Issue - meetings

To receive the exceptions report on budget information.

RECEIVED the Council’s Financial Performance Forecast as at 30^th September 2011 as laid out on pages 29 – 41 of the agenda pack, introduced by Kevin Bartle, Chief Finance Officer.

NOTED the following in response to questions and discussion:

• There were 12 schools (including 3 secondary schools) with licensed deficits (deficits approved by the Council and paid back over 3 years) and others with unapproved deficits.  The main reason for school deficits was a drop in pupil numbers when a school was at a comfortable spending position and then did not react to reduce spending.  The funding for a child did not move with that child if they changed schools.
• Where a school was becoming an academy and had a deficit: the deficit would remain with the local authority for sponsored academies but converter academies deficits would remain with the academy.
• It was explained that there had been a delay in restructuring translation and interpretation services (paragraph 5.3) due to the initial division for shared services with other local authorities and collaboratives not working out.  It was suggested that the Council approached HAVCO (Haringey Association of Voluntary and Community Organisations) to discuss translation and interpretation requirements rather than commercial organisations.
• The Techno Park was particularly underachieving in terms of budgeted levels (targets, paragraph 8.1) and would be included in the Council’s property review looking into how properties could be better utilised.
• It was reported that the Council had applied to the Government for £300k for support to businesses affected by the summer riots, £250k rate relief plus a £1.5 million claim through the Recovery Scheme.  The Council was not waiting for the Government funds to come through before providing support to those affected.
• Following the end of the Making the Difference budgets a member asked whether area committees would receive alternative funds to allocate.  The Assistance Chief Executive stated that this would be discussed at a future meeting of area committee chairs

RESOLVED that the report be noted and the following actions be delegated to the appropriate directorate/ officers:

The Committee would be sent figures for schools that had been in deficit the previous year (for comparison against the 12 schools forecasting deficits this year). (Action 66.1)

Paragraph 4.4 - Adult Care Packages – The Committee requested further explanation on the pressures for identified across Adults Commissioning. (Action 66.2)

Paragraph 7.15 – Pupil Premium – The Committee requested a briefing detailing the schools that would benefit from the increase in pupil premiums with the schools identified by ward and including the annual amount that they would receive. (Action 66.3.1)

The Committee requested a briefing on the Affordable Housing Project. (Action 66.3)