**A pre meeting for Members to prepare for the Panel will take place 45 minutes before the meeting**
The Press and Public are welcome to attend for the consideration of any items which are public.
Councillor Bainbridge (Chair) , Councillors Alcroft (Vice Chair), Allison, Mrs Bowman, Mrs Mitchell, Mitchelson, Sunter, Dr Tickner
Substitutes: Councillors Mrs Atkinson, Mrs Birks, Brown, Collier, Ms Ellis-Williams, Mrs Finlayson, Mrs Glendinning, Glover, Lishman, Mrs McKerrell, Meller, Morton, Patrick, Robson, Shepherd, Miss Sherriff, Southward, Mrs Tarbitt, Miss Whalen.
To consider any matter which has been the subject of call-in.
Portfolio:
Finance, Governance and Resources
Directorate:
Finance and Resources
To consider the Executive’s response to the first round of Budget Scrutiny from their special meeting held on 13 December 2021. (Copy Minutes herewith)
The Executive's draft Budget proposals 2022/23 which had been issued for consultation purposes were submitted for scrutiny by the Panel. The budget proposals were based on detailed proposals that had been considered by the Executive over the course of the last few months. In particular the reports of the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources which had been discussed at the Executive meeting on 13 December 2021. The Corporate Director of Finance and Resources detailed a number of updates to the budget documents including the incorporation of recommendations from Scrutiny to freeze the City Council portion of Council Tax for 2022/23, freeze the first hour of car park charges and the review of the Talk Tarn car parking permits. She highlighted areas of reprofiling as well as outstanding items which would be incorporated into the budget for 19 January 2022 Executive meeting if available. In considering the draft Budget proposals, Members raised the following questions and comments:
- Members noted the vacant properties within the Lanes and asked if the Council was liable for unpaid Business Rates and any losses that the Lanes may experience. The Corporate Director of Finance and Resources agreed to provide the Panel with a written response. - A Member highlighted the borrowing requirements in the report and asked if the Council would have to borrow the £1.6million required for the Local Government Reorganisation. The Corporate Director of Finance and Resources confirmed that there was no additional borrowing requirement for the £1.6million, it would be funded from the Operational Risk Reserve. She acknowledged that there was a significant borrowing requirement for the capital programme due to a lack of available capital grants. It was prudent to budget for the maximum requirement, however reviews of spending profiles and the cash position may reduce the actual borrowing required. - A Member asked for clarity on the savings position. The Corporate Director of Finance and Resources explained that the savings requirement had not increased and remained at £2million. It had been possible to reprofile the amount and meet some savings on a non recurring basis but the saving requirement had moved to 2023/24. There was a savings strategy in place and the Council would continue to look for the savings to either achieve in 2022/23 or to inform the new authority. - The saving strategy included service reviews which reviewed services not in line within the Councils core priorities or which were not statutory. How confident was the budget that it would not impact on the services offered to residents? The Corporate Director of Finance and Resources highlighted previous work which had been undertaken to identify savings which did not impact on service provision, however, this work would need to be reviewed and updated. She clarified that this budget was based on the current service provision with no cuts to services. All budget pressures and savings had been identified by budget holders and Directors who knew if proposed savings would impact services. She reminded the Panel that £9million in savings had been achieved since 2010/11 without stopping any services. - What did the Rural Services Grant cover? The Corporate Director of Finance and Resources agreed to provide a written response. - Had the cost of additional electric vehicle charging points been factored into the budget for the replacement of Council refuse vehicles with electric vehicles? The Corporate Director of Finance and Resources reminded the Panel that the Council could not currently replace their refuse vehicles with electric vehicles as there were no suitable options available. When it became a viable option additional electric charging points would be considered as a separate budget report which would set out all the funding options for the authority. A Member commented that the replacement of electric vehicle batteries would also need to be considered as they could not be recycled. The Finance, Governance and Resources Portfolio Holder responded that the lifetime of a battery would outweigh the time that a refuse vehicle would be in use with the authority as they were replaced regularly. RESOLVED - That Corporate Director of Finance and Resources provided the Panel with a written response to the following: - Was the Council was liable for unpaid Business Rates and any losses that the Lanes may experience. - What the Rural Services Grants covered.
Report:
RD.52/21 herewith and Minute Excerpt to follow
Officer:
Alison Taylor, Corporate Director of Finance and Resources
RD.55/21 herewith and Minute Excerpt to follow
Background:
The Budget Update Reports are submitted for information.
Why are these items on the agenda?
