Issue - meetings

Repirt attached.

Officers advised that budgets were now set for all three Councils and the shared budget had been reduced this year by £1.4 million. Some costs had risen such as the management of agency staff and the additional investment in legal services for Havering and Newham. Work was under way to investigate the methodology for charging legal services to other areas.

Officers would circulate the splits of the budget across the Councils for each service. Finance for example was allocated 43% to Newham, 42% to Havering and 15% to Bexley.

For the non-shared services, Havering had made savings by e.g. replacing the peppercorn rent for Stubbers Country Park with a commercial rent. It was agreed that the Managing Director would report back on the position with Stubbers Country Park at a future meeting.

Newham has seen savings from the new HR service as well as expected savings from the commercial property service. Work was continuing to try and fill the remaining floors at Dockside. The Newham depot review remained a risk but the saving from Newham commercial property income could be more than the predicted £333k.

A report on cost pressures and opportunities would be brought to the next meeting.

The Joint Committee noted the base budget for oneSource services for 2017/2018.