Item 14 - General Fund Housing and Communities Financial Report 2025-26 at Period 7
West Dunbartonshire Council · 25 February 2026
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 25 February 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – Resources Housing and Communities Committee: 25 February 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: General Fund Housing and Communities Financial Report 2025/26 as at Period 7 (31 October 2025) 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of the report is to provide the Committee with an update on the financial performance to 31 October 2025 (Period 7) of General Fund Revenue services under the remit of the Housing and Communities Committee. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members are asked to i) note the account currently shows a projected annual favourable variance of £0.244m. ii) note the progress on efficiencies incorporated into 2025/2026 budgets. 3. Background 3.1 Revenue Budget Members agreed the 2025/2026 revenue estimates at the Council meeting on 5th March 2025. The Financial Update report to Council on 29 October 2025 advised that two further areas of service activity that were previous managed within council suspense accounts, the Resettlement Service and the Energy Efficiency Scotland Area Based Scheme project, would have their income and expenditure recorded in the General Fund this financial year. The Council Budgetary Control report on 17 December 2025 incorporated these two services within the General Fund with the revised portfolio of service areas for this committee detailed below. Service Area Budgeted Expenditure £m Budgeted Income £m Budgeted Net Expenditure £m Homelessness Services 5.069 -4.241 0.828 Resettlement Service 0.668 -0.668 - Private Sector Housing 0.016 - 0.016 Private Sector Housing Grant 0.425 -0.382 0.043 Energy Efficiency Scotland Area Based Scheme 0.583 -0.583 - Anti-Social Behaviour & CCTV 0.535 -0.230 0.305 Housing Maintenance Trading Organisation 20.581 -20.872 -0.293 Total 27.875 -26.976 0.899 ITEM 14
Page 2
4. Main Issues 4.1 Appendix 1 reports the forecast outturn for the services at £0.655m, a projected favourable variance of £0.244m. Service Area Forecast Outturn £m Budgeted Net Expenditure £m Variance £m Homelessness Services 0.854 0.828 0.026 Resettlement Service -0.262 - -0.262 Private Sector Housing 0.016 0.016 Private Sector Housing Grant 0.043 0.043 Energy Efficiency Scotland Area Based Scheme - - Anti-Social Behaviour & CCTV 0.297 0.305 -0.008 Housing Maintenance Trading Organisation -0.293 -0.293 - Total 0.655 0.899 -0.244 4.2 The Homelessness Service is the only service forecasting an adverse variance. The current forecast is for a small overspend of £0.026m compared to the previous forecast to November committee of a £0.017m overspend. The service has put in place a series of actions that will improve financial performance and service managers will continue to target further efficiencies that can eliminate the remaining overspend. The Resettlement Service is forecasting a positive variance of £0.262m. The UK and the Scottish Government provide grant income to help the council to meet the cost of supporting refugees within local communities. It is forecast that the grant income that the council will receive this year will exceed the direct cost of providing resettlement support. Other council service areas also provide support to refugees and this surplus income will be reallocated at the end of the financial year. Appendix 2 provides a detailed analysis by service area. Appendix 3 provides commentary of projected net annual variances greater than £0.050m. Appendix 4 shows progress on the delivering 2025/2026 saving options. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no people implications. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 Other than the financial position noted above, there are no financial implications of the budgetary control report. 6.2 Agreed efficiencies for 2025/2026 are monitored with current indications being that all the budgeted savings of £0.049m will be achieved. (see Appendix 4)
Page 3
7. Risk Analysis 7.1 The present variances should be viewed in the knowledge that there are several variable factors which could arise between now and 31 March and which could affect the year end results for both the revenue and capital budgets. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 The report is for noting and therefore no Equalities Impact Assessment was completed for this report. 9. Consultation 9.1 All services involved in delivering the budgets have been consulted in the compilation of this report. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 Proper budgetary control and sound financial practice are cornerstones of good governance and support Council and officers to pursue the five strategic priorities of the Council’s Strategic Plan. This report forms part of the financial governance of the Council. This report is for noting and, therefore, does not directly affect any of the strategic priorities. Laurence Slavin Chief Officer, Resources Date: 25 February 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Jim McCarron - Finance Business Partner, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton, G82 1QL Telephone: 07772 322055 e-mail james.mccarron@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - Summary Budgetary Position (Revenue) Appendix 2 - Detailed Budgetary Position (Revenue) Appendix 3 - Variance Analysis (Revenue) Appendix 4 - Monitoring of Efficiencies/Savings Options (Revenue) Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All