Agenda item

Any Items referred from other committees will be circulated as soon as they are available.

a.         Item referred from Cabinet 23 June 2020 – Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan

 

RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That the Special Reserve be used to fund a small transformation team for a period of 18 months from October 2020, with an estimated total cost of £150k (£50k in 2020/21 and £100k in 2021/22);

 

(2)       That agreeing the specification for, and intended outcomes of, the transformation programme be delegated to the Leader, Deputy Leader, Executive Member for Finance and IT, Managing Director and Service Director Resources;

 

(3)       That training be a requirement for elected Members who wish to take part in the planning process.

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To ensure that the Council responds to the matters identified within the CPC report, ensuring that the benefits of the CPC process are realised.

 

b.         Item referred from Cabinet 23 June 2020 – Revenue Budget Outturn

 

RESOLVED: That the net transfer to earmarked reserves, as identified in table 8, of £2.161million be approved.

 

REASONS FOR DECISION:

 

(1)      Members are able to monitor, make adjustments within the overall budgetary framework and request appropriate action of Services who do not meet the budget targets set as part of the Corporate Business Planning process.

 

(2)      Changes to the Council’s balances are monitored and approved.

 

NB: At 21.01 the meeting was adjourned for a comfort break. The meeting reconvened at 21.06 and the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager undertook a roll call of Members and Officers to ensure that they could hear and be heard.

 

c.         Item referred from Cabinet 23 June 2020 – Investment Strategy (Capital and Treasury) End of Year Review

 

RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That the actual 2019/20 prudential and treasury indicators be approved:

 

(2)       That the annual Treasury Report for 2019/20 be noted.

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS:

 

(1)       Cabinet is required to approve adjustments to the capital programme and ensure the capital programme is fully funded.

 

(2)       To ensure the Council’s continued compliance with CIPFA’s code of practice on Treasury Management and the Local Government Act 2003 and that the Council manages its exposure to interest and capital risk.

a.         Item referred from Cabinet 23 June 2020 – Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan

 

Audio recording – 41 minutes 6 seconds

 

The Leader of the Council presented the referral from Cabinet regarding the Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan.

 

Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb moved the recommendations and Councillor Paul Clark seconded.

 

Councillor David Levett advised that a recommendation from Overview and Scrutiny Committee to Cabinet had been that Planning training be made compulsory for all Members and moved this as a motions. Councillor Claire Strong seconded the motion.

 

The following Members took part in the debate:

 

·                Councillor Judi Billing;

·                Councillor Richard Thake:

·                Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb;

·                Councillor Terry Tyler;

·                Councillor Sam Collins

 

The Service Director - Legal and Community advised that historically it was recognised that there was a role for mandatory training. If Members failed to undertake mandatory training it then became a code of conduct issue.

 

Training undertaken due to sitting on a committee was different to training global membership. It was up to Council to make the decision.

 

Councillor David Levett amended his motion to:

 

That training be a requirement for elected Members who wish to take part in the planning process.

 

Councillor Claire Strong seconded the amended motion.

 

The following Members took part in the debate:

 

·                Councillor Helen Oliver;

·                Councillor Paul Clark;

·                Councillor Michael Weeks;

·                Councillor Ruth Brown;

·                Councillor Ian Mantle;

·                Councillor Claire Strong;

·                Councillor Sam Collins:

 

The Service Director Legal and Community reminded Members that Council was strictly speaking only considering the financial aspects of the report. She advised that the Learning and Development Champions were considering planning training and making a decision could restrict further motions within 6 months.

 

The debate continued with the following Members taking part:

 

·                Councillor Ian Albert;

·                Councillor Kay Tart;

·                Councillor David Barnard;

·                Councillor Kate Aspinwall;

·                Councillor George Davies;

 

The Democratic Services Manager advised that, in her opinion, this should be referred to the Learning and Development Champions to consider.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That the Special Reserve be used to fund a small transformation team for a period of 18 months from October 2020, with an estimated total cost of £150k (£50k in 2020/21 and £100k in 2021/22);

 

(2)       That agreeing the specification for, and intended outcomes of, the transformation programme be delegated to the Leader, Deputy Leader, Executive Member for Finance and IT, Managing Director and Service Director Resources;

 

(3)       That training be a requirement for elected Members who wish to take part in the planning process.

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To ensure that the Council responds to the matters identified within the CPC report, ensuring that the benefits of the CPC process are realised.

 

b.         Item referred from Cabinet 23 June 2020 – Revenue Budget Outturn

 

Audio recording – 1 hour 22 minutes 26 seconds

 

The Executive Member for Finance and IT presented the referral from Cabinet regarding Revenue Budget Outturn.

 

It was moved by Councillor Ian Albert, seconded by Councillor Sam North and:

 

RESOLVED: That the net transfer to earmarked reserves, as identified in table 8, of £2.161million be approved.

 

REASONS FOR DECISION:

 

(1)       Members are able to monitor, make adjustments within the overall budgetary framework and request appropriate action of Services who do not meet the budget targets set as part of the Corporate Business Planning process.

 

(2)       Changes to the Council’s balances are monitored and approved.

 

NB: At 21.01 the meeting was adjourned for a comfort break.

 

The meeting reconvened at 21.06 and the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager undertook a roll call of Members and Officers to ensure that they could hear and be heard.

 

c.         Item referred from Cabinet 23 June 2020 – Investment Strategy (Capital and Treasury) End of Year Review

 

Audio recording – 1 hour 38 minutes 12 seconds

 

The Executive Member for Finance and IT presented the referral from Cabinet regarding Investment Strategy (Capital and Treasury) End of Year Review.

 

The following Members took part in the debate and asked questions:

 

·                Councillor David Levett;

·                Councillor Michael Weeks;

·                Councillor Gerald Morris;

·                Councillor Richard Thake.

 

In response to questions the Executive Member for Finance and IT advised:

 

·                That investments with other Boroughs and Councils would be kept under review.

 

The Service Director - Resources advised:

 

·                Investments with Councils were at zero risk as no Council had failed, but this would be kept under review.

·                That the figures in the report and appendices were correct;

·                That the pie chart in Appendix B – Annual Treasury Management Review showing the spread of investment balances as at 31 March 2020 would be reviewed for accuracy.

 

It was moved by Councillor Ian Albert, seconded by Councillor Sam North and:

 

RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That the actual 2019/20 prudential and treasury indicators be approved:

 

(2)       That the annual Treasury Report for 2019/20 be noted.

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS:

 

(1)       Cabinet is required to approve adjustments to the capital programme and ensure the capital programme is fully funded.

 

(2)       To ensure the Council’s continued compliance with CIPFA’s code of practice on Treasury Management and the Local Government Act 2003 and that the Council manages its exposure to interest and capital risk.