Agenda item

(1)       Mr Shipton explained that he and Mr Simmonds were attending all Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committees this cycle to set out the process for managing the delivery of the £95m of efficiency, policy and one-off savings included in the 2011/12 budget approved by County Council.  For any savings over £200k the responsible manager was required to complete a Project Initiation Document (PID), which would be subject to detailed monitoring.  Progress reports would be submitted to Cabinet alongside the normal budget monitoring report, and will also be presented to each Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee after they had been considered by Cabinet.  

(2)       The Cabinet Member and officer answered questions from members and noted comments which included the following:

• A Member suggested that the PID’s should be circulated to Members as soon as they were available rather than waiting for the next cycle of meetings. 
• In response to a question on how much it was costing to implement the savings, Mr Shipton replied that there was no additional cost as it was just an addition to existing processes and would just require a re-prioritisation of officer time. 
• As only £92m of the £95 savings were savings over £200k and were covered by PIDs it was asked what would happen to monitoring the remaining £3m of savings.   Mr Shipton explained that these related to sums below £200k which would still be monitored but would not be part of the PID process.

(3)       Mr Tilson introduced the third quarter budget monitoring report for 2010/11 which had been reported to the Cabinet on 4 April 2011 and the latest exception report. 

(4)       The Cabinet Member and officer answered questions from Members and noted comments which included the following:

• Mr Tilson informed Members that there had been no decision yet on rate relief for youth services premises but money had been set aside to cover this.  If 80% rate relief was granted then this would generate an underspend.
• It was confirmed that the Coroner who had not been using Kent Scientific Services was now doing so.  Mr Hill also reminded Members than the new full time Coroner was now in post.
• Regarding the Youth Opportunity Fund it was confirmed that money was available in 2011/12. 
• Part of the Early Intervention Grant had come into the Directorate via Children’s Services in relation to the previously ring-fenced Youth Opportunities Grant.  Mr Baker, Head of Kent Youth Services, would be writing to all Youth Leaders to advise them of available funds.
• It was important to make sure that there was more promotion of the “Buy with Confidence” scheme.  
• Mr Hill confirmed that no significant cuts would be made to voluntary organisations with regard to grant payments and that the small amount of money coming out of the budget had not been spent in-year.  The youth service – as part of its vision for the future - was looking to commission work from the voluntary sector. 
• Mr Hill updated Members on the Beaney Library, the difficult work needed on the façade had increased the cost significantly but the good news was that £0.5m had been granted from the Heritage Lottery Fund. 

(5)       RESOLVED that the projected outturn figures (a significant underspend) for the directorate for 2010/11 based on the latest monitoring report to Cabinet be noted.