To consider the final revenue outturn position for the Council for the financial year 2011/12.

The Council considered the submitted report on the final revenue outturn position for the Council for the financial year 2011/12 and the recommendations with respect to the use of the declared surplus. The Overview and Scrutiny Board had reviewed the report on 20 June 2012 and made no recommendations.

It was proposed by Councillor Tyerman and seconded by Councillor Pritchard:

(i)    that the revenue outturn position for 2011/12 be noted;

(ii)  that a sum of £0.305m be transferred to an Employment Fund Reserve (paragraph A3.8 of the submitted report);

(iii) that the transfer of £0.136m of the revenue underspend to the Comprehensive Spending Review Reserve (paragraph 3.9 of the submitted report) be approved;

(iv) that it be noted that the transfers in (ii) and (iii) above are subject to the final audit of the Council’s accounts;  and

(v)   that the reserves proposed in paragraph 3.8 of the submitted report be amalgamated.

An amendment was proposed by Councillor Darling and seconded by Councillor Pentney:

(iii)       that the transfer of:

(a)       £0.056m of the revenue underspend to the Comprehensive Spending Review Reserve be approved;

(b)       £0.040m of the revenue underspend to support the new Poverty Strategy be approved; and

(c)        £0.040m of the revenue underspend to help fund road safety improvements.

On being put the vote, the amendment was declared lost.

The original motion was then before Members for consideration.

On being put to the vote, the original motion was declared carried.

To consider the final revenue outturn position for the Council for the financial year 2011/12.

The Board considered the report on the Revenue Outturn for 2011/2012.  It was noted that, despite pressures within Children’s Services, Adult Social Care and Spatial Planning, a net surplus of £441,000 had been achieved.

The Executive Lead for Finance and Audit was in attendance to answer the Board’s questions.

The Board were reminded that, in previous years, three Reserves had been created to assist the Council in meeting the financial challenges it faced over the period of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR).  It would be recommended to the Council that these three Reserve now be combined into a single CSR Reserve and that £0.136m of the surplus should be transferred to this Reserve.  It would be recommended to the Council that the remaining £0.305m be transferred to an Employment Fund Reserve.

The Board asked for clarification about the delay in charging for rubble at the Civic Amenity Site and requested that further, detailed information on this issue be provided.

The Board also noted that an underspend of £0.431m within Community Safety had been reported.  Questions were asked about the impact on frontline services as a result of this underspend and it was noted that a detailed written response would be supplied to members of the Board.

The Board asked that, in future reports, a more detailed explanation of the variances in the budget be provided.