Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor T Jay and Councillor P Standen

The minutes of the meeting held on 14th November 2018 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor S Peaple and seconded by Councillor M Summers)

There were no Declarations of Interest.

RESOLVED under Procedure Rule 9.1.3 that the agenda item on the Quarter 3 Performance Report 2018/19 be brought forward to item 53.

(Moved by Councillor J Oates and seconded by Councillor Dr S Peaple).

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

The Leader of the Council provided the Corporate Scrutiny Committee with a performance and financial health-check.  The report would be considered by Cabinet on 21st February 2019.  The Leader invited questions from the Committee.

The Committee discussed the following areas and requested further clarifications as set out below:

·         The underspend recorded in the General Fund in respect of the Assistant Director Finance and Assistant Director Assets.  It was reported that work continued regularly in all areas to identify underspends and non-budgeted income and in order to address clarifications sought on the Q2 Quarterly Performance Report an additional table had been introduced to the Q3 Report to record significant variances.  This table highlighted that non-budgeted income derived from additional lease income, fees and charges income, grant income, GBSLEP returned levy, and additional interest.

·         Corporate Scrutiny Committee noted that changes had been made to the report to reflect previous comments raised by the Committee and thanked the Knowledge and Performance Manager;

·         Clarification be circulated to members of the Committee on the reasons for the housing evictions recorded in the Q3 Report;

·         The impact of Universal Credit on the rent arrears figures for Council tenants and the costs of the transition arrangements implemented to support the transition and the extent to which any arrears would impact the Council’s funds to maintain its housing stock;

·         Clarification to be circulated to members of the Committee on how the Discretionary Housing Payments were being utilised, and whether there was any linkage to size and occupation of housing stock;

The Leader of the Council and the Knowledge and Performance Manager left the meeting.

Actions from 14^th November 2018 Corporate Scrutiny Meeting:

·         Customer Portal;

·         Quarter 2 Performance Report 2018/19

The Chair reported and the Committee agreed that members of the Committee had received written updates on the following matters which were raised at the 14 November 2018 meeting:

·         the Customer Portal;

·         Quarter 2 Performance Report 2018/19.

Update on responses received to Reports of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee:

·         Festive Ward Grants Recommendations;

·         Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy

The Chair reported to the Committee on the recommendations of this Committee which were made to Cabinet at its meeting on 29 November 2018:

·         Festive Ward Grants Scheme – Cabinet considered and agreed the Committee’s recommendations, in particular to ensure that there was sufficient flexibility in the scheme to enable small groups to access grants.  It was further reported that a briefing note from the Partnership Funding Officer on the outcome of the 2018 scheme would be circulated to members for information;

·         Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy – Cabinet agreed to investigate the establishment of a self-financing inspection scheme to regulate HMOs.

(Discussion item)

None.

(Discussion item – link to Forward Plan is attached)

http://democracy.tamworth.gov.uk/mgListPlanItems.aspx?PlanId=218&RP=120

The Committee considered the Forward Plan for 2018/19.

(To receive an update)

The Chair introduced the Assistant Director, Growth and Regeneration and the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance who had been invited to attend the meeting to provide an update on the Town Centre Strategy and on Town Centre Assets.

The Assistant Director Growth and Regeneration reported that in November 2018 Cabinet approved the production of a Town Centre Strategy and a programme management approach to the delivery of town centre activities and projects and a budget associated with that.

It was reported that certain projects were already underway, such as in the Enterprise Quarter with the Tamworth Assembly Rooms and at the Castle.  It was further reported that new projects were starting to go through the project management approach, with Executive Leadership Team management and Scrutiny Committee oversight.

The Assistant Director, Growth and Regeneration reported that consultation was underway on a Design Supplementary Planning Document.  This document would provide design guidance to those who would be considering activity which would result in physical change within the built environment.

Engagement activity on the development of the town centre had started with a video from the Leader of the Council which had reached more than 15000 people on Facebook. 

Councillor Ford joined the meeting.

