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Vale of Glamorgan Council

Agenda Item No

 

The Vale of Glamorgan Council

 

Scrutiny Committee (Lifelong Learning): 26th July 2010

 

Report of the Director of Learning and Development

 

Revenue and Capital Monitoring for the period 1st April 2010 to 31st May 2010

 

Purpose of the Report

1.             To bring to the attention of this Scrutiny Committee, the position in respect of revenue and capital expenditure for the period 1st April 2010 to 31st May 2010 regarding those revenue and capital budgets, which form this Committee’s remit.

Recommendation

1.             It is recommended that the Scrutiny Committee note the position with regard to the 2009/10 revenue and capital monitoring.

Reason for the Recommendation

1.             That Members are aware of the position with regard to the 2009/10 revenue and capital monitoring relevant to this Scrutiny Committee.

Background

2.             Council on 3rd March 2010 (minute nos 952 and 951 respectively) approved the Revenue Budget and Capital Programme for 2010/2011.

Relevant Issues and Options

3.             The Revenue Budget and projected outturn for 2010/2011 are shown in Appendix 1.

4.             Overall the Education Budget is projected to balance as at the end of March 2011.  Any savings identified between now and the end of the year will be available to re-direct into the School Investment Strategy or other reserves.

5.             Schools - The delegated budget relating to schools is expected to balance as any under/over spend is carried forward by schools.

6.             Grant Related Expenditure - Schools have access to the following Welsh Assembly funded grants:

·               Developing Thinking and Assessment for Learning grant of £19,000 to deliver a step change improvement in learner’s engagement and attainment. This grant is match funded by the LA in advisory time and teacher release.

·               A Support for Induction grant £8,050 for the LEA assessment and quality assurance of newly qualified teachers.

·               Improving Boys Literacy Grant formerly known as Read a Million Words, funding of £8,045 from September 2010 is aimed at improving literacy attainment at Secondary level.

·               Basic Skills allocations under the new National Literacy Plan from September 2010 of £87,847 for Strategic Intervention and £32, 379 for Training.

·               Details of any other grants which have not yet been confirmed will be reported in subsequent monitoring reports.

 

7.             Libraries - This service has no variance at present and is currently anticipated to outturn within budget.

8.             Lifelong Learning – This service has a current adverse variance of £10k but is currently anticipated to out turn within budget.

9.             Catering - This service has no variance at present. It is anticipated to outturn on budget, however the service can be affected by external factors and the requirement to meet WAG nutritional guidelines. The budget will continue to be closely monitored and any variations will be reported to future meetings.

Capital Programme 2010/2011

10.        Appendix 2 details financial progress on the Capital Programme as at 31st May 2010.

11.        All capital schemes for 2010/11 have been profiled on a monthly basis by the relevant officers. Where there is a significant under/over spending of the profiled budget an explanation will be provided and the scheme will be re-profiled if necessary. This arrangement will apply to all individual schemes over £500,000 in value that have a variance of 20% or more on their profiled budget.

12.        For all schemes where it is evident that the full year's budget will not be spent during the year, the relevant officers will be required to provide an explanation for the shortfall and this shall be taken to earliest available Cabinet.

13.        Cowbridge Comprehensive School Re-modelling - additional revenue expenditure will be incurred on this scheme for items such as IT equipment and furniture and fittings. This expenditure, amounting to £103,000, will be funded from existing Education revenue reserves and as such Cabinet were requested to approve an increase in the existing 2010/11 Capital Programme budget in order to procure these items.

14.        Welsh Medium Schools - Cabinet on 19th May 2010 (Min. C883) approved the publication of statutory notices for the establishment of two new Welsh Medium Seed Schools, in Barry and Llantwit Major. In order to proceed with the schemes   the sum of £890,000 is required. Funding from the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) of £110,000 has already been allocated from their Early Years - Foundation Phase Grant 2010/11. As such, it has been requested that the balance of £780,000 be transferred from the School Investment Strategy budget in order to proceed with these schemes. This will require Council approval.

15.        Appendix 3 provides non-financial information on capital schemes with a budget of over £100,000.   Where a budget shown in Appendix 2 is more than £100,000 but is made up of several schemes that individually are less than £100,000, the scheme is not included in Appendix 3.

Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)

16.        As detailed in the body of the report.

Legal Implications (to Include Human Rights Implications)

17.        None.

Crime and Disorder Implications

18.        None.

Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language issues)

19.        There are no equal opportunity implications.

Corporate/Service Objectives

20.        Effective monitoring assists in the provision of accurate and timely information to officers and Members and in particular allows services to better manage their resources.

Policy Framework and Budget

21.        The report is in accordance with the Policy Framework and Budget.

Consultation (including Ward Member Consultation)

22.        The appropriate Chief Officer has been consulted. This report does not require Ward Member consultation.

Background Papers

None.

Contact Officer

Carolyn Michael (Senior Group Accountant) (01446 709778)

Officers Consulted

Director of Learning and Development

Responsible Officer:

Bryan Jeffreys, Director of Learning and Development

 

Vale of Glamorgan Council, Civic Offices, Holton Road, Barry CF63 4RU, Tel: (01446) 700111