Agenda item

Councillor Andy Hull, Executive Member Finance and Performance was present for discussion of this item.

During consideration of the report the following main points were made –

·         A balanced budget had been delivered for 2014/15, and a further £37 m of savings have had to be made in the 2015/16 budget as a result of Government spending reductions, meaning that in total the Council has had to reduce spending by £150m since 2010 and by two thirds in the last 10 years

·         The budget strategy and process and timeline for 2016/19 has been developed

·         As a result of action £560,000 of the Local Welfare Provision Fund had been maintained for Islington and Discretionary Housing Payment had been allocated to assist those affected by welfare reforms to enable them to remain in their homes whilst seeking more affordable accommodation/looking for work

·         One of the few Councils in the country who has spent their entire DHP allocation supporting families in financial hardship

·         Collected more Council Tax, contributing £1.9 m to savings targets

·         Delivered £7.8m of savings across the Finance and Resources Department in the last financial year

·         Agreed a new Procurement strategy for 2015-2020

·         Commissioning and Procurement Board supporting and challenging all procurements to reduce costs and improve effectiveness

·         Training delivered to businesses, including local small and medium sized enterprises and the voluntary sector

·         Continued to make services available on line, with an upward trend in transactions and on track to hit ambitious targets to reduce telephone calls and visits to Contact Islington

·         More people paying Council Tax by direct debit and benefit processing times in top quartile in London

·         Developed and published Islington Digital Strategy 2014/18 and prepared proposals to share ICT services with Camden Council, which will deliver savings and provide opportunities for shared services

·         Recognition of good processes in place to protect personal data

·         Successfully threatened judicial review of the Government’s decision to cut the local welfare provision fund

·         Successful challenge leading to the Government accepting additional areas in the borough, where permitted development rights would not apply

·         Integration of repairs service and concierge service staff under TUPE

·         Adoption of new and revised employment procedures

·         Schools HR successfully taking responsibility for a number of new schools outside Islington

·         Smooth delivery of the General Election and Islington being the second London Borough to declare the result

·         Managed introduction of individual voter registration and congratulated Andrew Smith Head of Registration and Electoral Services and his team on the handling of the election

·         Continued leadership on the London Living Wage. Councillor Hull stated that he would provide a presentation on the LLW to the Committee, prior to its next meeting on 2 November at 6.30p.m.

·         Reviewed and refreshed the Council’s performance indicators and held monthly performance panel (MPP) meetings with relevant Executive Members, Corporate Directors and the Leader to hold departments accountable for their performance. In addition there is quarterly monitoring of reports and comparison with benchmarking data across London

·         Members congratulated Councillor Hull on the clear presentation of his report and Finance officers for achieving the savings in the department

·         In response to a question it was stated that Councillor Hull would provide Members of the Committee with details of the types of training provided to small and medium size businesses to assist them in the procurement process

·         Councillor Hull also stated that he would provide the Committee with details of any effect that the changes to working tax credits may have on Council budgets

·         In response to a question on whether there was felt to be a need for increased youth services, given the increase in youth crime,  Councillor Hull stated that with the large reductions in funding imposed by Government it would be difficult to increase funding

RESOLVED:

(a)  That the report be noted

(b)  That Councillor Hull be requested to inform the Committee of the types of training provided for small and medium sized businesses during the procurement process, and the effect that  the changes to working tax credits would have on Council budgets

(c)  That it be noted that there would be a presentation to the Committee on the London Living Wage, prior to the next PPS Committee on 2 November at 6.30p.m.