Issue - meetings

Finance, Qualis Client and Economic Development – (C-015-2021-22) – Qualis quarter 3 monitoring report.

The Cabinet discussed and noted the report.

The Finance, Qualis Client and Economic Development Portfolio Holder introduced the Qualis, quarter 3 monitoring report for 2020/21.  He noted that this report presented the third Quarter’s monitoring report for the Qualis trading year 2020/21 and covered the period from 1 October 2020 to 30 June 2021.   This report was to be considered by Stronger Council Select Committee, which due to the timing of meetings did not meet until the day after this Cabinet.  Comments made by the Select Committee would be relayed directly to the Portfolio Holder.

Attached to the report as an appendix is the Qualis Board monitoring report for Quarter 3, as had been presented to the Qualis Board.

Two key part to note, one was the income and expenditure, flagged as red due to the fact that in the third quarter Qualis had not received planning permission from the planning authority, the relevant meeting due to be held in September will now be held in October.  As for Qualis Living, marked as amber, that was for a planned purchase in quarter 3, but had slipped just over into the quarter 4 period, and was completed then.

Councillor Jon Whitehouse noted that the report was titled finance and performance monitoring but was almost all about finance. Qualis now deals with housing repairs and he would like to see the relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPI) on these in future reports. As for slow progress through our planning system, which influences the balance sheets, was there any way to quantify these costs? Councillor Philip noted that we were in a beneficial relationship here as we did not need to act until both parties were ready. As for KPI for housing repairs etc. these would sit better in the Housing Portfolio area as they were the customer for that service. This report was more looking at Qualis’ finance performance. Councillor Holly Whitbread confirmed that these performance indicators would be going to the relevant Select Committee for consideration.

Councillor Murray noted that the business plan had indicated a profit of about a third of a million but then showed a loss of about £1.1 million. Was this just because of waiting for planning permission and a delayed acquisition of a third commercial property? And, on the 3^rd acquisition, can you remind me where that was. He was told that he had understood it correctly, due to the issues with planning it dictated into which pot you put the money in. As for the third acquisition, this had happened in the 4^th quarter and was in Coventry.

Decision:

The Cabinet discussed and noted the report.