The Director of Finance presented the report which provided Members with a summary of the year-end revenue position for the 2023/24 financial year as at the end of March 2024. The report contained an overview of budget performance, including progress on the delivery of the 2023/24 saving programme and a summary of reserves and balances, to enable the Committee to take ownership of the budgets and provide robust challenge and scrutiny to Officers on the performance of those budgets. The year-end revenue outturn for 2023/24, represented an adverse variance against directorate revenue budgets of £10.704m, which was a £2.734m deterioration from the quarter 3 forecast, largely due to activity within the Neighbourhood Services, Adults and Children’s Directorates. It was reported that the adverse position could be offset by utilising the contingency budget, savings from reduced energy costs and funding in year transformational activity costs from capital receipts.

Members discussed the inclusion of debt write off within reports and also queried when locum posts would be filled permanently, especially legal posts. Members were advised that this was a continuing issue for the sector, noting three recruitment campaigns which were not fully successful. Legal officers were working with HR colleagues to review the recruitment process.

Resolved – That

1.  the draft, unaudited 2023/24 outturn adverse Directorate variance of £10.704m, offset by utilising the contingency budget, savings from reduced energy costs and use of flexible use of capital receipts be noted;

2.  the progress on delivery of the 2023/24 savings programme be noted;

3.  the transfer to and use of earmarked reserves, as detailed in Appendix 2, be agreed; and

4.  the debts in excess of £10,000, included within Appendix 3, be approved for write off against the Provision for Bad Debts.