The Committee discussed and sought clarifications in the following areas:

·         In terms of the consultation on the town centre regeneration, as well as promotion via Facebook there activity on other social media platforms, and there was also an article in the Tamworth Herald.  The intention was to direct consultation traffic to the Tamworth Borough website and the area where members of the public could share their ideas;

·         The level of engagement on the more technical consultation on the Design Supplementary Planning Document;

·         It was reported that currently desktop work only was underway on the Gungate project and the Council was not yet ready to consult externally on this project.  It was expected that a report on progress made with the desktop assessment, and what the opportunities could be, would be available in June 2019.

The Committee thanked the Assistant Director, Regeneration and Growth for his update, who then left the meeting.

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance provided an update on the Council’s assets in the town centre and the asset management strategy and the financial capital asset strategy.  It was reported that currently work was underway to assess the Council owned assets in the town centre and how these related to our wider financial strategies.  At the moment work in this area was in development and at a planning phase, and it would not be until later in the year that there would be sufficient information available on which to make some decisions.

It was reported that work would be undertaken to look at all Council owned assets individually, and as a wider overall picture for the authority.  Some work had already been undertaken on vacant properties and options.  Once there was an overall picture of the state of all assets and the opportunities available for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

(Report of the Executive Director, Organisation)

The Report of the Executive Director, Organisation and Assistant Director, Operations and Leisure in respect of the Assembly Rooms project was considered by the Committee.

The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Finance left the meeting.

(Updates from each sub-group:

·         IT

·         Induction

·         Ongoing)

The Chair tabled a report on the Member Support Working Group which included recommendations from one of the three sub-groups which comprised this Working Group.

It was reported that the member induction sub-group had concluded its work and that it proposed that the following recommendations be made to Cabinet:

1. At signing of the declaration newly elected and returning members will receive an up dated list of officers and details of their responsibilities.
2. At the earliest opportunity post local election existing members will receive an up dated list of officers and details of their responsibilities
3. At signing of the declaration newly elected and returning members will receive  “First point” of contact details
4. At the earliest opportunity post local election existing members will receive  “First point” of contact details
5. Contact details of officers and information how and who to escalate issues with will be circulated to all members in full at the start of the municipal year.
6. Updates from cabinet members and senior officers highlighting key projects of the year, risks and challenges against their corporate plans will be presented to all members at the earliest opportunity post the Council’s AGM
7. Where scrutiny receives reports, papers must be updated with the latest information. Including cabinet papers as appendices.
8. the supply of paper to members be removed from the constitution and printed copies of reports to be administered on a case by case assessment.

It was reported that the remaining two sub-groups; on ICT support to members and Information exchange with members were ongoing.

RESOLVED that the following recommendations from Corporate Scrutiny Committee be made to Cabinet:

1.    At signing of the declaration newly elected and returning members would receive an up dated list of officers and details of their responsibilities.

2.    At the earliest opportunity post local election existing members would receive an up dated list of officers and details of their responsibilities.

3.    At signing of the declaration newly elected and returning members would receive  “First point” of contact details.

4.    At the earliest opportunity post local election existing members would receive  “First point” of contact details.

5.    Contact details of officers and information how and who to escalate issues with would be circulated to all members in full at the start of the municipal year.

6.    Updates from cabinet members and senior officers highlighting key projects of the year, risks and challenges against their corporate plans would be presented to all members at the earliest opportunity post the Council’s AGM.

7.    Where scrutiny receives reports, papers must be updated with the latest information. Including cabinet papers as appendices.

8.    the supply of paper to members be removed from the constitution and printed copies of reports to be administered on a case by case assessment.

(Moved by Councillor J Oates and seconded by Councillor Dr S Peaple)

(Update from Working Group)

The Chair reported that work remained ongoing within this Working Group.  It was reported that the working group did not consider that live webcasting would be supported on a financial basis.

(Update and discussion on the Corporate Scrutiny Committee Work Plan)

The Committee considered the Work Plan and agreed the amended Work Plan as follows:

Corporate Scrutiny Work Plan