Issue - meetings

(Miss M Goldsmith, Directorate Finance Manager, was in attendance for this item)

1)         Miss Goldsmith introduced the report and answered questions from Members, as follows:-

(a)   The KASS budget was almost at a break-even point at the moment and was expected it would achieve an underspend of about £500,000 by the end of the financial year.  Mr Mills pointed out that, in a needs-led budget of some £450 million, this was a great achievement;

(b)   In the event of KASS achieving an underspend it would not be able to rollover its Deferred Payment Grant to the next financial year.  This money could be kept in reserve only for the financial year for which it was awarded.  The Cabinet would make a decision on whether or not KASS, if underspent, would be allowed to reclaim its contingency fund;

(c)   Members welcomed the report of an expected underspend and said how much they appreciated and were confident of the budgeting ability of KASS officers to bring in a budget underspend without under delivering services.

2)         RESOLVED that:-

(a)       the information in the report and in response to Members’ questions be noted, with thanks; and

(b)       Members’ confidence in and appreciation of the ability of KASS officers to manage the budget well in a difficult economic climate be relayed to the staff concerned.