Issue - meetings

The Director of Finance and Business Improvement introduced the report which summarised the position of the 2019/20 financial year. It was noted that there had been a surplus in the budgets of the Committee and the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee; both of which were offset by the deficits shown for the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure and Economic Regeneration and Leisure Committees. 

The Director of Finance confirmed that Appendix 4 included an update to the Council’s current financial position, in accordance with the information submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for May 2020. A significant overspend would likely arise in the next financial year and future years.

Appendix 1 detailed the position of the schemes arising from the Business Rates Retention Pilot. It was requested that any decision regarding the unspent funds allocated for the schemes be deferred until the 21 July 2020 meeting of the Committee, in order that a report on the current 2020/21 financial position and strategic response could be provided to the Committee before any decision is taken.  The Committee was asked to approve the three cases of Business Rate write-offs shown within the Appendix that the Council had not been able to recover.

The Equalities and Corporate Policy Officer noted that of the three strategic indicators reported to the Committee, one had achieved its target, one was within 10% of the target and that a fourth quarter figure for the percentage of land and highways with acceptable litter was not presented as this was measured three times a year as per Defra guidance.

It was noted that there were five indicators reported by exception to the Committee, of which four were categorised under the strategic priority of ‘Thriving Place’. The impact of Covid-19 was felt early with a reduction in visitors to Maidstone, which affected the High Street, Museum and Leisure Centre in particular. Of the seven strategic indicators in the annual outturn, two had achieved the target set, one had achieved within 10% of the target, one was awaiting data and two were reported by exception.

RESOLVED: That

1.  The Revenue position as at the end of Quarter 4 be noted;

2.  The Capital position and slippage at the end of Quarter 4 be noted (Appendix 1);

3.  The Summary of Performance for Quarter 4 for Key Performance Indicators be noted (Appendix 2);

4.  The write-off of uncollectable business rates totalling £37, 153.22 be approved (Appendix 3);

5.  The Covid-19 Financial Update be noted (Appendix 4); and

6.  In light of the projected impact of Covid-19, a decision on the uncommitted Business Rates Retention Scheme allocations as set out in Appendix 1, page 22, is deferred pending a further report to this Committee next month on the 2020/21 position.