This meeting included a presentation from the Executive Member for Inclusive Economy, Culture and Jobs, a report on the council's budget outturn for 2023/24, and an update on the council's corporate performance in the final quarter of 2023/24. It also included a proposal for a new scrutiny review on the topic of progressive procurement and discussion of the draft council Forward Plan.

2023/24 Budget Outturn

The committee was scheduled to note a report on the 2023/24 budget outturn. This report says that the General Fund (GF) provisional outturn position for the year was an overspend of +£0.061m, after taking into account £5m of general contingency and £6.962m of contingency for Inflation, Energy and Demand. The provisional outturn for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was an in-year surplus of -£12.666m, an improvement of -£10.372m compared to the previously reported position.

The most significant overspends reported in the document were in the Adult Social Care, Community Wealth Building, and Environment and Climate Change directorates.

Adult Social Care was reporting a +£5.183m overspend, which the report attributed in part to the unavailability of care home beds in Islington and the cost of providing care home places out of borough. The report also attributed the overspend to higher than budgeted placement costs in the Learning Disability and Older People and Physical Support services. It says that:

The directorate continues to be impacted by wider demographic pressures, including increased demand for services, the need for acute care and increases in acuity of need of existing service users.

Community Wealth Building was reporting a +£1.458m overspend, which the report attributes largely to a shortfall in net commercial property income of +£1.316m and an overspend in Planning and Development of +£0.570m.

Environment and Climate Change reported a provisional outturn of +£12.790m, which the report attributes to a number of pressures including a net rent loss within the leisure estate and a shortfall in income from parking permits. The report says that:

Processes to recover this income loss from insurers and third parties remain ongoing at the end of the 2023/24 financial year. Any insurance income recovered in future financial years will be used to replenish the impact that this income loss has had on council reserves.

The report pack also says that the total capital expenditure incurred in 2023/24 was £183.803m, which was 97% of the revised 2023/24 budget of £189.298m. The document also shows reprofiling requests totaling -£9.212m.

Corporate Performance Q4 2023-24

The committee was scheduled to note a report on the council's corporate performance in Quarter 4 of 2023/24. This report says that:

The council has in place a suite of corporate performance indicators to help track progress in delivering the five missions set out in Islington Together 2030 Plan and the Council’s Organisational Health.

The report summarises performance on the council's five missions for 2030, and also provides more detail on organisational health performance. This includes the management of the council's budget, its workforce, digital technology, openness and accountability and resident experience.

Supporting Islington's Communities Through Progressive Procurement

The committee was scheduled to consider a Scrutiny Initiation Document proposing a new review titled Supporting Islington's Communities Through Progressive Procurement. The document states the overall aim of the review as:

To review the council’s Progressive Procurement strategy, evaluate its impact, and to enhance the application of social value in local communities and for businesses.

The document outlines the objectives and scope of the review. It also proposes a timetable for the review, suggesting that the committee would receive evidence from July 2024 to March 2025.

The document suggests a number of visits for the committee including:

• BetterSpace, a coworking space on Farringdon Road
• An evidence session with local businesses
• A meeting with Unison and Unite to discuss insourcing
• A meeting with council officers to discuss social value in contracts.

Inclusive Economy, Culture and Jobs Annual Report

The committee was scheduled to receive a presentation from Councillor Santiago Bell-Bradford, Executive Member for Inclusive Economy, Culture and Jobs, about his directorate's annual report for 2023/24. The report outlines the directorate's areas of work including Employment, Lifelong Learning and Skills, Local Economies, Strategic Programmes and Partnerships, Affordable Workspace and Social Value in Planning and Procurement. It provides a detailed breakdown of activity undertaken across those areas, and includes plans for 2024/25.

Draft Council Forward Plan

The committee was scheduled to note the latest draft of the council's Forward Plan. This plan is a schedule of key decisions that the council is expecting to take in the coming months. It lists the subject of each decision, which wards it affects, who is responsible for taking it and when it is expected to be taken. The document covers decisions expected to be taken by the Executive, and also those expected to be taken by officers.