Agenda item

Financial Performance 2020/21 - Revenue outturn

To consider a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, copy attached as item 10

Minutes:

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, a copy of which had been circulated to all members, a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as item 10.

 

The report outlined the revenue financial monitoring position for the end of the 2020/21 financial year. The Head of Financial Services was present to introduce the report and respond to questions.

 

A member asked the following question: Re Paragraph 4.11.5 please could you give more information about the parks service  £36,000 underspend (Worthing) especially at a time when our parks and green spaces are very heavily used? The committee was told that the team had a very difficult operating environment with social distancing in mobile teams in vans, reduction in staff on the ground due to sickness and shielding which meant that there was a need to reduce the service that was able to be delivered to accommodate those restrictions. This therefore meant that there was a reduction in spend to run alongside this.

 

A member asked the following question: Re Para 4.11.1 - Although it is difficult to predict, what level of increase in temporary housing need, and associated costs to the council, is being modelled for given the prohibition of evictions and furlough scheme end? The committee was told that the authority was forecasting a net increase of three cases per month in both Adur and Worthing. As at 13/7/2021 81 households in Adur were being supported and 203 in Worthing. However, in parallel to this the Council had been successful in attracting funding from Central Government and via the County Council COMF funds to implement measures to both prevent homelessness and support vulnerable persons who have been made homeless. The project included a digital tool to help identify those with difficulty meeting housing costs to target support to prevent homelessness as well as a flexible fund that will support this work for those that were not eligible for Discretionary Housing Payments.

 

A member asked the following question: Re Para 4.12.1 - Regarding parking losses, do we have a sense of what the full loss to the councils may be following the cessation of the government sales, fees and charges scheme? In 2020/21, the net loss to the Council for parking after government support was £1.9m for Worthing Borough Council and £124k for Adur. This reduces down to £520k for Worthing and £30k after allowing for government grant. Looking ahead to 2021/22, income to car parks was recovering well; both Councils reduced the car parking income budget in the to reflect known closures and the impact of changing car parking habits. Income in car parks had been improving month on month and was at approximately 80% of the budget in Worthing and virtually back to normal levels in Adur. Overall the Councils expected losses of £208k in Worthing in the year which after allowing for potential income from Sales Fees and Charges will reduce to £90k. However much depended on the pace of recovery.

 

A member asked the following question: Re Para 4.13.4 - A key issue is outlined regarding the continued support needed  for South Downs Leisure  re the timeline for the easing of social distancing measures and the length of time support will be needed. Is there a predicted cost for this at this stage? The Councils had agreed with SDLT a recovery plan which provided support of £608k in 2020/21 and had allowed for additional support of £198k in 2021/22 which was built into the budget. In parallel to this the Council had successfully secured funding of £214k to support the reopening of Leisure Centres.

 

Resolved:  that the report be noted

 

 

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