The Portfolio Holder for Finance introduced a report setting out the provisional outturn figures for 2014/15 and the requests to carry forward unspent budgets into 2015/16 for Revenue items.  The item has previously been considered by the Finance Advisory Committee on 2 June 2015.

There were four requests totalling £204,090 to transfer unspent revenue budgets to earmarked reserves. 

A provisional favourable variance of £743,400 was achieved and this variance arose for two reasons:

(a)   Net savings made during the year due to efficiencies, or where income receipts that have been greater than expected.  (Where budget variances are expected to be ongoing, they were included as SCIA items for the 2015/16 budget).

(b)   Project activity, commonly time limited, originally scheduled to take place during 2014/15 which has been delayed or where the project start was deferred and the budget is still required to complete the project. 

The variance that had been achieved was in line with the target set by Officers.  A further £392,000 would be added to the budget stabilisation reserve.

With reference to recommendation (e), the Leader of the Council explained why there was a need to set aside the £60,000.  Local Authorities had acted collectively through the Local Government Association (LGA) in defending against legal action that had been bought in relation to fees for personal searches, the LGA’s Legal Representatives, Bevan Brittan, had managed to reduce the collective costs incurred by Councils.

With reference to recommendation (d), the Chief Executive explained that the Council’s external auditors had recommended that an earmarked Health and Safety reserve be established following a prosecution against the Council that had been brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved: That

(a)          the Revenue ‘carry forward’ requests totalling £204,090 as set out in paragraph 14 of the report be approved, subject to any amendments suggested by the Finance Advisory Committee;

(b)          the Capital carry forward request totalling £140,000 as set out in paragraph 15 of the report be approved, subject to any amendments suggested by the Finance Advisory Committee;

(c)           A sum of £50,000 be transferred to the Housing Surveys earmarked reserve to enable a Stock Condition survey to be completed in 2015/16;

(d)          a Health and Safety Earmarked Reserve be established, and a sum of £100,000 be transferred to that reserve as at the end of March 2015; and

(e)          A sum of £60,000 be set aside to provide for payment in respect of restitutionary claims and costs in respect of personal search fees.