Agenda item

To receive the information, consider the general risks arising from slippages, and scrutinise the Cabinet’s decisions regarding the Savings Overview

DECISION:

·         To accept the report

·         To note the progress, the position and the relevant risks in the context of the Savings Overview

a)       Submitted – the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance requesting that the Committee notes the position and relevant risks in respect of the Savings Overview, and considers the Cabinet's decisions (24-01-2023) and provides comments as required.

b)      The Assistant Head of Finance added that,

·         Since 2015/16, £35.4m worth of savings had been approved to be realised between 2015/16 and 2022/23. She noted that over £33.5 million of these savings had now been realised, which was 95% of the required amount over the period.

·         The main schemes that were yet to be achieved were schemes in the Adults, Health and Well-being Department and the Highways and Municipal Department.

·         22% of 2022/23 savings had already been realised and a further 2% were on track to be achieved on time. The departments with the highest value of schemes that were yet to be achieved were the Highways and Municipal Department and the Adults, Health and Well-being Department.

·         Savings to the value of £1.129m had already been approved for 2023/24 with additional savings schemes and cuts also under consideration

·         Realising savings amounting to £33.5m (out of £35.4 million) since April 2015 had been challenging, with a delay and risks to achieving some of the remaining schemes.

It was reported that the Cabinet had accepted all the recommendations and the information about progress in realising the 2022/23 savings schemes.

c)       Members gave thanks for the report. They noted the need to concentrate on the success – that 95% of the Savings had been realised – the tendency was to focus too much on those that had not been realised, which were perhaps more difficult to realise.

In response to a comment that some of the schemes were based on increasing costs / raising income rather than savings schemes and the effect this would have in respect of the costs of provision for residents which would perhaps have an effect on the service as a result, the officer noted that the Departments only introduced savings schemes, in response to a percentage that was set for them. Those schemes would be assessed by Members and if raising income was part of the scheme, then that would have received consideration. In response to a supplementary question about assessing the schemes, it was confirmed that legal, financial and equality assessments were carried out for each scheme.

In response to a comment that 95% was a very acceptable outcome, but that in future it would be difficult to identify savings together with the side-effect of potential cuts, a request was made for a report highlighting the strategy that lay behind the cuts / savings procedure of prioritising and setting targets. The Head of Finance Department noted that the Savings Strategy would be presented to the Committee at the meeting on 9 February. In that meeting, the proposals for cuts would be presented for comment by the Committee, which would in turn be included in a report to the Cabinet (14-02-23), who would subsequently propose recommendations to the Full Council on 02-03-23.

The Cabinet Member added that Scrutiny Chairs and the Leaders of the Political Groups would receive a presentation on proposals for savings and cuts relating to 2023/24, and the Elected Members would be invited to a presentation by the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED

·         To accept the report

·         To note the progress, the position and the relevant risks in the context of the Savings Overview