It has been exactly a year since Joanna Killian took up the post of chief executive of Surrey CC - walking into an authority many believed was close to collapse. But despite predictions of its demise - and comparisons with Northamptonshire, Surrey is still standing. When she arrived, Ms Killian commissioned an independent report by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the conclusions were stark - the council faced a cash shortfall of £94m by 2021, and there was no plan B. But it seems there was a plan B, in the shape of Ms Killian and the new team she brought in to turn around the council. While there is a long list of issues the council still needs to address, getting a grip on the money was the top concern. After the CIPFA report in September, Surrey found itself having to find an extra £40m in-year for the 2018/19 budget-just six months into Ms Killian's tenure. The 2019/20 budget had to find a further £ 106m savings without drawing down on reserves. 'It was achievable, but it has been tough,' Ms Killian told The MJ. 'We agreed a financial strategy in November - which is very early. Our planning assumptions were almost spot on - we assumed negative Revenue Support Grant would go away. The issue now is about being absolutely focused about delivering stretched targets.'
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