Community & Customer SERVICEs
FINAL OUTTURN REPORT 2011/12
- Purpose of Report
This report provides information on the financial performance of services within the Community & Customer Services Directorate and the outturn for 2011/12 so that Members can review performance and details of earmarked committed amounts. Financial details are contained in the attached Appendices and key issues are discussed below.
2. Recommendations
Members are asked to:-
2.1 note the 2011/12 final outturn positions for each of the services within Community and Customer Services (CCS) and that a £43k underspend was achieved; and
2.2 note that Community and Customer Services hold £509k for earmarked committed purposes.
3.Considerations
3.1Appendix 1 to this report provides a summary of the outturn position on each of the Services within C&CS. The service has achieved its targeted savings of £1,805k for 2011/12 and achieved an underspend of £43k. C&CS has experienced a significant number of vacancies across the service throughout the year which has enabled the service to address pressures in other areas such as registrations income. Controls put in place to reduce transport costs and control previous pressures such as repairs and maintenance costs have proved successful. It should be noted that C&CS have taken considerable steps during the year to realign budgets in line with the revised management model; there is still further work to be done in this area.
3.2Community & Customer Services
3.2.1Directorate
The £60k underspend relates to the former payment for Building Healthy Communities which has now been streamlined into the Joint Health and Wellbeing unit. This has been offered up as a saving for 2012/13 onwards.
3.2.2Arts
Appendix 2 details the use of funds for the future delivery of Arts in Dumfries & Galloway which members will have considered as part of the Corporate Outturn report on this same agenda and previously at Policy & Resources committee on the 20th March 2012.
3.2.3Community Learning & Development
The £65k underspend relates to vacancies within this area which have now been offered up as savings for 2012/13 onwards.
3.2.4 Leisure & Sport/Facilities
This underspend of £36k relates mainly due to staff vacancies throughout the service. Across the region there were was a reduction in energy costs however this has highlighted the need to re-align energy budgets within C&CS as some community facilities came in overspent despite the mild winter.
3.2.5 Libraries
This overspend of £121k is mainly due to staff costs, Costs in libraries have not increased based on 10/11 however due to the re-organisation within C&CS there are a number of budgets that require alignment to more accurately reflect the actual costs being incurred and this is currently under review.
3.2.6 Registrars
This overspend of £99k can be attributed to a shortfall against budget for income, despite an increase in 10/11 in income based on previous years the income received in 11/12 was less than expected. There has been a significant increase in advance bookings for 12/13 and this will be closely monitored as 12/13 progresses.
3.2.7 Revenues & Benefits
This underspend of £52k relates to a mixture of staff vacancies, which will require to be filled in order to address the increasing workloads which are being experienced through Welfare Reform, and also a reduction in travel costs.
3.3Earmarked Committed Amounts
3.3.1Under the terms of the Council’s budget flexibility scheme, where underspends are achieved the underspent amounts are transferred to Service Reserves to be used in subsequent financial years, subject to Members’ approval. A review of C&CS reserves was carried out at year end and £239k was identified as being able to be released to support corporate commitments, as detailed in the corporate outturn report on this same agenda.
3.3.2At the end of financial year 2011/12 a total of £509k is held as an earmarked committed amount by Community & Customer Services. Appendix 3 provides a summary of these commitments and intended use.
.4.Outlook for 2012/13
Community & Customer Services has been successful in managing its budget pressures and controlling expenditure within the service’s allocated budget. There is confidence that this can be repeated in 2012/13 as the service progresses through its service reviews and structures further bed in. This will enable the service to deliver its savings of £957k in 2012/13 and identify further savings options for future years.
5.Governance Assurance
C&CS Management Team have been consulted and are in agreement with the information contained within this report.
6.Impact Assessment
As this report does not propose a change in policy, the formal adoption of a plan, policy or strategy it is not necessary to complete an Impact Assessment.
Author(s)
NAME / DESIGNATION / CONTACT DETAILSSean Barrett / Devolved Finance Manager / 01387 260385 (internal 64385)
Approved by
NAME / DESIGNATION / SIGNATUREJustin Tracy / Director
Community and Customer Services /
Appendices – 2
Appendix 1 – Community & Customer Services Outturn 11/12
Appendix 2 – Summary of Earmarked Committed Amounts
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