Issue - meetings

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Report of the Leader of the Council to provide Cabinet with a performance update, risk and financial health-check towards achieving the strategic priorities detailed within the Corporate Plan and Medium-Term Financial Strategy. The information contained within the report covers performance for the first quarter of the financial year i.e., April to June 2022.  This report was scheduled for consideration by Corporate Scrutiny Committee on 16th August, however the item was deferred to be considered by the committee on 6th September 2022.

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Report of the Leader of the Council to provide the Committee with an overview of Council performance update, risk and financial health-check towards achieving the strategic priorities detailed within the Corporate Plan and Medium-Term Financial Strategy.  The information contained within the report covered performance for the first quarter of the financial year i.e., April to June 2022.  Cabinet would consider the report on 8th September 2022.

The Leader introduced the Report and highlighted to the Committee that:

1.    the Recovery and Reset Programme showed some red and amber.  The Leader reported that given the opportunities available through the Government announcement of the Levelling Up Fund (LUF), the programme had been paused in part whilst the outcome of the Levelling Up Fund bids which had been approved by Council were awaited.  This was because the opportunities available from the Levelling Up Fund could solve some aspects of the Recovery and Reset project. However, this meant that some aspects of the programme were paused until the outcome of the Levelling up fund were known.

2.    In terms of the Corporate Projects Summary there were none with a red project status currently.

3.    The uncertainty on the impact on the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) continued.

The Committee commented and sought clarifications in the following areas:

1.    The Committee requested that the report focussed on red and amber items, rather than recording green items, with deep dives undertaken by the Committee on red items.  The Chair requested that this was fed into the working group on the QPR which was underway.  It was further noted that the working group could consider where the content was included to avoid repetition, at differing levels of detail, and to focus on the key aspects.

2.    Net Zero Carbon project and how the Council aimed to achieve its targets. It was reported that the Baseline Report would require close scrutiny and was due for consideration at the Infrastructure Safety & Growth Scrutiny Committee at the end of September, prior to Cabinet consideration in October. Through that process there would be opportunities to understand what the baseline positions was and what it would mean for the Council and to enable a focus on the costs which would be associated with achieving the targets. 

3.    Whether there had been increased contact from residents, due to the cost of living, which could have impacted on resources within the Council.  It was reported that whilst the report focussed on Quarter 1, there had been an increase in universal claimants of 2.1% at July 2022.

4.    Whether the increased costs (including in terms of energy) had impacted on the Council’s Budget, where it was reported that anticipated impacts and outturns (Allowance for Inflationary Cost pressures) on the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account were recorded of £250,000.

5.    Whether there was an update on the rationalisation of building requirements and utilisation of Marmion House in the Recovery & Reset Programme.  It was reported that the agreement was to pause work until the outcome of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Report of the Leader of the Council to provide the Committee with an overview of Council performance update, risk, and financial health-check towards achieving the strategic priorities detailed within the Corporate Plan and Medium-Term Financial Strategy.  The information contained within the report covers performance for the first quarter of the financial year i.e., April to June 2022.  Cabinet will consider the report on 8th September 2022

The Leader was unavailable to attend to present the report.  The Committee felt they could not scrutinise and endorse the report in the absence of the Leader or Senior officers.  The Committee moved the following motions: