Statement of Accounts 2011/2012 - Blackburn with Darwen Borough ...

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
2011/12 2010/11
£000 £000
Credited to Cost of Services
Dedicated Schools Grant 129,083 109,238
Standards Fund (including Early Years and Sure Start) 575 32,634
Young People’s Learning Agency/Learning Skills Council 2,775 14,529
School Standards 0 5,345
Rent Allowances Subsidy 55,343 51,860
Council Tax Benefit Subsidy 14,348 14,784
Housing Market Renewal 0 2,578
Other government grants 3,171 5,680
Contributions from other local authorities 1,718 1,988
Contributions from other public sector bodies 6,314 8,596
Other contributions 5,684 7,551
Total 219,011 254,783
The Council has identified one grant which has yet to be recognised as income as it has conditions attached to it
that will require the monies to be returned to the giver. The balances at year end are as follows:
2011/12 2010/11
£000 £000
Capital Grants Receipts in Advance
Building Schools for the Future 5,735 9,545
Total 5,735 9,545
36 Related parties
The Council is required to disclose material transactions with related parties – bodies or individuals that have the
potential to control or influence the Council or to be controlled or influenced by the Council. Disclosure of these
transactions allows readers to assess the extent to which the Council might have been constrained in its ability to
operate independently or might have secured the ability to limit another party’s ability to bargain freely with the
Authority.
Central Government
Central government has effective control over the general operations of the Council – it is responsible for
providing the statutory framework within which the Council operates, provides the majority of its funding in the
form of grants and prescribes the terms of many of the transactions that the Council has with other parties (e.g.
council tax bills, housing benefits). Grant income from government departments and grant receipts outstanding at
31 March 2012 are shown in Note 35.
Members
Members of the Council have direct control over the Council’s financial and operating policies. Members are also
appointed by the Council to boards or committees of various organisations to act on behalf of the Council in their
official capacities.
The total of Members’ allowances paid in 2011/12 is shown in Note 31.
During 2011/12, works and services to the value of £1,243,328 were commissioned from companies in which four
Members had an interest. This included payments of £917,700 to the Places for People Group for renting
properties under the asylum seekers scheme, providing accommodation for young people leaving care and
providing sheltered accommodation. Also, £200,400 to Bootstraps for supported employment services and
£125,100 to Westholme School in the form of Early Years Nursery Grant. The works or services were entered into
in full compliance with the Council’s standing orders, financial procedure rules and procurement procedure rules.
A further four Members were either employed by or were on the governing body of Blackburn College, to whom
the Council paid £158,500. Most of this was in relation to academic fees for which the Council was liable.
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