Decision details

The Committee gave consideration to a report advising of two requests for additional funding which had been received from the Integrated Joint Board.  The report provided Members with some background information on both issued and referred to relevant points within the Scheme of Integration.  The requests for additional funding were for additional costs in respect of implementing the Living Wage from 1 October 2016 and the unachievable savings due to the pause in the redesign of Services at Struan Lodge and Thomson Court.

Motion

That the Policy and Resources Committee make the recommendation to Council to:

a)    approve that an additional £0.110m of funding in respect of the Living Wage is added to the IJB’s 2016-17 recurring baseline budget allocation and note that, the 2016-17 allocation, would be funded from the General Fund Balance.

b)    not approve an additional payment of £0.185m in respect of the decision  to pause the redesign of service in Struan Lodge and Thomson Court for a period of 6 months on the basis that the IJB should look for alternative savings options and report back later in the financial year. 

That the Policy and Resources Committee instruct the Head of Strategic Finance to obtain a copy of the recovery plan and assess the current forecast overspend against the recovery plan in order to quantify the risk that the Council may require to make an additional payment to  the IJB at the financial year end.

Moved Councillor James Robb, seconded Councillor Sandy Taylor.

Amendment

The Policy and Resources Committee makes a recommendation to Council to:

a)    Approve that an additional £0.110m of funding in respect of the Living Wage is added to the IJB’s 2016-17 recurring baseline budget allocation and note that the 2016-17 allocation would be funded from the General Fund Balance;

b)    Note that the IJB agreed a Quality and Financial Plan for 2016-17 and this included savings options in respect of Struan Lodge and Thomson Court;

c)    Note that if a forecast overspend situation arises within Council departments, the Council department in the first instance would be expected to find alternative savings within their department to fund any overspend and requests that the IJB prepares a financial recovery plan setting out how it proposes to address any forecast overspend;

d)    Not to approve an additional payment of £0.185m and to request that the IJB looks for alternative savings and report back to the Council later in the financial year as required within the Scheme of Integration.

e)    Instruct the Head of Strategic Finance to obtain a copy of the recovery plan and assess the current forecast overspend against the recovery plan in order to quantify the risk that the Council may require to make an additional payment to  the IJB at the financial year end.

Moved Councillor Kieron Green, seconded Councillor Ellen Morton.

Decision

On a show of hands vote the amendment was carried by 8 votes to 4 and the Committee resolved accordingly.

(Reference: Report by Head of Strategic Finance dated 21 November 2016, submitted)