Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Resources, Commisioning & Governance.

The Annual Corporate Performance and Resource Report (CPRR) provides a summary of progress in delivering the Council’s priority outcomes and budget in the second half of the financial year, with a particular focus on the fourth quarter of 2020/21 (January – March 2021) and up to the end of May where possible.

The report reflects the 2020/21 Council Plan, MTFP and Portfolio priorities. It includes additional priorities and delivery plans developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. A short Budget Monitoring update was produced for Quarter 3 and presented to Cabinet in February and CRMG Scrutiny in April. 

Cabinet is asked to:

a)     Review progress against delivering council priorities and capital schemes alongside budget and performance out-turns contained within the report;

b)     Note the key achievements against Shared Priorities (Exec Summary) and analysis of corporate performance for 2020/21 (Section 1);

c)     Note the Cash Limit and Non-Cash Limit out-turn positions for 2020/21 as set out in section 3.3;

d)     Note the Dedicated Schools Grant, Housing Revenue Account and Collection Fund outturn positions as set out in sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7;

e)     Note the appropriations to/from reserves and balances as set out in section 3.8 and note the resulting reserves and balances position as at 31 March 2021;

f)      Note the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic set out in section 3.9;

g)     Note the update on the council’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) investments plan set out in Section 3.10;

h)     Note the update on the production of the council’s 2020/21 Annual Statement of Accounts set out in section 3.11;

i)      Approve the delegation for changes to the outturn, reserves and/or balances position to the Deputy Chief Executive, Corporate Director – Corporate and Support Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning and Governance.

j)      Note the position for the 2020/21 Capital Programme as set out in section 4.1;

k)     Note the adjustments and re-phasing of capital schemes during the quarter as set out in 4.2;

l)      Approve the proposals for resourcing and additional resources required for the Capital Programme as set out in 4.2.3;

m)   Approve the resourcing of the capital programme as set out in section 4.3;

n)     Approve the 2020/21 prudential indicators as set out in section 4.4; and

o)     Identify key areas for further investigation and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any existing or outturn issues or risks.

Officer contact: Peter Owston on 0161 474 3274 or email peter.owston@stockport.gov.uk or Jonathan Davies on telephone number Tel: 0161 218 1025 or email jonathan.davies@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning & Governance (Councillor Tom McGee) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Corporate Performance and Resources Annual Report 2020/21 setting out the delivery of the Council’s priority outcomes and budget since mid-year, with a particular focus on the fourth and final quarter.

RESOLVED – That it be agreed to:-

·         Note the key achievements against Shared Priorities (Exec Summary) and analysis of corporate performance for 2020/21 (Section 1);

·         Note the Cash Limit and Non-Cash Limit out-turn positions for 2020/21 as set out in section 3.3;

·         Note the Dedicated Schools Grant, Housing Revenue Account and Collection Fund outturn positions as set out in sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7;

·         Note the appropriations to/from reserves and balances as set out in section 3.8 and note the resulting reserves and balances position as at 31 March 2021;

·         Note the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic set out in section 3.9;

·         Note the update on the council’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) investments plan set out in Section 3.10;

·         Note the update on the production of the council’s 2020/21 Annual Statement of Accounts set out in section 3.11;

·         Approve the delegation for changes to the outturn, reserves and/or balances position to the Deputy Chief Executive, Corporate Director – Corporate and Support Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning and Governance.

·         Note the position for the 2020/21 Capital Programme as set out in section 4.1;

·         Note the adjustments and re-phasing of capital schemes during the quarter as set out in 4.2;

·         Approve the proposals for resourcing and additional resources required for the Capital Programme as set out in 4.2.3;

·         Approve the resourcing of the capital programme as set out in section 4.3; and

·         Approve the 2020/21 prudential indicators as set out in section 4.4.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) and Deputy Chief Executive

The Annual Corporate Performance and Resource Report (CPRR) provides a summary of progress in delivering the Council’s priority outcomes and budget in the second half of the financial year, with a particular focus on the fourth quarter of 2020/21 (January – March 2021) and up to the end of May where possible.

The report reflects the 2020/21 Council Plan, MTFP and Portfolio priorities. It includes additional priorities and delivery plans developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. A short Budget Monitoring update was produced for Quarter 3 and presented to Cabinet in February and CRMG Scrutiny in April. 

The CPRR includes an executive summary and performance analysis, along with the out-turn position on revenue and capital, and a focus on highlights and exceptions during the year.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to:

·         Consider the Annual Report;  

·         Review the progress against delivering corporate objectives, key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2020/21;

·         Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

Officer Contacts: Holly Rae on 07800 617 550 or email: holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk/ Jonathan Davies on  0161 218 1025 or email: jonathan.davies@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Annual Corporate Performance and Resource Report (CPRR) which provided a summary of progress in delivering the Council’s priority outcomes and budget in the second half of the financial year, with a particular focus on the fourth quarter of 2020/21 (January – March 2021) and up to the end of May where possible.

The report reflected the 2020/21 Council Plan, Medium Term Financial Plan and Portfolio priorities. It included additional priorities and delivery plans developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. A short Budget Monitoring update had been produced for Quarter 3 and presented to Cabinet in February and this Scrutiny Committee in April.

The CPRR included an executive summary and performance analysis, along with the out-turn position on revenue and capital, and a focus on highlights and exceptions during the year.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Elise Wilson) and the Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning and Governance (Councillor Tom McGee) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         It was queried whether the Cabinet would be decoupling where performance had been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and where it was suffering anyhow, and whether there were some areas where the impact of the pandemic was greater than others.

·         If it was not possible to decouple where performance had not been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, had any consideration been given to how the effect of the pandemic was represented in this report.

·         The fact that there was £2,939,000 in the original budget for Pay Inflation and the revised budget was zero was due to a Government moratorium on pay last year.

·         During the year the Council had continued to pilot the 100% retention of business rates income with the other Greater Manchester Pilot Authorities. Whether the pilot would continue in the future would be affected by the outcome of the expected reform of local government finance.

·         A Member requested less text and more graphs and charts in the report, such as the infographics on pages 18 and 19 of the report.

·         One of the reasons that the capital programme had been affected was that tradesmen and materials had been in short supply during the Covid-19 pandemic.

·         A Member highlighted that General Fund Balances had increased from £10.013m at the start of the year to £16.205m, and that total earmarked reserves had increased by £57.432m to £133.795m during the year.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.