Council reports an improved financial position
At a meeting of Cabinet last week, elected members welcomed the news that the Council’s financial position has improved for this year.
The current position, as at the end of September, sees the financial gap for the Council’s revenue budget reducing from £2.920 to £1.811m.The Health and Social Care Partnership sees a reduction from £3.192m to £2.587m for Council services.
This improvement is the result of significant work undertaken in recent months to address continuing financial pressures while maintaining approved service levels. Members were also assured that the Council’s financial resilience remained in a healthy and affordable position.
Leader of East Ayrshire Council, Councillor Douglas Reid welcomed this update.
He said: “Last year we faced some considerable financial pressures which left the Council in a difficult position financially as we sought to address the continuing pressures within Health and Social Care. However, I am pleased to learn that the new financial governance arrangements and enhanced scrutiny and challenge on services expenditure is now starting to make a difference.
“At this half-way point in the financial year, this is encouraging, but we cannot become complacent. Some services still face significant pressures and we know that further work will be required as we start to set the foundations for the next Council budget.”