Issue - meetings

Stephen Fitzgerald, Interim Head of Corporate Resources, introduced the report which informed the Cabinet of the outturn position for the 2021/22 revenue and capital budgets in the year that saw a continued financial impact due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Leader sought clarification regarding the net underspend of the leisure specific reserve. He asked whether it was a result of a lesser use of reserves instead of a greater windfall.

The Interim Head of Corporate Resources confirmed that the Council had used less of its reserves.

The Leader stated that it is a very respectable position to have ended given the challenges and costs of the pandemic.

The Cabinet Member for Economic Growthcommended the senior officer team and stated that the finances and performance outturn show that the Council has been very well run.

The Cabinet Member for Community thanked the officer for the explanation of the underspend. He noted that the report is actually an outturn for the last ten years rather than the last year as the Council has worked hard to build up the reserves. He drew attention to the way the Council is doing business with more work moving online and referred to the savings of £18,000 from the Annual Electoral Canvass as one example of the benefits of doing so.

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Parking stated she was pleased that the Mid Sussex economy returned quicker than envisaged and noted the extra income from parking charges.

The Leader reiterated the need for a strong financial position to deliver the Council’s objectives and highlighted that the ability of the Council to support local communities during the pandemic was due to the work over the past decade. He added that the task is to rebuild the position to give a good foundation for the coming years. The Leader then took Members to a vote on the recommendations which were agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED

Cabinet noted the contents of the report and to recommended to Council:

(i)           that grant income as set out in paragraph 12 to 25 of the report be transferred to Specific Reserves;

(ii)          that requests totalling £82,000 be transferred to Specific Reserves as set out in Table 1;

(iii)         that balance of interest totalling £174,111 as set out in paragraph 27 is transferred to the General Reserve;

(iv)        that the underachievement of Dividend income totalling £19,232 as set out in paragraph 31 is met from the General Reserve;

(v)         that the 2022/23 capital programme be increased by £5,215,000 as a result of slippage of some 2021/22 capital projects as detailed in Table 2;

(vi)        that the revenue underspend in 2021/22, totalling £144,000, be transferred to General Reserve.