(Agenda Item 6)
Councillor Simon Hall, Cabinet Member for Finance and Treasury was in attendance supported by Jo Negrini, Chief Executive and Richard Simpson, Executive Director, Resources. A presentation focused on major initiatives, projects and joint working across the Council and with external partners. Key areas highlighted included the following:
The Authority continues to make tough savings, decisions and choices to control the overall overspend. It is recognised that 2020 will see a significant funding gaps related in part to consistent reductions in grants, changes to funding streams eg. unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) funding and benefits and Croydon being underfunded as a Gateway authority. The gateway comes with its own set of challenges, officers are working on early intervention to negate levels of homelessness to avert future crisis.
The committee questioned forecasting overspend and specifically the recurring overspend in the People Department, Members asked for some assurance that this was not due to historical under forecasting. The Cabinet Member reported that this demand lead area was constantly under pressure, however initiatives had resulted in, in year reductions. The Committee further probed and asked what the true drivers were. It was reported that Croydon has an historically challenging demographic, which is demand lead. The Committee enquired if there was a mapping system of how and potentially where spend will be and are these benchmarked with other authorities? Councillor Hall reported that a governance board consisting of Cabinet Members and lead officers identified trends and drivers, it was reported that information with partners can vary at specific levels and the detail is not always available, however some information could be gathered around admission rates.
Councillor Hall confirmed that he works with other Cabinet Members across all portfolios. A good example would be the health and social care landscape as it constantly evolves, changes, in a bid to adapt to the healthcare economy, the main drivers include the pressures to deliver on outcome based commissioning for over 65s using the better care fund as the mechanism. New ways of working and service redesign had its limits regarding potential savings. Collaborative commissioning across the sector will be key to success going forward.
Contract monitoring should help to raise standards and drive down costs. Officers are having honest and challenging conversations with contractors in a proactive way and do impose sanctions to drive up standards and achieve value for money.
The Assets strategy is achieving income as Bernard Weatherill House has seen floors 11 and 12 successfully been leased, floors 9 and 10 will realised an additional funding stream. Jeanette Wallace House’s final disposal and the Taberner House investment scheme should ensure a healthier capital receipt.
The IT roll out was will on the way, initial feedback was positive. Agile working would free up office space and Croydon is ahead of the game.
HR had experienced lots of changes, restructuring continues, staff are working hard and staff motivations had increased. However there recognition that more work needs to be done to improve morale as the organisation continues to change.
The Committee asked what the potential impact of Brexit would be, specifically around property prices. Officers confirmed that with property being exposed and the fluctuation in prices, building costs had increased, a full item would be reported to Cabinet.
The important issues and concerns in relation to the outcome of the boundary commission were discussed. Officers reported that they await the outcome of the Council submission which was due at the end of September 2016.
The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member and his officers for their presentation and discussed the December 2016 meeting of the Committee when the Cabinet Member would be back to present the draft budget and stated that the Committee would be interested to hear about rates of council tax collection within that presentation, officers confirmed that currently Croydon’s collection rates are better than average.
The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member and his officers for their presentation and discussed the December 2016 meeting of the Committee when the Cabinet Member would be back to present the draft budget and stated that the Committee would be interested to hear about rates of council tax collection within that presentation, officers confirmed that currently Croydon’s collection rates are better than average. The important issues and concerns in relation to the outcome of the boundary commission were discussed. Officers reported that they await the outcome of the Council submission which was due at the end of September 2016. The Committee asked what the potential impact of Brexit would be, specifically around property prices. Officers confirmed that with property being exposed and the fluctuation in prices, building costs had increased, a full item would be reported to Cabinet.HR had experienced lots of changes, restructuring continues, staff are working hard and staff motivations had increased. However there recognition that more work needs to be done to improve morale as the organisation continues to change.The IT roll out was will on the way, initial feedback was positive. Agile working would free up office space and Croydon is ahead of the game.The Assets strategy is achieving income as Bernard Weatherill House has seen floors 11 and 12 successfully been leased, floors 9 and 10 will realised an additional funding stream. Jeanette Wallace House’s final disposal and the Taberner House investment scheme should ensure a healthier capital receipt. Contract monitoring should help to raise standards and drive down costs. Officers are having honest and challenging conversations with contractors in a proactive way and do impose sanctions to drive up standards and achieve value for money. Councillor Hall confirmed that he works with other Cabinet Members across all portfolios. A good example would be the health and social care landscape as it constantly evolves, changes, in a bid to adapt to the healthcare economy, the main drivers include the pressures to deliver on outcome based commissioning for over 65s using the better care fund as the mechanism. New ways of working and service redesign had its limits regarding potential savings. Collaborative commissioning across the sector will be key to success going forward. The committee questioned forecasting overspend and specifically the recurring overspend in the People Department, Members asked for some assurance that this was not due to historical under forecasting. The Cabinet Member reported that this demand lead area was constantly under pressure, however initiatives had resulted in, in year reductions. The Committee further probed and asked what the true drivers were. It was reported that Croydon has an historically challenging demographic, which is demand lead. The Committee enquired if there was a mapping system of how and potentially where spend will be and are these benchmarked with other authorities? Councillor Hall reported that a governance board consisting of Cabinet Members and lead officers identified trends and drivers, it was reported that information with partners can vary at specific levels and the detail is not always available, however some information could be gathered around admission rates.The Authority continues to make tough savings, decisions and choices to control the overall overspend. It is recognised that 2020 will see a significant funding gaps related in part to consistent reductions in grants, changes to funding streams eg. unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) funding and benefits and Croydon being underfunded as a Gateway authority. The gateway comes with its own set of challenges, officers are working on early intervention to negate levels of homelessness to avert future crisis.Councillor Simon Hall, Cabinet Member for Finance and Treasury was in attendance supported by Jo Negrini, Chief Executive and Richard Simpson, Executive Director, Resources. A presentation focused on major initiatives, projects and joint working across the Council and with external partners. Key areas highlighted included the following:A56/16 QUESTION TIME: The Cabinet Member for Finance and Treasury (Agenda Item 6)
