Issue - meetings

To provide an update to the Joint Committee on development of the Joint Operating budget of the Orbis Partnership.

The Committee considered a report by and the Chief Property Officer on the Joint Budget Approach.

Key points raised during the discussion:

1. Orbis is an integrated service and has two sorts of budgets; operational budgets and; budgets for services managed on behalf of the partners. There are some key differences in the financial reporting procedures used by each authority, but where possible a common approach has been agreed.
2. Orbis has developed a framework for ongoing integrated budget monitoring and will present monitoring reports to the Joint Committee on a quarterly basis. Monthly budget monitoring is carried out, but is reported to the ESCC Cabinet on quarterly basis. At SCC and BHCC budget monitoring is reported on a monthly basis.
3. If there is an increase in demand for Orbis services (e.g. from demand led services like Adult Social Care), the partnership will try to manage the budget pressures within the operational budget (cash limit). Each sovereign partner has ability to make request to amend the budget at any time under the terms of the Inter authority Agreement (IAA).  In the longer term this could be dealt with through the annual or mid-year review of the operational budget.

Resolved:

The Orbis Joint Committee resolved to:

i. note the approach to managing joint budgets and;

ii. undertake budget monitoring quarterly.