PR 3280
In a report to the council’s Full Cabinet this week, the council’s chief finance officer Mike Wedgewood has informed senior managers that spending is on track.
North Lincolnshire Council has a revenue budget of £108.8m. In a review of the council’s current financial position, indications show the council is on target to deliver a balanced 2007/2008 revenue budget.
This is despite several factors including:
- The funding effects of the June flooding
- The expansion of the council’s kerbside recycling facilities to include the collections of plastic and cardboard
- The funding of pensions and the closure of B-Line costs due to the Housing Transfer
Cllr Mark Kirk, Leader of the council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Markets and Finance said:
"This report shows that the council is in control of its finances and that
the budget is on track. We’re continuously working hard to generate efficiencies
and this hard work is paying off.
"This financial year we’ve have some demands on the budget that we were unable
to anticipate – such as the flooding in June that damaged Pittwood House.
But we’ve been able to absorb these costs and the budget is doing well.
"But we do have a tough job ahead of us. We will soon find out from the Government
how much money we will have to spend on delivering services for the next financial
year (April 2008 to March 2009). Then the hard work really starts. We have
a fine balancing act to perform in ensuring that we continue to deliver good
quality services for the people of North Lincolnshire and keep council tax
increases to the minimum. This is no easy task. We are doing a good job in
keeping a tight reign on the purse strings but we need to ensure this continues.
"The quality of our performance is still the most important thing to us.
And we take great care to ensure that cutting back and trying to save money
doesn't mean that performance will suffer. We have a duty to ensure we keep
in control of our finances and this report is encouraging to us that we’re
on track."
You can read the reports on this item and other agenda items on the council’s website, www.northlincs.gov.uk. The Cabinet meeting where this item will be discussed takes place on Wednesday 28 November at Pittwood House on Ashby Road in Scunthorpe. It starts at 6pm and is open to the public. All visitors are welcome.
For more details of the meeting please contact Mel Holmes, democratic services manager on 01724 296230,or email mel.holmes@northlincs.gov.uk.
For further information please contact: Stacey Dickens on 01724 296364, email stacey.dickens@northlincs.gov.uk.