Summary of accounts (2014 - 2015)

The figures below show the cost of the day to day running of Council services. Total net expenditure was £336.7m. Amounts are shown in £m.

    The Cost of Council Services 2014/15 (other than Council Housing)

    Total expenditure

    Expenditure£m
    Education£175.9
    Social Work£93.3
    Development£35.8
    Corporate and Neighbourhood£14.7
    Valuation Board£1.2
    Falkirk Community Trust£13.1
    Other Services£11.4
    Adjustment for Capital Charges -£8.7
    Total £336.7

    How net expenditure was funded

    Funded by£m
    Government Grants and share of NDRI£279.5
    Council Tax£53.3
    Contribution from Reserves£3.9
    Total £336.7

    How the money was spent

    Expenditure£m
    Employee Expenses£203.7
    Property Expenses£24.9
    Transport Expenses£15.9
    Supplies and Services£34.5
    Third Party Payments£128.1
    Transfer Payments£47.2
    Support Services£37.7
    Capital Financing Costs£34.2
    Income -£189.5
    Total £336.7

    Financial Performance

    Spending on the delivery of all services other than council housing was around £2.87m or 0.9% above the assumed level. This over spend when added to other adjustments led to an overall decrease in general reserves of £3.94m.

    Council Housing

    At 31 March 2015 the Council owned 16,325 properties. By law there is a requirement that all expenditure on these properties is financed from rent and other housing income.

    The average weekly rent for the year was £57.46, increase by 3.6% from the 2013/14 level. The average rent in Scotland throughout the year was £62.13.

    The cost of providing services to council housing tenants was at the planned level. The level of reserves at 31 March 2015 remained at £5.093m.

    Income

    Income£m
    Rental Income£49.2
    Other Income£1.6
    Transfer from Reserves£0.0
    Total £50.8

    Expenditure

    Expenditure£m
    Repairs and Maintenance£23.5
    Supervision and Management£11.3
    Capital Financing Costs£12.7
    Other Costs£3.3
    Total £50.8

    Capital

    Capital expenditure represents money spent on purchasing, upgrading and improving assets.

    The Council has 2 separate capital programmes – Council Housing and General Services, for example schools and roads.

    Capital expenditure

    Expenditure£m
    Council Housing£35.1
    Roads and Infrastructure£8.4
    Economic Development£0.8
    Education£5.9
    Other – mainly Transport, ICT and Parks£7.1
    Community£3.6
    Social Work£0.6
    Total £61.5

    Capital expenditure financed by

    Income£m
    Sale of Council Houses£3.3
    Government Grants£18.5
    Capital Financed from Revenue£7.7
    Borrowing£27.9
    Other Receipts£4.1
    Total £61.5

    Major Capital Projects undertaken by the Council included:

    • £35.1m on Council Housing including £12.9m on external fabric improvements and £7.3m on new build houses
    • £8.4m on roads, lighting and footpaths
    • £5.9m on schools
    • £3.6m investment in community facilities including The Helix
    • £4.7m on the vehicle replacement programme

    Council Tax

    The Band D council tax was set at £1,070 for the year which was £79 lower than the average in Scotland. Council tax bills were sent to around 72,967 households in March 2014.

    In 2014/15 the council collected 95.7% of council tax by March 2015 (2013/14, 95.6%). The ultimate collection rate for 2014/15 is anticipated to be 97.8%.

    Reserves

    At the end of 2014/15 the Council held general fund reserves of £24.03m. The devolved schools reserve and other earmarked reserves amounted to almost £10.56m, with the Housing Revenue Account balance being a further £5.09m. This leaves general reserves of c£8.37m.