Decisions

It was RESOLVED:

1.         That, under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 to 7 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by SI 2006 No. 88.

2.         That, having considered the reasons for the following items being in Part II, it be determined that maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

None.

The Executive accepted the reasons why capital bid C59 (Improving the environmental credentials of the build at the Kenilworth Close scheme) had not been recommended for inclusion the Capital Strategy for 2020/21.  However, the Leader requested that, should there be a financial overachievement of land and asset sales during the year, then priority should be given to some of this income being earmarked for improvement of the environmental credentials of the build at the Kenilworth Close scheme.

It was RESOLVED:

1.         That the draft 2020/21 General Fund Capital Programme, as detailed in Appendix C to the report, be approved for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

2.         That the draft 2020/21 HRA Capital Programme, as detailed in Appendix D to the report, be approved for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

3.         That the updated forecast of resources, as summarised in Appendix C (General Fund) and Appendix D (HRA) to the report, be approved.

4.         That the Council’s investment strategy for non-treasury assets (Section 3.2 of the report) be approved for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

5.         That the approach to resourcing the General Fund Capital Programme, as outlined in the report, be approved.

6.         That the actions required to ensure the General Fund programme is funded, as outlined in Paragraphs 4.9.5 - 4.9.8 of the report, be noted.

7.         That the approach and progress on Locality Reviews be noted.

8.         That the growth bids identified for inclusion in the Capital Strategy (Appendix A to the report) be approved.

9.         That the return of Right to Buy one for one receipts, as outlined in Section 4.14 of the report, be noted.

10.      That the 2020/21 de-minimis expenditure limit (Section 4.15 of the report) be approved for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

11.      That the 2020/21 contingency allowance (Section 4.16 of the report) be approved for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

12.      That the work undertaken by Leader’s Financial Security Group (LFSG) on behalf of the Executive in reviewing and challenging the General Fund Capital Strategy be noted.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

It was noted that Paragraph 5.5.1 would be amended in the final General Fund report to refer to the Council’s resolution to work towards a target of achieving next zero emissions by 2030 (as opposed to 2050 quoted in the report).

The Leader commended officers for the inclusion of Appendix B to the report, which set out the potential General Fund risk areas.  In this regard, she asked officers to arrange an All-Member seminar on Financial Risks, to ensure that Members were fully aware of the challenging General Fund position going forward.

It was agreed that Executive and Overview & Scrutiny Committee Members be requested to retain their copies of the appendices to the report for their meetings on 12 February 2012 and 17 February 2012, respectively.

The Executive agreed to an additional recommendation amending growth options G20 and G21 relating to the cost of managing the allotments for one year only (£22,000 full year cost) and implementing increased allotment charges from 1 October 2020 and not 1 April 2021, as included in the report.

It was RESOLVED:

1.         That the 2019/20 revised net expenditure on the General Fund of £9,664,250 be approved.

2.         That a draft General Fund Budget for 2020/21 of £9,136,430 be proposed for consultation purposes, with a contribution from balances of £150,401 and a Band D Council Tax of £215.57 (assuming a 2.37% increase).

3.         That the updated position on the General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), as shown at Appendix A to the report, and the Risk Assessments of General Fund Balances, as shown at Appendix B to the report, be approved.

4.         That a minimum level of General Fund reserves of £2,920,935, in line with the 2020/21 risk assessment of balances, as shown at Appendix B to the report, be approved.

5.         That the contingency sum of £400,000 within which the Executive can approve supplementary estimates, be approved for 2020/21 (unchanged from 2019/20).

6.         That the 2020/21 proposed Fees and Charges increase of £117,490 (Appendix D to the report) be noted and included in the draft budget.

7.         That the 2020/21 proposed Financial Security Options of £864,644 (Appendix C to the report and including fees and charges detailed in Appendix D) be included in the draft budget for consideration by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

8.         That the approval of the level of business rates (NNDR1) for 2020/21 be delegated to the Assistant Director (Finance and Estates), following consultation with the Resources Portfolio Holder (Paragraph 4.6.8 of the report refers).

9.         That 2020/21 business rate gains totalling £1.105Million above the baseline need be allocated, as set out in Paragraph 4.6.7 of the report.

10.      That the 2020/21 Council Tax Support scheme be approved, as set out in Section 4.8 to the report.

11.      That New Homes Bonus of £30,000 be transferred to the reserve to fund future potential shortfalls in funding (Paragraph 4.4.4 of the report refers).

12.      That the revised Financial Security targets for the General Fund, as set out in Paragraphs 4.11.1 - 4.11.2 of the report, be approved.

13.      That growth options G20 and G21 relating to the cost of managing the allotments for one year only (£22,000 full year cost) be amended, in order to implement increased allotment charges from 1 October 2020 and not 1 April 2021, as included in the report.

14.      That the decisions taken on Resolutions 1 – 13 above be referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration, in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Rules in the Council’s Constitution.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

The Assistant Director (Housing and Investment) was requested to submit a report to the Executive in the Autumn of 2020 in respect of the outcome of Housing Service Charges Review to be conducted in the Summer, prior to the charges being built into the 2021/22 Housing Revenue Account Budget.

The Executive noted that the discount level for Right to Buy properties had virtually doubled over the past few years, thereby increasing the difficulty for Local Authorities to build new properties funded from capital receipts.

The Executive supported an additional recommendation requesting officers to write to the Secretary of State (MHCLG) to request that new build right to buy receipts that are projected to be returned in the last quarter of 2019/20 (estimated at £790,000) are not returned to the Government, but used to increase funding for the Council’s ambitious house building programme, such as Kenilworth or other pipeline programmes.

