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Item 12 Appendix 1_2

West Dunbartonshire Council · 30 August 2023
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 30 August 2023 and its agenda

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Page 1

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 1
HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2023/24
PERIOD END DATE
Subjective Summary
Total Budget
2023/24                         
£000
Spend to
Date
2023/24 
£000
Forecast
Spend
£000
Annual RAG
Status
Employee Costs 7,669 1,565 7,881 212 3% 
Property Costs 2,377 140 2,087 (290) -12% 
Transport Costs 142 7 138 (4) 0% 
Supplies, Services And Admin 389 38 397 8 2% 
Support Services 2,720 0 2,603 (117) -4% 
Other Expenditure 534 258 485 (49) -9% 
Repairs & Maintenance 16,257 1,332 17,473 1,216 7% 
Bad Debt Provision 1,089 16 939 (150) -14% 
Void Loss (Council Tax/Lost Rents) 1,261 461 1,617 356 28% 
Loan Charges 15,476 3,934 15,476 0 0% 
CFCR 1,729 307 708 (1,021) -59% 
Total Expenditure 49,643 8,058 49,804 161 0% 
House Rents 47,729 11,343 47,693 36 0% 
Lockup Rents 217 48 216 1 0% 
Factoring/Insurance Charges 1,434 1,498 1,498 (64) -4% 
Other rents 117 23 120 (3) -3% 
Interest on Revenue Balance 30 0 146 (116) -387% 
Miscellaneous income 116 29 131 (15) -13% 
Total Income 49,643 12,941 49,804 (161) 0% 
Net Expenditure 0 (4,883) 0 0 
Forecast Variance 2023/24                          
£000               %
30 June 2023

Page 2

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2
HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2023/24
ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000
MONTH END DATE 30 June 2023
PERIOD 3
Budget Forecast
Spend
RAG
Status
£000 £000 £000 %
EMPLOYEE COSTS 7,669 7,881 212 3% 
Main Issues
Mitigating Action
Anticipated Outcome
Budget Forecast
Spend
RAG
Status
£000 £000 £000 %
PROPERTY COSTS 2,377 2,087 (290) -12% 
Main Issues
Mitigating Action No mitigating action is required.
Anticipated Outcome
Budget Forecast
Spend
RAG
Status
£000 £000 £000 %
SUPPORT SERVICES 2,720 2,603 (117) -4% 
Main Issues
Mitigating Action No mitigating action is required.
Anticipated Outcome
Budget Forecast
Spend
RAG
Status
£000 £000 £000 %
REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE 16,257 17,473 1,216 7% 
Main Issues
Mitigating Action
Anticipated Outcome
Variance Analysis
Subjective Analysis forecast Variance
Subjective Description
This budget covers electricity, gas, rates, rents, cleaning  and insurance costs.
Variance Narrative
A favourable variance is expected due to the assumption that office accommodation and
utility costs will be similar to last year which is lower than anticipated at time of budget
setting, resulting in a favourable variance.
A year end underspend is anticipated
Managers will continue to consider ways to keep staffing costs down including considering
each vacancy as it arises re need / urgency to fill.
High volume of jobs and  inflationary increases in materials and labour have resulted in the
budget being insufficient to meet current demand . There was a large numbers of voids at
start of financial year. Void numbers have now significantly reduced therefore it is expected
costs will start to reduce in this area.
Variance Narrative
Variance Narrative
This budget covers all repair and maintenance expenditure to houses and lockups
Subjective Description
A year end underspend is anticipated
A year end overspend is anticipated
There are uncontrollable costs, such as materials and inflation as well as the demand for
repairs which continues to increase.  However as we continue to progress with the building
services improvement plan, we expect costs to reduce particularly in relation to void houses.
Budget Details
A year end overspend is anticipated
This budget covers central support recharges to the HRA
Budget Details Variance Analysis
Subjective Analysis forecast Variance
Subjective Description
This budget covers all employees charged directly to the HRA including caretakers.
Variance Narrative
This adverse variance is mainly due to additional posts being approved, after time of budget
setting to meet the demands of the service
A favourable variance is expected with the assumption that the 2023/24 forecast outturn for
support services is expected  to be in line with the 2022/23 outturn adjusted for pay uplifts
etc. This charge is calculated each year end based on HRA's percentage usage of the total
cost of WDC support services. The 2023/24 HRA budget was set before this 2022/23
outturn was known so was based on 2021/22 charge which was higher.
Service Description
Budget Details Variance Analysis
Subjective Analysis forecast Variance
Budget Details Variance Analysis
Subjective Analysis forecast Variance

Page 3

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 2
HRA REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL 2023/24
ANALYSIS FOR VARIANCES OVER £50,000
MONTH END DATE 30 June 2023
PERIOD 3
Budget Forecast
Spend
RAG
Status
£000 £000 £000 %
BAD DEBT PROVISION 1,089 939 (150) -14% 
Main Issues
Mitigating Action No mitigating action is required.
Anticipated Outcome
Budget Forecast
Spend
RAG
Status
£000 £000 £000 %
VOID LOSS 1,261 1,617 356 28% 
Main Issues
Mitigating Action
Anticipated Outcome
Budget Forecast
Spend
RAG
Status
£000 £000 £000 %
CFCR 1,729 708 (1,021) -59% 
Main Issues
Mitigating Action
Anticipated Outcome
A void working group has been reviewing the issues and have been implementing actions
and working with Housing Maintenance managers to improve the situation and it is expected
that the void figures will continue to decrease  over the next few months.
This budget covers the rents lost on void houses and lockups and the cost of council tax on void properties.
A year end underspend is anticipated
Service Description
This budget covers the contribution from revenue to Capital
Variance Narrative
In order to offset the cost pressures on the revenue HRA in 2023/24 , it will be necessary to
reduce the contribution to Capital to allow the HRA account to break even.
None available
Budget Details Variance Analysis
Subjective Analysis forecast Variance
A year end overspend is anticipated
Subjective Analysis forecast Variance
A year end underspend is anticipated
Variance Narrative
The Bad Debt Provision expected to be required for 2023/24 is less than estimated at time
of budget setting, resulting in a favourable variance. This assumes that the provision
required in 2023/24  will be similar to the 2022/23 provision.
Variance Narrative
The main reason for the projected adverse variance relates to the number of void properties
being higher than expected at time of budget setting. The budget was set on the assumption
that backlogs following COVID delays  in getting voids turned around would be resolved 
however the  numbers continued to be high at the beginning of this financial year . They
have now lowered considerably
Budget Details Variance Analysis
Service Description
Budget Details Variance Analysis
Subjective Analysis forecast Variance
Service Description
This budget allows for the provision for bad and doubtful debts to be maintained at an appropriate level