Subscribe to updates

You'll receive weekly summaries about Buckinghamshire Council every week.

If you have any requests or comments please let us know at community@opencouncil.network. We can also provide custom updates on particular topics across councils.

Finance & Resources Select Committee - Thursday, 17th July, 2025 2.00 pm

July 17, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting Read transcript (Professional subscription required)
AI Generated

Summary

Councillor John Chilver, Vice-Chairman, opened the Finance and Resources Select Committee meeting, where members reviewed the 2024-25 budget monitoring outturn, the Q1 budget monitoring report, and the Q4 performance report for the Leader's and Resources portfolios. The committee approved the transfer of funds to reserves, and also approved changes to fees and charges. They also discussed the future work program for the committee.

Budget Monitoring Outturn 2024-2025

The committee reviewed the budget monitoring outturn for the 2024-2025 financial year, noting the council had achieved a balanced revenue budget despite facing significant financial pressures. Councillor Julie Ward, Deputy Cabinet Member for Resources, highlighted pressures in high needs, children's social care, adult social care, home-to-school transport and homelessness. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) reserve has a negative balance of £24.5 million.

Councillor Stuart Wilson asked about the movement of reserves, specifically regarding the mitigating future financial risk reserve, the planning appeals reserve, and the Buckinghamshire Development Fund reserve. He asked what the total position on revenue reserves for the council would be after these movements. Dave Skinner, Corporate Director of Finance, explained that the additional contribution to the mitigating future financial risk reserve was a result of unused contingencies from the previous year. He promised to provide a written response with the total position on reserves.

Councillor Thomas Broome, Deputy Leader of the Council, acknowledged the changing risk management landscape and the potential for a fair funding review to negatively impact Buckinghamshire's finances. He noted that the council had made almost £120 million in savings over the last four years and is financially well-managed.

Councillor Gareth Coucill questioned the £10 million expenditure variance on climate change and the environment. Councillor Broome explained that the variance was primarily due to the volatility of energy prices affecting income from the energy from waste (EFW) plant, as well as changing standards in recycling. Mr Skinner added that the loss of income from the EFW plant was the main variance, but it was mitigated by a contribution from the energy from waste reserve.

Councillor Christine Adali asked about plans for in-house residential provision given the increasing number of house repossessions nationally, and whether there were any revenue savings planned for EHCP1 social care. Mr Skinner responded that the high needs block continues to experience significant pressure due to the increasing number of Education, Health and Care Plans, but that adult provision came in on budget. He added that bringing children's services back in-house would start to deliver savings.

Councillor Simon Rouse noted the balanced revenue position and asked about the risk carried into the current year, given the macroeconomic climate. He also asked how much of the savings in health and wellbeing and education and children's services were one-off versus ongoing efficiencies. Mr Skinner clarified that the vast majority of savings were recurring and locked into the base budget. He gave the example of service reviews within finance teams as an example of ongoing savings.

Councillor Wilson asked about the £37 million variance in capital expenditure versus the budget for the year. Councillor Broome explained that the biggest factor was delays to the South East Aylesbury Link Road (SELA) project due to land assembly complexities. He added that delays to renewing the waste fleet also contributed to the variance, but that the council was being careful to secure the best value for money.

Budget Monitoring Q1

The committee reviewed the Q1 budget monitoring report for 2025-26, which reported a balanced position within revenue budgets despite continuing financial pressures. Councillor Ward noted pressures in children's social care, home-to-school transport, and temporary accommodation. Mr Skinner noted that corporate budgets were providing the balancing position and that adult social care was holding steady. He also noted that the dedicated schools grant (DSG) budget continues to drive the deficit.

Councillor Wilson expressed concern about delays in sorting out the dedicated schools grant and adult social care reform. He asked for clarification on the savings number that the council has to deliver over the term of this MTFP2. Councillor Broome responded that the council is committed to delivering more efficient services and that all cabinet members are aware of the importance of delivery. He added that the council has a fantastic team of officers who are supporting them.

Councillor Anna Crabtree commended the officers on the reduction in outstanding debts, particularly those over 90 days. She asked if this number could continue to be reduced further. Mr Skinner responded that the team is focused on continuing to make progress, but that there is a law of diminishing returns.

Councillor Chris Poll asked about the council tax collection rate and whether the lane rental scheme was performing as expected. Councillor Broome responded that the lane rental scheme is not yet in place, as it is awaiting government approval. Mr Skinner said that the council tax collection rate is 98.4%.

Councillor Adali asked whether the move from 10 to 12 months for council tax payments had been widely publicised. Mr Skinner responded that it had been widely publicised and that it is one of the fundamental changes out for consultation from the government.

Councillor Poll raised concerns about the cost of parking and its impact on visits to the high street. Councillor Broome responded that there is no obvious link between parking charges and use of the high street, and that the issue is more fundamental than that.

