Issue - meetings

To consider the performance report for Quarter 3 2018/19, and to consider the revised Key Performance Indicators and Strategic Risks for 2019/20.

RESOLVED that the performance outlined in the quarterly performance report to December 2018 be noted and the revised Key Performance Indicators for 2019/20 and Strategic Risks for 2019/20 be approved.  

The Executive Member for Finance, Councillor T. Schofield submitted a report that detailed major variances on performance for the third quarter of 2018/19 in relation to the Council’s Key Performance Indicators, Revenue Budget Monitoring, Capital Budget Monitoring and Internal Audit. The report also provided an update on Key Performance Indicators and Strategic Risks for 2019/20. The Executive Member confirmed that 8 of the Council’s 14 Key Performance Indicators were on target, or within the agreed tolerance.

The Executive was informed that KPIs 4-8 were contextual homelessness indicators which had been introduced to reflect changes required under the Homelessness Reduction Act (2017). Councillor Schofield explained, as the impact of this legislation was uncertain, no target had been set for 2018/19.

In response to questions about KPI 3, in reference to the number of affordable home completions, it was explained that this was off target at the end of quarter 3. It was noted that against a target of achieving 75 affordable home completions by the end of the quarter, 60 had been achieved and it was recognised that achieving this target was largely outside of the Council’s control. However, at the end of the quarter 52 affordable dwellings were under construction and a further 31 had commenced within the quarter. With this in mind, Councillor Schofield indicated that the overarching target for the year (100) would be achieved.      

With regards to the financial aspects within the report, it was noted that there was a healthy underspend on the revenue budget. It was explained that income from planning fees remained buoyant while rental income from commercial property investments was higher than originally forecast due to recent acquisitions. The Executive also noted that good progress was being made on the capital programme.

The quarterly performance report was presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 14 March 2019 and Councillor Schofield advised that the Committee had raised a number of comments which had been addressed at the meeting.

During the discussion, the Executive noted that a number of internal audits had been completed during quarter 3. In terms of risk management, it was highlighted that no new strategic risks had been identified during the quarter.

Councillor Schofield concluded by explaining, as set out in Sections 6 and 7 of Annex 1 of the report presented, that the Council’s Key Performance Indicators had been updated for 2019/20 and that the Council’s Strategic Risks had been reviewed and revised for 2019/20.  

RESOLVED that the performance outlined in the quarterly performance report to December 2018 be noted and the revised Key Performance Indicators for 2019/20 and Strategic Risks for 2019/20 be approved. 

Reason for decision: To consider the performance for the third quarter of the financial year 2018/19 and to ensure appropriate arrangements for performance monitoring and risk management were in place for 2019/20.

Alternative options: None.

To consider the performance in the third quarter of 2018/19 of the Council’s Service Indicators, Revenue Budget Monitoring, Capital Budget Monitoring, Risk Management and Internal Audit.

The Committee received a report that detailed the major variances on performance in relation to the Council’s Key Performance Indicators, Risk Management and Internal Audit, along with the revised Key Performance Indicators and identified Strategic Risks for 2019/20.

Councillor Schofield, Executive Member for Finance, provided some overview information on the report, including the projected underspend in the revenue budget due to better than expected income, the projected underspend in the capital budget due to minor delays on some projects, and identifying that the areas for attention identified in the internal audit section of the report had been responded to.

The Committee considered and discussed the report. There were a number of questions and comments on the report, relating to the following topics:

·         Disabled Facilities Grant. It was confirmed that the new supplier for delivery of the disabled facilities grant was in place and that cases were being actioned. It was identified that most of the underspend was expected to be utilised by the end of the year, following  work to allow specific exemptions to the Housing Assistance Policy., and that the remainder would be carried over. It was identified that more funds had become available than was initially projected due to additional funds being obtained from an allocation by central government. It was identified that consideration would be given to how to increase awareness of the availability of the grant amongst those in need.

·         Legal Services. It was identified that the legal services overspend had been an ongoing issue, and it was queried when it would be resolved. It was identified that the legal services model was being updated, and that it was expected that the corresponding budget would then be better identified. It was noted that the budget for 2019/20 had already been agreed and that this therefore would not be reflected in reporting until the following financial year.

·         Main Accounting internal audit review. It was confirmed that the sources of the general balance variation had been identified as authorised items which had not been recorded in the ledgers, and that they had been reconciled. It was identified that schedule identifying the accounting treatment could be made available. It was identified that the car parking income reporting would continue to be monitored.

·         Staffing Updates. It was identified that updates to staffing were not considered to be a strategic risk, but that consideration was being given to ensuring that the Council had appropriate skills and resources in place to support its objectives.

·         Reporting of Reserves. It was confirmed that general reserve balances were reported on an annual basis, and that the report contained information on the Corporate Plan Delivery Fund balance. A suggestion was offered that reserve balances could be reported more frequently.

·         Community Infrastructure Ley & S106 internal audit review. It was confirmed that the issue identified related to the transfer of S106 data into a new system, and that this work was in progress,

·         Operational Risks. It was confirmed that Operational  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69