Agenda item

The Committee received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources that provided details of the forecast outturn budget positions for the Adult and Health Services (AHS) service grouping.  A presentation was given by the Principal Accountant, Adults and Health (for copy of reports and slides, see file of Minutes).

The Principal Accountant referred members to the tables within the report regarding the forecast outturn by expenditure type that showed that there had been a £2.4 million underspend on a £116 million budget with a 2.1% variance.  The tables showed the budget broken down by service area including the public health budgeted expenditure that had been requested by Members. The Principal Accountant added that savings had been made through careful management, control of vacancies and an early achievement of MTFP savings across the service that showed it to be a well-managed budget. 

Councillor Robinson was concerned that the budget for Public Health should not be reduced, as it needed to be increased.

Councillor Temple thanked the Officer as the table showed the budget broken down by service area.

In response to Councillor Bell’s question on what happened to the underspend within the budget the Principal Accountant responded that the money would be added to the reserves which at present was £10 million.

Councillor Hovvels replied to Mrs Hassoon’s comment that the community had a right to a good public health by declaring that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care had stated that there was a statutory responsibility for Local Authorities to provide a public health service and that there was no choice on what was delivered and what the budget was spent on.

Resolved

That the information in the report be noted.