Performance Monitoring Q4

The committee reviewed the Q4 performance monitoring report for the Leader's and Resources portfolios. Councillor Broome highlighted the impact of decisions made by national government on local residents and businesses, noting that new business registrations and unemployment are key indicators. He expressed concern that rising taxes and regulation are putting pressure on individuals and businesses.

Councillor Rouse expressed concern about the unemployment rate, particularly among young people. He asked what work the council is doing to address this issue. Councillor Broome responded that the council is providing an environment in which people can thrive through the Opportunity Bucks program. He added that the council is getting some increased powers and hopefully some additional funding as part of their level two devolution deal.

Councillor Ward added that the council is running boot camps that link training to employment, including one on AI. She said that the council will also be implementing the government's connect to work program, which targets people who are economically inactive.

Councillor Poll asked how the council monitors businesses that go out of business. Councillor Broome responded that he was not sure on the specifics of how those numbers are collated, but that he would provide a written response.

Councillor Ward highlighted the contact centre performance, noting that the average call wait time was 3 minutes and 55 seconds, which is above the target of 3 minutes. She said that this was due to a 26.5% increase in call volume, which coincided with council tax registration.

Councillor Rouse said that the contact centre performance was good, but that some targets did not feel particularly stretching. He asked how regularly the council challenges whether the targets themselves are stretching. Councillor Ward responded that departments do internally continue to look at how they can improve.

Councillor Rouse said that he was shocked at the level of sickness absence and asked what percentage of that is long-term sickness. Councillor Ward said that she would pass over to Sarah Murphy-Brookman, the Corporate Director for Resources, to pick up on the comments around the breakdown between long-term and short-term sickness. Ms Murphy-Brookman said that the corporate management team looks at sickness absence monthly and that they have had a small improvement since the report was done. She added that they do not separate out the split between long and short term, but that they have a target that they set before interventions are required.

Councillor Wilson said that it was worth having somebody from business intelligence at a future meeting to discuss the kpis3. He added that it is worth noting that every quarter four there is a dip in capital spend. He asked whether there is a more systemic issue that goes beyond the council, given all the actions that the council is trying to take. Ms Murphy-Brookman responded that she did not know for definite whether there is a broader national issue playing here, but that she thinks that they have managed to hold it down and then it has moved a little bit away from them for various reasons.

Councillor Adali asked whether there is any data on whether the information provided by the web chat function is useful and whether more forms could be added to the website. Ms Murphy-Brookman responded that they are tracking the satisfaction that people have with the web chat and that the ambition is for the AI web chat to take people to the forms that they need.

Future Work Program

The committee considered the future work program and agreed on the items for the next meeting. Councillor Wilson suggested bringing forward the discussion on spans and layers of the organisation to the people plan. He also asked for an update on the procurement hub.


  1. Education, Health and Care Plan. A legal document that describes a child or young person’s special educational, health and social care needs and the support that is required to meet those needs. 

  2. Medium Term Financial Plan. A plan that sets out the council's financial strategy for the next three to five years. 

  3. Key Performance Indicators. A set of quantifiable measures that a company or industry uses to gauge or compare performance in terms of meeting their strategic and operational goals. 

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor John Chilver
Councillor John Chilver  Vice-Chairman •  Conservative •  Horwood
Profile image for CouncillorChristine Adali
CouncillorChristine Adali  Liberal Democrats •  Beaconsfield
Profile image for CouncillorMohammed Ayub
CouncillorMohammed Ayub  Conservative •  Castlefield & Oakridge
Profile image for CouncillorAnna Crabtree
CouncillorAnna Crabtree  Liberal Democrats •  Marlow
Profile image for Councillor Dev Dhillon
Councillor Dev Dhillon  Conservative •  Farnhams & Stoke Poges
Profile image for Councillor Andy Huxley
Councillor Andy Huxley  Conservative •  Aylesbury East
Profile image for Councillor Nidhi Mehta
Councillor Nidhi Mehta  Liberal Democrats •  Aylesbury West
Profile image for Councillor Chris Poll
Councillor Chris Poll  Conservative •  Ivinghoe
Profile image for CouncillorTrevor Snaith
CouncillorTrevor Snaith  Independent •  Marsh & Micklefield
Profile image for Councillor Martin Tett
Councillor Martin Tett  Conservative •  Chalfont St Giles & Little Chalfont
Profile image for Councillor Stuart Wilson
Councillor Stuart Wilson  Independent •  Flackwell Heath & The Wooburns
Katie Dover
Sarah Murphy-Brookman
Dave Skinner
Profile image for Councillor Simon Rouse
Councillor Simon Rouse  Conservative •  Chalfont St Giles & Little Chalfont

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

× Meeting image