Issue - meetings

That:

1)        the budget monitoring position for the month ending 31 July 3018 be noted;

2)         the operational update for the period to 31 July 2018 be noted.

(Councillors Norman Jorgensen, Pauline Jorgensen, Philip Mirfin and Anthony Pollock declared personal interests in this item)

The Executive considered a report setting out the budget monitoring position and providing an operational update on the work of the Council Owned Companies for the period to 31 July 2018.

Councillor Pollock went through the report and with regard to Wokingham Housing Ltd highlighted: the profit of £600k that had been generated; the operational loans of £1m which had been repaid to the Council; the plans to deliver 360 new homes over the coming years with between 50 and 75 homes every year; and the sites that were currently being programmed through the planning system.

The report showed that Optalis had achieved cost savings of over £1m per annum, which was equivalent to approximately £8m over the life of the company.  Councillor Pollock reminded Members that the turnover had increased as a result of the merger with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead which would provide a good basis for growth. It was noted that the profit for 2018/19 was estimated to be £48k.

Councillor Pollock advised that following the departure of the previous Chief Executive of Optalis a number of inspections by CQC rated services as “requiring improvement”.  He was pleased to report that Martin Farrow, the new Chief Executive, had put in place systems which it was believed would assist in achieving a “good” rating at future CQC inspections. 

During an explanation of how Optalis’s profit was worked out Councillor Pollock highlighted the private work that had been undertaken by the Company including the Supported Employment Contract with Reading College which assisted young people with learning disabilities gain employment.  He was pleased to report that 9 out of 10 customers who entered the service gained employment or work experience as a result of the programme.

Members noted that Angela Morris, the previous Operations Director, had now taken on the joint role of Director of Adult Social Services with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Councillor Norman Jorgensen was pleased to note that work was due to start on the Tape Lane site.  It was confirmed that 5 x 3-bedroom houses, 5 x 2-bedroom houses and one bungalow would be built on that site; all of which would be Council housing, the first for some while.

RESOLVED that:

1)        the budget monitoring position for the month ending 31 July 3018 be noted;

2)         the operational update for the period to 31 July 2018 be noted.