Agenda and minutes

Minute of Meeting held on 1 March 2022 to be approved and signed by the Chairman.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the meeting held on 1 March 2022.

DECISION

APPROVED for signature by the Chairman.

Consider report by Director Finance and Corporate Governance.  (Copy attached.)

With reference to paragraph 2 of the Minute of the meeting held on 8 February 2022 there had been a report circulated by the Director, Finance & Corporate Governance seeking approval for the final 2021/22 budget virements and approval to carry forward identified earmarked budgets to 2022/23.  The monitoring of the General Fund Revenue Budget at the end of January 2022 had identified the final virements and earmarked balances for 2021/22.  Those included routine virements in Appendix 1 to the report and earmarked balances in Appendix 2 to the report, where it had been identified that budget was required to be carried forward to support expenditure in 2022/23.  The Financial Services Manager, Ms Suzy Douglas, outlined the report and answered questions from Members.  In response to a question regarding Financial Insecurity funding, Ms Douglas explained that the funding referred to related to measures to help support families and communities facing financial hardship as a result of Covid-19, and confirmed that once the funding had been fully allocated the funding stream would be exhausted.  Regarding the carry forward of funding for respite and social care, Ms Douglas explained that a significant carry forward was outlined in the report from winter planning. Further resources had also been allocated in the budget agreed for 2022/23, with a further £13m expected from the Scottish Government that was required to be spent on social work.

DECISION

AGREED to:-

(a)     approve the virements in Appendix 1 to the report;

(b)     approve the earmarked balances in Appendix 2 to the report; and

(c)     delegate authority for the remainder of the financial year to allow the Director, Finance & Corporate Governance to approve any year-end budget adjustments required between now and the financial year end in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance.

Before proceeding with the private business, the following motion should be approved:-

“That under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the aforementioned Act.”

AGREED under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the business detailed in the Appendix to this Minute on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part I of Schedule 7A to the Act.

SUMMARY OF PRIVATE BUSINESS

Consider report by Director Infrastructure and Environment.  (Copy attached.)

A report by the Director, Infrastructure and Environment was noted.