Statement of Accounts 2019-20 Norfolk County Council Statement of Accounts 2019-20 Contents Narrative Report .............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Statement of Responsibilities ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of Norfolk County Council ................................................................... 15 Comprehensive Income and Expenditure Statement ................................................................................................... 19 Movement in Reserves Statement ................................................................................................................................ 20 Balance Sheet ............................................................................................................................................................... 21 Cash Flow Statement.................................................................................................................................................... 22 Notes to the Financial Statements ................................................................................................................................ 23 Norfolk Fire-Fighters Pension Fund Accounts ............................................................................................................ 104 Notes to the Norfolk Fire-Fighters Pension Fund Accounts ....................................................................................... 105 Group Accounts .......................................................................................................................................................... 106 Group Comprehensive Income and Expenditure Statement ...................................................................................... 111 Group Movement in Reserves Statement................................................................................................................... 112 Group Balance Sheet.................................................................................................................................................. 113 Group Cash Flow Statement ...................................................................................................................................... 114 Notes to the Group Accounts ...................................................................................................................................... 115 Norfolk Pension Fund Accounts ................................................................................................................................. 130 Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of Norfolk County Council ................................................................. 131 Revenue and Fund Account ....................................................................................................................................... 134 Net Assets Statement ................................................................................................................................................. 135 Notes to the Pension Fund Accounts ......................................................................................................................... 136 Glossary of Terms ....................................................................................................................................................... 197 Contents 1 Norfolk County Council Statement of Accounts 2019-20 Narrative Report a) About Norfolk County Council Norfolk County Council is a shire county covering the whole of Norfolk. The county covers a large area of around 550,000 hectares and is home to approximately 900,000 residents. Norfolk has several diverse economies, found within rural, urban and coastal environments. The county council, seven district/borough councils and many town and parish councils deliver local government services in Norfolk. Norfolk County Council has 84 elected members each standing for an electoral division of up to 10,000 voters. Every four years the people of each division elect one councillor. The most recent election took place in May 2017 and resulted in a Conservative majority. In May 2019 the Council adopted a new system of governance, with an executive leader and cabinet decision- making system. As well as the Cabinet, there is a Scrutiny Committee, three select committees, and several specialist committees, panels and working groups. The Council’s operational structure is based on Executive Directors, reporting to the Head of Paid Service. The directors lead the following five departments: • Adult Social Services • Children’s Services • Communities and Environment Services • Strategy and Governance Services • Finance and Commercial Services. b) Councils Performance 2019-20 The Council expresses its vision as follows: “We care about Norfolk and its people, and are ambitious for them. We want to help make Norfolk to be the best it can, where people can live productive, independent lives, safely and in good health, for as long as they can. The Council will play a leading role in ensuring that Norfolk has a growing economy, thriving people and strong communities.” This section gives examples of progress against these three key themes. Growing our economy Sustainable housing Repton Property Developments Limited, a company set up by Norfolk County Council, is working with external partners in the development of several sites across Norfolk, which will see over 400 new homes. The first of the sites to get full planning permission is St Edmund’s Park in Acle. Skills for now and for the future The “Invest East” programme has been rolled out with dedicated staff co-located with the Local Enterprise Partnership at the NRP. 56 companies have ben assisted for the calendar year 2019 against a target of 53, and 27 companies reported an employment increase (target 20). Hethel Innovation Limited, a company wholly owned by the Council has implemented a successful Breakthrough project which supported delivery of 30 new jobs in its first year of support. The same project supported 22 new business start-ups. 2 Narrative Report Norfolk County Council Statement of Accounts 2019-20 We continue the vital work to promote careers in Norfolk particularly in the emerging sector growth areas as well as opportunities at all levels and for all people who want to work. With the implementation of a new Information, Advice and Guidance Strategy, the Council has created a branded ‘Let’s have a conversation’ guidance approach, which helps the service to get to know our learners better. Adult Learning currently supports employers of various sizes across Norfolk from micro-organisations through to large national organisations such as the NHS. Currently we have approximately 170 apprentices on programme primarily in the business and education sectors, plus a further 22, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service’s (NFRS) Operational Fire Fighter Apprentices. Good connectivity In the past year, the Council has secured £2m investment from the Department for Rural Affairs (DEFRA), to enable Full Fibre connections to around 400 Norfolk rural businesses which meet the criteria. Implementation will take place as part of the forthcoming third Better Broadband for Norfolk rollout, with the DEFRA element expected to complete in 2021. When the first Better Broadband for Norfolk rollout began in summer 2013, the lowest level of coverage was in the North Norfolk District Council area at 11%, with South Norfolk not far ahead on 14%. Norwich had 95% coverage at that time, and the figure across Norfolk was 42%. We have now met our target to deliver 95% broadband coverage by the end March 2020. Strong infrastructure A Refresh of the Local Transport Plan is being undertaken. Consultation took place during January and February 2020. Carbon reduction is key policy driver following the Council’s adoption of its Environmental Policies in November 2019. Thriving People Education for every ambition Improving educational outcomes for all children The quality of education in Norfolk as judged by Ofsted, is now in line with national averages. At the end of January 2020, 85% of primary schools were judged Good by Ofsted, just under the national average. 77% of Norfolk’s secondary schools were judged Good, which is above the national average. All but one of our complex needs schools are judged to be good, and 50% are outstanding, well above the national average of 38%. Outcomes for Norfolk’s learners are continuing to improve and are in line with national averages in early years (age 5) and at secondary (age 16). However, outcomes at primary (age 11) remain below national averages and we continue to work with schools so that more pupils reach the expected standards and effectively intervene in local authority maintained schools where outcomes, inclusivity or safety do not meet our expectations. Our support for schools to be more inclusive is proving successful. The number of pupils permanently excluded in Autumn 2019 was the lowest recorded in this period over the past three years. The transformation of support for schools to meet additional needs at SEN support is also making good progress. We are currently on track with our plans to open two of the three new special schools in 2021: a school for Social Emotional