Meeting documents

• (Attachment: 1)Minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd October 2015 be approved as a correct record.

Committee Members: Councillors J. Clarke (substituted by Councillor J. Paul) and R.S. Mantle.

Other Members: Councillor Mrs R. Turner.
 

None.

• (Attachment: 2)Item 4: LGA Peer Review (861K/bytes)

The Committee had before it a report received by the Executive on 12 November 2015 regarding the feedback from the recent Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge. Appended to this report was the Peer Challenge Team’s Feedback Report, setting out their findings and recommendations.

The Committee were pleased to note highly positive nature of the Challenge Team’s findings.

It was noted that the Executive had authorised the Deputy Chief Executive to prepare an action plan setting out how the Council will respond to the recommendations for further improvement made within the report. The Committee noted that the action plan would be fully owned by the Council.

The Committee made the following observations:

• That the Council should continue to explore all potential funding streams, particularly with regard to the delivery of health and wellbeing work, including mental health care;

• That it would be beneficial to produce a ‘compelling narrative of the Council’s sustainable future’, as recommended in the report, prior to the commencement of the Service and Financial Planning process for 2017/18;

• That the Council should continue to work to maximise the performance of all staff, partly through appropriate performance management systems;

• That the Council should ensure that future investment in ICT enables flexible working arrangements for staff, as recommended in the report;

• That the Council should continue to work to optimise its relationship with Raven Housing Trust, in order to protect and support the interests of borough residents;

RESOLVED:

(i) that the report of the recent LGA Corporate Peer Challenge, received by the Executive on 12 November, be noted;

and

(ii) that the observations made by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee be considered in the development of the action plan.
 

• (Attachment: 3)Addendum - Item 5 - Budget Panel Report (2M/bytes)

The Chairman invited Councillor N.D. Harrison, as Chairman of the Budget Scrutiny Review Panel, to introduce the report.

The Committee heard that 92 advance questions had been asked as part of the budget scrutiny process, and that the Panel had thoroughly explored not only the savings and growth proposals for 2016/17 but the full service and financial context in which the budget had been prepared.

Councillor Harrison highlighted the conclusions of the Budget Scrutiny Panel and drew the Committee’s attention to the key risks identified by the Panel. The Panel had concluded that these risks were being closely and well managed. The Panel had overall concluded that the service and financial planning proposals were achievable, realistic and based on sound financial practices and reasonable assumptions.

The Committee discussed the report, with questions and comments made regarding:

• The Harlequin Theatre – the Committee was pleased to note the strong performance of the Harlequin in recent years, particularly in relation to comparative venues;

• Ongoing negotiations with Surrey County Council regarding highways verge maintenance – the Committee commented that residents had a high level of appreciation for the service currently provided by Reigate & Banstead;
 

• The continuing rollout of the recycling service to flats;

• Ongoing work to improve the service offered within the Council’s car parks;

• The growth proposal relating to the Family Support programme, resulting from a change in the allocation of funding by Surrey County Council;

• The potential implications for the Council of announcements made within the recent Comprehensive Spending Review – the Committee noted that the Council was actively seeking further details and would investigate any additional funding streams available.

The Committee expressed its thanks to the Portfolio Holder for Finance, other Members and Officers for their work in preparing the budget proposals and in supporting the Budget Panel process, and thanked the Panel for conducting a thorough scrutiny exercise.

RESOLVED:

(i) that in response to the Service & Financial Planning (Provisional Budget) 2016/17 report, the following comments be submitted for the consideration of the Executive:

a. That the Overview & Scrutiny Committee thanks the Executive Member for Finance, Executive and Officers be thanked for preparing balanced budget proposals for 2016/17;

b. That the Overview & Scrutiny Committee considers the following to be achievable, realistic and based on sound financial practices and reasonable assumptions:
i. The provisional budget proposals for 2016/17 and Medium Term Financial Plan for 2016/17-2020/21;
ii. Savings proposals totalling £1.235m;
iii. Growth proposals totalling £0.625m;
iv. Updated Capital Programme;
v. The creation of a new Income Equalisation revenue reserve.

c. That the Overview & Scrutiny Committee considers the potential impact of the savings and growth proposals on service delivery to be limited;

(ii) that the Executive be asked to note the strengths and risks within the budget proposals, as identified by the Budget Scrutiny Panel and set out in the conclusions of their report;

(iii) that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Budget Scrutiny Review Panel consider any significant future budgetary impacts arising from the action plan developed to respond to the recommendations of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge.
 

• (Attachment: 4)Item 6: Quarterly Performance Report (546K/bytes)

The Executive Member for Finance introduced to the Committee a report that detailed the major variances on performance in relation to the Council's revenue budget, capital budget, Key Service Indicators (KSIs), and risk management for the period up to September 2015. The report also included information about performance against the indicators set out in the 5 Year Plan 2015-20 during the first six months of 2015/16.

The detailed performance information had been placed in the eMembers Room, and the Committee had received no advance questions.

The Committee discussed the report and the advance question received, with further questions and comments made regarding:

• Variances in KSIs relating to Planning – the Committee noted, as it had done previously, that all major Planning applications not determined within 13 weeks had been subject to extensions agreed with the applicant in order to ensure a robust decision, and that all Planning appeal decisions were monitored for any emerging consistency. It was noted that there had been no apparent consistency in the reasons for appeals being allowed by Planning Inspectors. The Committee noted that appeal outcomes would be discussed at the Area Forums in future to help inform Members and Officers;

• Ongoing difficulties in recruitment to Building Control vacancies – it was noted that this was a national trend within the public sector, and that work was in progress to address this through the development of a shared service with Tandridge District Council (who were taking the lead on this project);

• Five Year Plan performance – the Committee noted that there were some areas for further improvement within these success measures.

RESOLVED that:

(i) the performance report be noted; and

(ii) no observations be made to the Executive.
 

• (Attachment: 5)Item 7: Schedule of Meetings 2016-17 (532K/bytes)

The Committee received a report setting out the proposed meeting schedule for the 2016/17 Municipal Year.
The Committee noted that a need for an additional meeting of the Executive on 30 June 2016 had been identified; this was to allow for the Council’s Statement of Accounts to be considered in line with statutory requirements. The Committee supported the addition of this meeting.

It was noted that details of informal meetings would also be made available to all Members. The Overview & Scrutiny Committee suggested that consideration be given to the early scheduling of provisional dates for Member development in 2016/17.

It was noted that the dates provided in Annex 1 for the first week of December 2016 were erroneous and would be corrected.

RESOLVED that:

(i) the draft Schedule of Meetings for 2016/17 be noted; and

(ii) the following comments be made to the Executive:

a. that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee supports the proposal to combine the Council’s Licensing & Regulatory Committees into one committee;
b. that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee recommends the addition of a further Executive meeting on 30 June 2016 to allow for the Statement of Accounts to be considered before the statutory deadline; and
c. that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee suggests that consideration be given to deferring the Planning Committee meeting on 31 August 2016 by one week.
 

It was reported that there were no items arising from the Executive that might be subject to the ‘call-in’ procedure in accordance with the provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

None.