Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Assistant Chief Executive that provided confirmation that the 2015/16 Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP5) had been successfully delivered (for copy see file of minutes).

The Head of Policy and Communications reported that the MTFP5 was agreed by Council in February 2015 and for 2015/16 the savings target was just over £16m. This forms part of the overall savings target for the period from 2011/12 to 2019/20 of around £257 million.

Through a robust approach in managing the programme to deliver savings required, the plans for 2015/16 had now been successfully delivered. £1.7 million of savings were made during the last quarter of 2015/16 to deliver MTFP5, mainly from proposals that had already been put in place during the year including: children’s centres; looked after children care provision; restructuring of environmental health and consumer protection; street lighting’s ‘invest to save’ programme; and a review in finance. Since 2011, £153 million of savings had now been made.

Councillor R Bell referred to staff redeployment and enquired whether enough had been done regarding retraining and reskilling employees. The Head of Policy and Communications responded that there was a more flexible approach regarding matching job descriptions that would allow scope for training and trial periods.

Resolved:

That the information contained in the report and the progress made in delivering the MTFP5 be noted.