Agenda and minutes

Councillor Jill Rhodes - Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Corporate Services

Councillor Amanda Stott - Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Communications

Councillor Penny Butterill – Visiting Member

Frank Jordan - Executive Director - Place

Jane Burns - Executive Director of Corporate Services

Jan Bakewell - Director of Governance and Compliance

Paul Goodwin - Finance Partnering & Accountancy Manager

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June and 5 September 2019.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2019 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of the existence of a party whip.

There were  no members of the public present who wished to speak.

To consider a report of the Director of Finance & Customer Services. (to follow)

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Finance and Customer Services on the Mid-Year Review of Performance for 2019/20 which outlined how the Council was managing its resources to provide value for money services during the 2019/20 financial year.

The report outlined the budgetary pressures facing the Council and provided an overview of progress towards achievement of the priority outcomes as set out in the Corporate Plan.

At the mid-year position, the Council’s forecast overspend was estimated at £7.5million compared to the 2019/20 Budget.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the content of the report be noted;

(b)  That the following comments be submitted to Cabinet:

·         That in relation to CCTV, the Committee is of the view that the Council should consider making more use of ‘invest to save’ initiatives and would therefore request Cabinet to provide more information as to  how partners such as Town and parish Council’s, the Police and Fire Authorities work with the Council on such matters;

·         That Cabinet be requested to lobby the Government regarding the Government’s ongoing policy review and anticipated Green Paper on Adult Social Care ;

·         That Cabinet be requested to consider how the Council would mitigate against a potential reduction in business rates revenue in the event that changes to national non domestic rates arrangements, as announced by the government recently, are introduced.

To consider a report of the Director of Finance & Customer Services. (to follow)

This matter was withdrawn from the agenda

(a)  To receive an oral update on the best for business programme

.

(b)  To appoint three Members to the joint scrutiny working group.

Councillor Arthur Moran declared a personal  interest in this matter on the grounds that he had been appointed to the Shared Services Committee.

The Acting Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Place gave a presentation on the Best for business programme.

A new programme Director and Programme Manager had been appointed as part following on from the appointment of Ameo to support the re-planning and implementation of the programme.

In terms of Member involvement in the process, meetings of the Shared Services Committee were now being held on a quarterly basis since beginning in August 2019 and the joint scrutiny working group was due to be reconvened following the appointment of representatives of this committee at this meeting

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the presentation be noted;

(b)  That the following members be appointed to the Joint Scrutiny Working Group:

Councillors Paul Findlow, Bryon Evans and Michael Hunter

To note the current forward plan, identify any new items, and to determine whether any further examination of new issues is appropriate.

The Committee considered the current forward plan.

RESOLVED – That the forward plan be received and noted.

To review the work programme.

The Committee reviewed its work programme

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the work programme be noted;

(b)  That Councillor Brookfield, Chair of the Fly tipping working group be requested to liaise with the Scrutiny manager about the scheduling of an update report from the fly tipping working group;

(c)  That arrangements be put in place to hold an additional meeting of this committee in December 2019 to review the financial implications of the proposed change of governance arrangements currently under consideration by the Constitution Committee;

(d)  That Executive Director of Corporate services be requested to seek an update on the progress of the Communications Strategy.