Further to minute 35 (15 September 2011), the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Finance provided details of the savings from back office services, which had been included within agreed budgets over the last three financial years and the benefits realised from the insurance Fund and Treasury Management activities. Although there was no specific definition of what constituted “back office” services they could be seen as money spent on the Council’s administrative and support functions and over the last three years, financial savings had been achieved through –

·  the Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Severance (EVR/VS) Scheme

·  reductions and restructurings in management and administration staff

·  better use of technology and rationalisation of IT services

·  enhanced procurement arrangements

·  office rationalisation and reduced running costs

He set out the savings by department and service area and commented that although comparisons of the level of savings were complicated, back office efficiencies had contributed almost £8m towards a total departmental expenditure reduction of £23m between 2009/2010 and 2011/2012.

Resolved – That the report be noted.