Agenda item

At the invitation of the Chairman, officers addressed the committee to present the report on the delivery and financial performance of both contracted and non-contracted services.

The committee asked detailed questions of the officers and received responses.

Following discussion about the use of financial reserves to cover contingencies, the Assistant Director of Finance, Paul Thorogood, undertook to check the Children’s reserve figures quoted in table 10 on page 49 of the report and confirm his findings to the committee.

In addition to referring a detailed assessment of the 2015-16 savings for consideration by the Policy and Resources Committee, the committee was minded to recommend:

“That the Policy and Resources Committee consider a detailed assessment of the 2015/16 reserves, having a particular regard to those reserves which had already been allocated to a particular purpose.”

Noting the customer experience section of the performance report, the committee was keen to receive further detail on the processes and performance measures around member enquiries. The Commercial and Customer Services Director, Claire Symonds, undertook to provide a report (detailing both response rates and the resolution of enquiries) to a future committee meeting.

In response to a question about the delivery of affordable housing completions, the Head of Programmes and Resources undertook to confirm whether the figure quoted was a net figure. In addition the Head of Programmes and Resources agreed to provide the committee with information on the split between social, affordable and private housing..

Noting that the 90 per cent target for special needs statements completed within statutory timescales had not been met, the committee requested the Head of Programmes and Resources to ascertain the consequences of the council not complying with the statutory timescale. 

With regards to Assets, Regeneration and Growth, the committee noted that the development of an alternative depot was one of a number of key challenges in quarter four 2014/15 noting the tight timescales to deliver the new depot. There was discussion regarding the risks associated with the project and potential contingency options. The Head of Programmes and Resources, Tom Pike, responded to queries raised, referring to the report provided to Full Council on 14 April 2015 and assured the committee that there was a full and detailed project risk log in place.

Following discussion the committee resolved to recommend:

“That the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee note the risks of a challenging timescale to deliver the new depot and consider contingency options should the preferred options not proceed.”

In respect of the interpretation of key performance indicators, the committee requested that future reports referenced data in figures to give context to the percentages shown.

RESOLVED that the committee:

1.     Note that detailed reports on performance challenges outlined in this report have already been discussed at relevant committees, specifically:

·                     Funded 2 year old places was reported to the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee on the 20 April 2015

·                     Your Choice Barnet was discussed at the Adults and Safeguarding Committee on the 19 March and 23 April 2015

and agree the following referrals to other committees:

2.    Note the quarter 4 2014/15 revenue budget and capital position contained in paragraphs 1.11 and 1.15.

3.    Note the Agency Costs for the quarter 4 2014/15 as detailed in paragraph 1.16.

4.    Note the Transformation Programme position as at the 31 March 2015 as detailed in paragraph 1.17.

5.    Note the Treasury position outlined in paragraph 1.19.

6.    Note the £22.219m capital slippage of the outturn for 2014/15, as outlined in Appendix C.

7.    Note the Capita Payments outlined in Appendix I.