member Engagement Manager provide members with the additional information indentified in the body of the minutes.

The Corporate Finance Manager introduced a report on the Revenue Budget Monitoring 2012/13 position for Council Fund and Housing Revenue Account (at Month 4) which was to be presented to Cabinet on 16 October 2012.  He reported a projected overspend on the Council Fund of £1.028m and a projected underspend of £0.052m on the Housing Revenue Account.  He highlighted the individual position of the directorates on page 14. 

The Corporate Finance Manager highlighted that it was Management’s intention to contain the Council Fund projected overspend within the overall approved budget.  He also highlighted the risks and assumptions associated with the projection at point 3.05. 

An allocation of £0.707m for Non standard inflation has been set aside in the budget to cover Energy, Fuel and Food and current projections indicated that these amounts would be required in full.

Based on the current projection the level of contingency reserve at the end of the financial year would be £0.397m, however as stated previously it was Management’s intention to bring expenditure back in line with budget by the end of 2012/13.  The HRA position was reported as a projected  under spend of £0.052m which would result in a closing balance for 2012/13 of £1.6 m, which at 6% of total expenditure satisfied the target of ensuring a minimum level of 3%.  The Corporate Finance Manager reported an additional allocation of £0.250m from balances to fund additional CERA contribution towards funding of the HRA Capital Programme.

            Councillor G.H. Bateman asked for more detail about the efficiencies that would be explored in the Medium Term Financial Plan on point 3.04 on page14. The Leader of the Council in response, said that the Head of ICT and Customer Services would address this in his Flintshire Futures report.  The Leader of the Council advised that the Council faced a number of challenges, such as the Leisure Services overspend, Welfare Reform and the cost of out of county places.  The Leader urged members to attend the Welfare Reform workshop arranged for 12 November 2012 as it would impact heavily on the Council budget.

Councillor G.H. Bateman asked for more detail about the possible impact of Single Status on the Housing Revenue Account.  The Corporate Finance Manager in response said that any change in the cost base would need to be built into the Housing Revenue Account.

Councillor C.A. Thomas asked if the increase in admission charges to leisure centres had contributed to a drop in admissions.  The Leader of the Council in response said that the Lifelong learning action plan would address the impact on the budget.  Councillor Thomas asked why the school music service had overspent by £102,000 despite the introduction of charges. The Leader of the Council said that an officer working group would look at the in-year overspend. The Corporate Finance Manager said that he would send details of the membership of the working group and details of the budget to Councillor Thomas.  Councillor C. Thomas asked if measures had been taken to reduce postage  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32