Peter Molyneux, Senior Manager Corporate Finance introduced the regular report of the Assistant Director: Finance and Section 151 Officer that provided Members with detail to scrutinise budget performance and updated the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the financial position of the Council. The attached Cabinet reports set out the projected revenue and capital monitoring position for 2018/19 as at the close of quarter 2 (30 September 2018).

The Senior Manager Corporate Finance provided Members with a summary presentation that set out the budgetary figures for 2018/19 and information regarding key areas of relevance / note i.e.

• The quarter 2 capital report recommended that Cabinet agree the 2018/19 Capital Programme of £60.9 million which takes into account re-profiling identified during 2018/19. Expenditure to date was £16.3 million.
• The quarter 2 revenue report showed a balanced budget for Adult Care & Health. The quarter 2 capital report showed an expenditure of £381,000 on a programme of £3.5 million.

• Savings being delivered ahead of schedule
• New: Winter Pressures Grant (£1.8m)
• Creation of All-Age Disability Service
• Capital: £3.4m programme, £0.4m spend to date

The Senior Manager Corporate Finance’s presentation also provided members with a further breakdown of the key budget expenditure relating to 2018-19 Adult Social Care Budget & Pressures, a summary of the  All-Age Disability Service, Pooled Budget with Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Committee’s role in the 2019/20 Budget process and associated key dates, namely:

• 26 November 2018 – Cabinet agree budget proposals.
• 6 December 2018 - Adult and Health Overview and Scrutiny Workshop on budget options.
• 18 February 2019 – Cabinet Approval budget and updated Medium Term Financial Strategy.
• 4 March 2019 – Full Council consider budget and Council Tax.

In response to Member questions, the Director for (Adult) Care & Health informed that budget pressures on the service were carefully managed, being directly related to levels of demand and assessed need.

Resolved – That the report be noted.