Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director Finance.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council notes and approves (where applicable):

(1)   the General Fund forecast financial position for the 2022 financial year;

(2)   the supplementary budgets as detailed in paragraph 8.12 and Appendix 3 of the report;

(3)   the outstanding Sundry Debt position as at September 2022;

(4)   the creditors payments performance; and

(5)   the One Exeter programme update.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report on the overall financial position of the General Fund Revenue Budgets for the 2022/23 financial year after six months and sought Council approval for the additional expenditure required during the financial year.

Particular reference was made to:-

·        the increase in car park income which was now projected to be closer to the budgeted figure;

·        the increase in return on investments resulting from the net interest rate increases, some of which would be paid to the HRA as well as benefitting the General Fund;

·        there was no intention to seek short or long-term borrowing at present because of the interest rate rises; and

·        a number of the supplementary budgets identified would be self- funding.

Councillor Jobson, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item and enquired on how many new Leisure memberships had been made on a month-by-month basis and whether steps were being taken to improve the take up of Home Call.

Councillor D. Moore, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item requesting confirmation that there was no intention to proceed with the Columbarium project. She sought clarification why, in respect of housing, that two of the three business cases would not start this year and whether there would be a loss on waste charging services due to credit payments made to residents as a result of the recent disruption to bin collections.

In response to the questions raised, the Leader and the Director Finance advised that:-

·        there were 12,102 active Leisure members;

·        the Columbarium project was unlikely to proceed due to the significant challenges regarding its positioning;

·        the two housing business cases would not proceed this year;

·        credit payments would be made to residents in respect of the bin collection service but the impact was unknown at present; and

·        following a reduction in the number of Service Leads in Net Zero and City Management, Home Call had recently been transferred to Environmental Health and Community Safety, along with the CCTV service. The Service Lead was undertaking a full review of the commercial and advertising approach for Home Call, which would result in a more active marketing and a better tie in with some of the services the team already offered. There was a great deal of competition in this market but there was confidence that the service could be expanded.

RECOMMENDED that Council notes and approves (where applicable):

(1)   the General Fund forecast financial position for the 2022 financial year;

(2)   the supplementary budgets as detailed in paragraph 8.12 and Appendix 3 of the report;

(3)   the outstanding Sundry Debt position as at September 2022;

(4)   the creditors payments performance; and

(5)   the One Exeter programme update.