To note the submitted budget outturn report for 2018/2019 and any recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

The Cabinet noted the contents of the submitted report which provided a high level budget summary of the Council’s revenue and capital income and expenditure for 2018/2019.  Full discussion on the report had taken place at the Overview and Scrutiny Board on 10 July 2019.

The Head of Finance to present the Quarter 4 (Outturn) budget monitoring report for 2018/2019.

The Cabinet Member for Finance to answer any of the Board’s questions.

The Boad to consider making any recommendations to the Cabinet.

The Board considered the report of the Head of Finance which provided a high level budget summary of the Council’s revenue and capital income and expenditure for the 2018/2019 financial year.

It was noted that, at the end of the year, the Council’s revenue budget was underspent by £0.5 million after the application of the previously reported one-off funding.  This was in the context of the overspend within Children’s Services increasing to £5.0 million by the year-end.

The Board raised a number of questions, especially in relation to the situation in Children’s Services.  It was felt that further consideration of specific areas of spend may be useful, especially as further budget savings would need to be found in the future.

Resolved:  that members of the Board discuss with the Head of Finance and the Cabinet Member for Finance the level of detail included in future budget monitoring reports and the methodology for reviewing that information.