Issue - meetings

(i)        to note the current final outturn position for the financial year 2017/18;

(ii)        to approve the various transfers for 2017/18, between Council accounts and earmarked sums for the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account and Common Good as at 31 March 2018 as shown in Appendix 1;

(iii)       to note that in accordance with the relevant strategies to maintain revenue balances, the Council’s objective of retaining recommended levels of uncommitted balances has been achieved;

(iv)       to note that the unaudited Annual Accounts for 2017/18 will be presented to the Audit, Risk & Scrutiny Committee, along with the Annual Governance Statement and Remuneration Report, at its meeting on 8 May 2018; and

(v)        to congratulate the Director of Resources, Interim Chief Officer - Finance and officers in the Finance Team for the work involved in the preparation of the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided the full year actual position for the financial year 2017/18, as at 31 March 2018, for the Council including General Fund and Housing Revenue Account, revenue and capital accounts and the Common Good Revenue Account and Balance Sheet.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       note the current final outturn position for the financial year 2017/18;

(b)       approve the various transfers for 2017/18, between Council accounts and earmarked sums for the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account and Common Good as at 31 March 2018 as shown in Appendix 1;

(c)        note that in accordance with the relevant strategies to maintain revenue balances, the Council’s objective of retaining recommended levels of uncommitted balances has been achieved; and

(d)       note that the unaudited Annual Accounts for 2017/18 will be presented to the Audit, Risk & Scrutiny Committee, along with the Annual Governance Statement and Remuneration Report, at its meeting on 8 May 2018.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener moved:-

            to approve the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor Nicoll, seconded by Councillor Dunbar, moved as an amendment:-

(1)     to approve the recommendations contained within the report;

(2)     to note that for the year 2017/18, Scottish Government provided a total of £2,708,400 in additional support to Aberdeen City Council to be spent in local schools to close to the attainment gap under the Pupil Equity Funding Scheme;

(3)     to note that for the year 2018/19 this funding has increased to £2,803,200;

(4)     to note with concern that some of the lowest scoring deciles in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation are located within the Aberdeen City Council area;

(5)     to note with concern that in 2017/18 schools within the control of Aberdeen City Council have not spent £1,622,164 of the funding allocation and that this amounted to circa 60% of the money allocated not being directed to closing the attainment gap in local schools; and

(6)     to instruct the Chief Operating Officer to report back to the Operational Delivery Committee – Education in early course detailing how the money is being spent in schools and the impact these measures are anticipated to have in closing the attainment gap.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (5) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Boulton, Donnelly and Laing; for the amendment (4) – Councillors Dunbar, Flynn, Nicoll and Yuill.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to adopt the motion;

(ii)        that officers consider rescheduling the Committee meeting in April 2019 to May 2019 to allow time for officers to prepare the Council Financial Performance report; and

(iii)       to congratulate the Director of Resources, Interim Chief Officer - Finance and officers in the Finance Team for the work involved in the preparation of the report.