Decision details

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability & Resources, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 5.

The report updated the Joint Strategic Committee with the latest expenditure and income projections for each Council in the current financial year 2021/22, compared to the Revenue Budget approved by both Councils in February.  Whilst the 'spend to date' would be the position as at the 30th June 2021, the forecast position would reflect the latest information available to ensure an up-to-date forecast is presented.

As at quarter 1, the current projection for the 2021/22 financial year was net operational budget overspends of £58,000 in Adur and £762,000 in Worthing. Government funding in the form of grants and the Income Guarantee Scheme would offset this and it was currently estimated that the outturn position would be net underspends of £101,000 in Adur and £7,000 in Worthing. A breakdown of these figures was set out in section 4.4 of the report.

A member sought clarification as to how the increased pressure on housing , an increase in caseload of 3 per month, would be monitored. Officers advised that current modelling identified an expected increase in pressure on housing resulting from the impact of the end of furlough and the abolition of section 21 notices once the 4 month period expired in September. Officers confirmed that the modelling would be reviewed regularly throughout the year.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Elizabeth Sparkes, seconded by Councillor Neil Parkin and unanimously supported.

Decision

The Joint Strategic Committee noted the report and projected outturn position for the Joint Committee, Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council against the approved revenue budgets and proposed use of reserves (Appendix 1b and 2b).

Call In:

The call-in deadline for decision will be 5.00pm on 17 September 2021.