The half year report showed the Agency was making good progress in delivering the majority of outcomes and outputs identified within the Corporate Plan. However, the report did highlight some projects have had to be delayed as a result of the impact...
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corporate Plan Progress - Third Quarter Report (AP02/08)

Director Responsible: Sarah Sleet Lead Board Member: Martin Doughty

FOR DECISION

  • To note: 
  • w the successful promotion of rural recovery through the Wider Welcome and Countryside Capital programmes following Lord Haskins' report on foot and mouth recovery in Cumbria
  • w and the forecast full spend on programme and running cost budgets.  
Relevance to Strategy and Corporate Plan:
  • Third quarter report on progress towards the Corporate Plan 2001/02-2004/05. The Corporate Plan is the contract between the Secretary of State, the Agency Board and the executive body of staff whose job it is to implement it. The third quarter progress report (full details in Annex 1) is the main opportunity for the Board to hear about progress made against programmes planned objectives and activities.  
Staff and financial implications:
  • The actions described in the paper set out how the Agency will achieve its budget as set out in the Corporate Plan and deliver its outputs.  
Main issues to concern the Board:
  • Has the Executive achieved the right balance in risk between: 
  • w the need to bring Agency expenditure in line with Corporate Plan budgets for this financial year (2001/02);
  • w delivering Corporate Plan outcomes; and
  • w the subsequent need to rebalance programme spend next financial year (2002/03)?  

Background

1. The half year report showed the Agency was making good progress in delivering the majority of outcomes and outputs identified within the Corporate Plan. However, the report did highlight some projects have had to be delayed as a result of the impact of foot and mouth disease (FMD) and some areas of activity were behind schedule. This led to a forecast underspend for the year of approximately £3m for programmes and a forecast overspend by £2.2m for running costs. The Executive proposed a series of measures to realign budgets. 

Overview of third quarter progress

2. The Agency is making good progress in the majority or work areas. Particular achievements this quarter include:

  • public consultation on proposed South Downs National Park successfully launched and under way with great public interest and support (Finest Countryside)
  • excellent progress on Rural Transport Grant scheme to meet targets and spend (Vital Villages)
  • Policy Makers' Rural Proofing Checklist adopted by 11 Whitehall Departments and now being adopted in regional Government Offices (Rural Proofing)
  • formal launch of Rural Health Forum (Rural Services)
  • The Pub is the Hub good practice guide launched (Rural Services)

    3. In line with the decline and end of the outbreak of FMD the overall level of the Agency's resources commitment to FMD has fallen in the third quarter. However, there is considerable resource commitment to FMD recovery work, including:

  • leading the co-ordination of the Government's promotional campaign. 'Your countryside - you're welcome', to encourage visitors back to the countryside
  • submission of evidence to the Policy Commission of the Future of Farming and Food including preparation of evidence to the "Lessons Learnt" inquiry
  • completion of the business plan with the farm tourism sector for their initiative "Welcome to the Countryside"

    4. Areas of activity that remain behind schedule include:

  • the transport budgets held by Vital Villages (parish transport grants), Market Towns and Wider Welcome
  • parish plan grants although a follow up on statement of intents may result in outturn (Vital Villages)
  • parish council training (Local governance and housing)

    5. Annex 1 contains the full report for each programme area.

    Third quarter reports - financial implications

    Programme and running cost spend

    6. As a result of the action taken by Agency senior management, endorsed by the Board at the October meeting, the third quarter reports indicate that the Agency will spend its programme budget fully at the end of the financial year. Directors will review the financial forecasts for each of their programmes routinely to ensure programmes reach their forecast targets. The success of the 'rural recovery' projects within the Wider Welcome and Countryside Capital programmes may lead to some modest over commitment which will be managed at the end of the year by invoice control. The Executive will review budget allocation at the first quarter review for 2002/03 and realign budgets where necessary. 

    7. Similarly, third quarter forecasts indicate that the Agency will meet running costs budgets. Spend will be managed by invoice control by Finance during March,  including the salary bill. The situation will be monitored by the Executive weekly from February.