Decision details

a) To note actual income and expenditure compared to the final budget for 2017/18 (outturn position).
b) To review revenue and capital budget variances with explanations.
c) To review specific requests to carry forward residual revenue funding from 2017/18 to 2018/19.
e) To review specific requests to carry forward residual capital funding from 2017/18 to 2018/19.

Matter for Decision

The report presented, for the Housing Revenue Account:

     i.        A summary of actual income and expenditure compared to the final budget for 2017/18 (outturn position)

    ii.        Revenue and capital budget variances with explanations

   iii.        Specific requests to carry forward funding available from budget underspends into 2018/19.

  iv.        A summary of housing debt which was written off during 2017/18.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing

     i.        Approved carry forward requests totalling £698,690 in revenue funding from 2017/18 to 2018/19, as detailed in Appendix C of the Officer’s report.

    ii.        Approved the carry forward requests of £3,798,000 in HRA and General Fund Housing capital budgets and associated resources from 2017/18 to 2018/19 to fund re-phased net capital spending, as detailed in Appendix D and the associated notes to the appendix of the Officer’s report is recommended to Council.

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Business Manager / Principal Accountant.

The Committee sought clarification regarding the reduction in spending on temporary housing.

The Business Manager / Principal Accountant stated the following in response to Members’ questions:

     i.        Fluctuation in spending on temporary housing was normal as the service was demand led.

    ii.        Sheltered Housing costs had been reduced due to improvement in procurement processes which had resulted in savings.

   iii.        Confirmed that there had been a number of changes in the delivery of planned maintenance work and that the planned programme of works had been reconfigured. Going forward, improved results were expected.

  iv.        Confirmed that there had been delays in occupancy of new build properties as the quality of the workmanship on the build had been poor. The Council had refused to take the properties until remedial work had brought them up to an acceptable standard.

   v.        Confirmed that there were still problems in recruiting to some key posts due to the high cost of living in the Cambridge area.  

  vi.        The Business Manager / Principal Accountant undertook to investigate the increased spending on responsive repairs to flat roofs.

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.