£34,000 under budget

OLDHAM COUNCIL CABINET

THE council is on track to end the financial year £34,000 under budget.

The economy, place and skills department went £970,000 over budget due to a particularly harsh winter which called for extra gritting and snow clearing services to be deployed.

The people, communities and society department — which looks after schools, social services and libraries — is forecasting a £998,000 underspend.

The performance, services and capacity directorate, which looks after customer services and internal organisation, is predicting a £411,000 underspend and the assistant chief executive department is forecasting a £54,000 underspend.

Cabinet members agreed to carry forward £500,000 of the people, communities and society underspend meaning there will be a £34,000 surplus overall.

Councillor John McCann, Cabinet member for regeneration and environment, said: “The underspend is most remarkable given the winter we had when more resources were used to deal with the severe weather conditions.”

Councillor Lynne Thompson, Cabinet member for finance, added: “Social services will come in on budget. In the past it has been said that this category is uncontrollable but we have shown that is not the case.”