Agenda item

(Report Ref SC048)

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that scrutiny committee comment on the proposals within the attached cabinet report, ref CAB3309 which is to be considered by cabinet at its meeting on the 21 July 2021.

Scrutiny report reference: SC048

Cabinet report reference: CAB3309

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Service Quality and the Strategic Director provided the committee with an overview of the contents of the report. In addition, Mr Botham brought members up to date with the current budget position and explained that the current forecasts were in line with the budget agreed in February 2021. Mr Botham also reported that he had informally met with most members of the committee recently to discuss this report and that the notes of that meeting would be included with these minutes.

The committee asked several questions concerning; bad debts, homelessness resourcing and cost comparisons, Bishops Waltham depot rent levels, the major investment reserve, electric vehicle charging points, the investment to the former Guildhall café and the charging of staffing costs for the Winchester Town account. The questions were responded to by officers, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Service Quality and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management. Mr Botham agreed to circulate the written response to the question regarding the former Guildhall Café to all committee members.

RESOLVED:

The committee agreed to the following:

·         that the comments of the committee be noted by cabinet

·         that information concerning officer costs attributable to the Winchester Town account be included in future outturn reports.

that the committee noted the recent hard work of the finance team