Agenda item

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES

This report presents progress on delivering the Council Delivery Plan for 23-24 at the end of Quarter 3.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

(1)    Noted the progress against Council projects as set out in the Council Delivery Plan (Appendix A) and approves the changes to milestones.

(2)   Agreed the scope of the 24-25 Council Delivery Plan as detailed in paragraphs 8.8-8.10.

(3)   Noted the update on the Local Authority Housing Fund and wished to support round three of the scheme if it could.

(4)   Delegated to the Service Director Housing and Environmental Health and the Service Director Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health and Executive Member for Finance and IT, the final decision on submission of the validation form.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)   The Council Delivery Plan (CDP) monitoring reports provide Overview and Scrutiny and Cabinet with an opportunity to monitor progress against the key Council projects, and understand any new issues, risks or opportunities.

(2)   Making a recommendation on the 24-25 CDP means that the Q1 report will provide the information that the Committee wants. It also helps set the priorities for the Council, as those projects that form part of the CDP will be prioritised.

Audio recording – 49 minutes 59 seconds

The Chair invited Councillor Val Bryant, Vice Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to present the referral on this item. Councillor Bryant advised that the Controls Risk & Performance Manager had attended the last meeting of the Committee and answered many questions by Members. The main points discussed by the Committee were: 

·       From the moderation process the number of projects on the Council Delivery Plan had been reduced from 27 to 11 with a maximum of 14 and there was concern about how to keep an overview of those projects not included.

·       Training needed to be made available to Members on Ideagen/Pentana to enable Members to gain knowledge in these areas.

Councillor Elizabeth Dennis reminded Members that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could request Service Directors to report at Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings on any project they wished to review.

Councillor Ian Albert, Executive Member for Finance and IT, presented the report entitled ‘Council Delivery Plan Q3 Update and Projects for 2024/25’ and advised that:

·       The prioritisation of projects in the Council Delivery Plan had been implemented following a request from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

·       Training on Ideagen/Pentana had been offered in the past to Members of both the Overview and Scrutiny and Finance, Audit and Risk Committees.

·       It was the right way forward to request Service Directors to report on their workplans to get an in-depth analysis.

·       The current position on the projects in the Council Delivery Plan was set out in Appendix A.

·       Round three of Local Authority Housing Fund has been announced and although the Council had not received an allocation at this time, it could still bid for an allocation of any funds that are not taken up.

·       Two additional recommendations were required committing the Council to explore round three of the Local Authority Housing Fund if it could and to delegate authority to relevant Service Directors to make final decision on the submission.

·       The plans for developing performance indicators that would be used next year on the Council Delivery Plan were highlighted in paragraph 8.10 of the report.

Councillor Keith Hoskins provided an update to Members on the Churchgate shopping centre in Hitchin, and advised that:

·       There were two strands to Churchgate, the ongoing maintenance and the regeneration project.

·       Phase 1 f the regeneration has been completed and focused on due diligence.

·       David Leonard, a master planner, had now been appointed and working towards attending the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in May.

Councillor Ian Albert proposed and Councillor Alistair Willoughby seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

(1)    Noted the progress against Council projects as set out in the Council Delivery Plan (Appendix A) and approves the changes to milestones.

(2)   Agreed the scope of the 24-25 Council Delivery Plan as detailed in paragraphs 8.8-8.10.

(3)   Noted the update on the Local Authority Housing Fund and wished to support round three of the scheme if it could.

(4)   Delegated to the Service Director Housing and Environmental Health and the Service Director Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health and Executive Member for Finance and IT, the final decision on submission of the validation form.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)   The Council Delivery Plan (CDP) monitoring reports provide Overview and Scrutiny and Cabinet with an opportunity to monitor progress against the key Council projects, and understand any new issues, risks or opportunities.

(2)   Making a recommendation on the 24-25 CDP means that the Q1 report will provide the information that the Committee wants. It also helps set the priorities for the Council, as those projects that form part of the CDP will be prioritised.