The Derbyshire County Council Cabinet was scheduled to meet on 3 July 2025 to discuss performance monitoring, budget management, and the allocation of resources for various services. Also on the agenda were discussions regarding the council's operating model and the use of consultancy frameworks. Finally, the meeting was scheduled to cover developer contributions to children's services.

Here's a breakdown of the topics that were expected to be covered:

Performance Monitoring and Revenue Outturn

The Cabinet was scheduled to review the council's performance against its Council Plan priorities and the revenue budget outturn for the financial year 2024-25. The Performance Budget Monitoring Outturn 202425 report included a summary of progress against 33 strategic objectives, with an assessment of whether they had been completed, were showing good progress, or required review.

Some key achievements listed in the report pack included:

• Awarding 19,990 Crisis Payments totalling over £1.66m via the Derbyshire Discretionary Fund.
• Supporting people with learning disabilities to move from residential care to community settings.
• Providing safe homes for over 1,000 children in care.
• Implementing a £47m Bus Service Improvement Plan.
• Delivering a £120m highways investment programme.

The report also highlighted challenges, including:

• The need for improvements in services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
• High demand for services and budget pressures in adult social care.
• The impact of weather conditions on the highways service.

The report pack noted that the council had a net actual underspend of £0.582m against the approved revenue budget for 2024-25, but that there were requests to carry forward £3.319m of commitments into 2025/26.

The report pack also included discussion of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), a ring-fenced grant from the government for schools and pupil services. The report pack stated that there was an accumulated overspend of £16.945m against the allocated grant at the end of 2023-24, and that the forecast 2024-25 in-year deficit on DSG was £30.173m.

The report pack recommended that the Cabinet:

• Note and agree the Council Plan performance and revenue outturn position for 2024-25.
• Note the cumulative deficit on the Dedicated Schools Grant at 31 March 2025.
• Note the position on general and earmarked reserves.
• Approve the proposed carry forward of commitments totalling £3.319m.

Update on the Council's Operating Model

The Cabinet was scheduled to receive an update on the assessment of the council's operating model and options to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The 20250617_Council Operating Model Cabinet Report - Final Report noted that the council was facing significant financial pressures, driven by high costs and increasing service demand, and that its operating costs were higher than comparator councils.

The report pack stated that the council had implemented a financial savings programme and made changes to its operating model, including centralising support services and improving its digital capability. It also noted that the council had contracted PwC¹ to undertake a review of its operating model.

The PwC review identified seven areas of focus for the council:

• One Council Support Functions
• Customer Journey Transformation
• Adult Social Care and Health
• Children's Services
• Organisation Design
• Third Party Spend
• Fees & Charges and Traded Services

The report pack recommended that the Cabinet:

• Note the contents of the report and the work already underway to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the council's operating model.
• Note that an adjustment to the council's operating model should take into account how the council chooses to progress with Local Government Reorganisation.
• Agree that a plan is brought to Cabinet in Autumn 2025, covering the costs, benefits and timeframe of implementing the PWC recommendations, for Cabinet Approval.

Use of Professional Consultancy and Construction Frameworks

The Cabinet was scheduled to consider a report regarding the use of professional consultancy and construction frameworks for projects within the Place Directorate. The Use of Professional Consultancy and Construction Frameworks for Delivery and Implementation of Proje report noted that the council had seen a significant increase in government funding for capital programmes, but had also experienced staff shortages.

The report pack stated that the optional use of a broader range of national and local frameworks would enable the council to increase the delivery of its capital programme, whilst future mechanisms are developed and put in place. It listed a number of frameworks that the council could commission services through, including:

• Midlands Highway Alliance Plus Professional Services Partnership (MHA+ PSP) and Medium Schemes Framework (MHA+ MSF)
• Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO)
• Procure Partnerships
• YORhub
• Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO)
• North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO)
• Highways England Specialist Professional and Technical Services Framework (SPaTS)
• Homes England Technical Framework
• Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Frameworks
• Constructing West Midland: Construction
• Scape
• Bloom
• Pagabo
• Stoke-on-Trent Professional Services in the Built Environment Framework
• Midlands Connect Specialist Technical Framework
• West Midlands Combined Authority Framework
• Constructing West Midlands Framework

The report pack recommended that the Cabinet:

• Approve the use of non-DCC frameworks to commission professional consultancy and construction providers.
• Approve that the award of contracts to support the delivery of the council's capital programmes is delegated to the Executive Director - Place.

Children's Services Section 106 Allocations

The Cabinet was scheduled to discuss the allocation of Section 106 developer contributions to projects benefiting local schools. Section 106 agreements² are legal agreements between local authorities and developers, ensuring that developers contribute to local infrastructure and community facilities.

The Childrens Services Section 106 Developer Contributions Allocations report detailed the allocation of £718,371.94 to various projects, including:

• £159,992.31 to Fritchley C of E (Aided) Primary School for internal remodelling and reconfiguration.
• £292,616.70 to Morton Primary School for a one-classroom modular building.
• £33,060.45 to Ripley Infant School for a porta cabin building to be used as an intervention space for children with Special Educational Needs.
• £232,702.48 to Kirk Langley Primary to reimburse the Children's Services Capital Basic Need budget 2018/19.

The report pack recommended that the Cabinet:

• Note the receipt/availability of Section 106 funding and approve allocations to the projects outlined in Appendix 2.
• Approve transfer of approved developer contributions directly to Morton Primary School and Ripley Infant School to self-manage the projects.
• Note the reimbursement to the Children's Services Capital Basic Need budget from developer contributions.