Annual scrutiny as part of the Budget process.
What is the Panel being asked to do?
Scrutinise the reports and provide feedback to the Executive.
RD.53/21 herewith and Minute Excerpt to follow
The Corporate Director of Finance and Resources to submit a report setting out the Council’s draft Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2022/23, in accordance with the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management. The Investment Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Strategy for 2022/23 are also incorporated as part of the Statement. So too are the Prudential Indicators as required within the Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities.
Why are is this item on the agenda?
Scrutinise the report and provide feedback to the Executive.
Cross Cutting
Rowan Jones, Overview and Scrutiny Officer
OS.01/22 herewith
The Deputy Chief Executive to submit a report summarising the work of the Future Scrutiny Task and Finish Group and sets out its findings for BTSP to consider and make recommendations on.
Why is this item on the agenda?
The Task and Finish Group was established following a BTSP resolution at their meeting on 15th July 2021. This item reports on the recommendations of this Task and Finish Group.
What is the Panel being asked to do? Consider the report and consider acting on the recommendation in it that the Monitoring Officer makes changes to the Constitution based on the recommendations and the Task and Finish Group.
The Overview and Scrutiny Officer submitted report OS.01/22 which summarised the work of the Future Scrutiny Task and Finish Group and set out its findings for the Panel to consider. The Task and Finish Group had been established by the Panel to reconsider Scrutiny arrangements within the Council. The Task and Finish Group proposed a two Panel structure, with a "Place Panel" and a "People Panel". The structure included an ad-hoc "Resources Panel" that would be serviced by Members of the Place and People Panels and would consider budget matters. The Panels would continue to be made up of 8 Members and the People and Place Panels would meet 8 times a year. The Corporate Director of Governance and Regulatory Services had not been involved in the work of the Task Group, however, he indicated that the proposed change to the Panels would be relatively straightforward. He clarified that the Panel could not stipulate the Membership of the new Resources Panel. As a formal committee of the Council the Panel would be subject to the same proportionality rules as the other Panels and the seat allocations were a matter for each Group.
The Panel debated the proposals. Some Members felt it was not the appropriate time to create additional work for Members or Officers. The impact of the Local Government Reorganisation was unknown but he felt that two Panel may struggle to keep up with the workload. Some Members spoke in support of the proposals. A change to Scrutiny had been discussed for many years, the proposals gave clear direction for the responsibility of the new Panels and reduced duplication of work.
The Corporate Director of Governance and Regulatory Services commented that, although the changes to the Panels would be a relatively straightforward process, he felt it was a misplaced use of resources given that the City Council would only be operational for a further 18 months. The proposed changes retained three Panels, each with 8 Members and a slightly reduced number of meetings. He clarified that, if the Panel supported the recommendations of the Task Group, they would be recommending that he, as Monitoring Officer, write a report to Council making recommendations to change the Scrutiny arrangements. The recommendation he would make to Council would differ from the Task and Finish Group recommendations as the membership of the new Resources Panel could not stipulated.
Following voting it was RESOLVED - That the Monitoring Officer be recommended to make changes to the Carlisle City Council Constitution that would allow Scrutiny to move to a two scrutiny Panel arrangements, as outlined in the proposals set out in report OS.01/22.
OS.02/22 herewith
To consider a report providing an overview of matters related to the work of the Business and Transformation Scrutiny Panel.
The Business and Transformation Scrutiny Panel operates within a work plan which has been set for the 2021/22 municipal year. The Plan will be reviewed at every meeting so that it can be adjusted to reflect the wishes of the Panel and take into account items relevant to this Panel in the latest Notice of Executive Key Decisions.
What is the Panel being asked to do? Note the items within Panel remit on the most recent Notice of Executive Key Decisions Note the current work programme
***This report is not for publication by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 3 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) .***
Corporate Support
Jason Gooding, Town Clerk and Chief Executive
David Strong, Service Desk Manager
Martine Kelly, Applications and Development Manager
CE.11/21 herewith
The Town Clerk and Chief Executive to submit an up-to-date snapshot of the current status of the ICT Services projects. Recent project activity; RAG rating; issues and emerging risks; key activities for the next period and requests for change have all been updated.
The Panel requested a three monthly update at their meeting on 1 April 2021 (BTSP.29/21 refers)
Scrutinise and comment on the most recent summary of these projects, and the actions being taken to support projects with issues. Appendix One is a summary of the standalone IT projects and their current status.
Enquiries, requests for reports, background papers etc to: committeeservices@carlisle.gov.uk