It was RESOLVED:

1.         That HRA dwellings be increased, week commencing 1 April 2020, by 2.7% an average increase of £2.56 for social rents £4.17 for affordable rents and £3.16 for Low Start Shared Ownership homes per week. This has been calculated using the rent formula, CPI +1% in line with the Government’s rent policy as set out in Paragraph 4.1.1. of the report.

2.         That the rent policy update to reflect the rent increase guidance of CPI+1%, (revised from a minus 1% rent reduction excluding LSSO properties) agreed at the December 2020 Executive, be confirmed.

3.         That Council be recommended to approve the 2020/21 HRA budget, as set out in Appendix A to the report.

4.         That the revised 2019/20 HRA budget, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be approved.

5.         That Council be recommended to approve the HRA Fees and Charges, as outlined in Appendix C to the report.

6.         That Council be recommended to approve the 2020/21 service charges.

7.         That Council be recommended to approve the minimum level of reserves for 2020/21, as shown in Appendix E to the report.

8.         That the contingency sum of £250,000 within which the Executive can approve supplementary estimates, be approved for 2020/21 (unchanged from 2019/20).

9.         That Council be requested to note the comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as set out in the report.

10.      That officers write to the Secretary of State (MHCLG) to request that new build right to buy receipts that are projected to be returned in the last quarter of 2019/20 (estimated at £790,000) are not returned to the Government, but used to increase funding for the Council’s ambitious house building programme, such as Kenilworth or other pipeline programmes.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

The Leader asked Officers to put on hold any future All-Member Seminar on Community Wealth Building, pending the outcome of the Main Debate on this matter at the Council meeting on 29 January 2020.

In respect of the level of charges in the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule, the Leader commented that it would be possible to review the level of charges in 12 months’ time.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 18 December 2019 be noted.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 16 December 2019 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Rob Broom.

There were no declarations of interest.

None.

None.

Not required.

None.

 The Committee considered the notes from the summary of the CfPS Symposium on the Statutory Scrutiny Guidance.

The committee considered the guidance relating to the appointment of scrutiny chairs in particular the appointment being made by non-executive members only or by secret ballot. Members noted that the Guidance recommended that each authority should consider selecting their Chairs by secret ballot, but reiterated that this was ultimately a matter for each authority to decide.

It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The meeting considered the responses received from the County Council and 2 District Authorities regarding a short survey about their response to the Statutory Scrutiny Guidance and the way scrutiny was conducted in their authority.

Members agreed that the Scrutiny Officer should include an agenda item for all meetings incorporating an action plan to enable members to monitor outcomes or scrutiny recommendations made previously.

The possibility of appointing opposition members as chairs of scrutiny was discussed although it was agreed that the importance of those Chairs having the necessary skills, commitment and knowledge was of more importance. It was agreed that the feedback was not clear on way other authorities undertook pre-scrutiny work.

Officers agreed to circulate to Members the original report establishing the Portfolio Holder Advisory Groups.

A number of Members were interested in a scrutiny review of those authorities who had returned to the pre-2000 committee system and how it was working within those Councils.

It was RESOLVED that the responses be noted.

The Committee considered possible recommendations for the review derived from the self-evaluation scoring matrix comments.

The following recommendations were agreed:

Work Programming:

(i)            Use the Customer Service Centre & Satisfaction Surveys data as a source to generate local issues to scrutinise;

(ii)          Work with Scrutiny Members to capture their ideas – possibly with a one day event to gather ideas rather than relying on the current survey;

(iii)         Address the problem of the lag in the system – describe as a rolling work programme that items can drop off and be added to during the year but still be published in the spring

(iv)         The process must be Member led with Scrutiny Members having the last word on subjects to scrutinise

(v)          The Communications Team should be asked to advise on what is trending on social media.

Scoping:

(i)           That prior to a review starting, a short introductory background presentation detailing the issues around the scrutiny be brought to Members, this would help all Members but especially new Councillors who may not be familiar with the issues and process

(ii)          An updated scoping document identifying the changes, should be provided at strategic points during a review, reflecting on any changes of focus or additions and what has been achieved so far

(iii)         That all Scrutiny Members be given the chance to comment on the scope

Evidence Gathering/site visits/interviews:

(i)            Promote ways to engage more with the public in the evidence gathering process

(ii)          Provide a range of options including some evenings for Member site visits

(iii)         Provide opportunities to engage with all Scrutiny Members on a Committee and acknowledge Members who take a lead role in a specific issue the review.

Final Reports and recommendations

(i)            Review final reports should incorporate fewer, SMART, recommendations relevant to the objective of the Scrutiny, to maintain the review’s impact (where possible these could be grouped together)

(ii)          That a process be drawn together to invite comment from all Scrutiny Members regarding the final report and recommendations – (possibly an item on an agenda with draft recommendations for comment and amendment prior to the publishing of the final report)

Monitoring Recommendations:

(i)            That officers are expected to adopt recommendations that are in scrutiny reports once agreed with the relevant Portfolio Holder, but that this should be acknowledged in responses and not passed off as being current practise when it is actually in response to the review.

(ii)          Executive responses should be displayed prominently on the Council’s web site (in addition to just being published with an agenda on the web site).

(iii)         Following a review the loop should be closed by providing feedback to

witnesses and with any tenants or members of the public who have contributed via a satisfaction survey.

Additional Recommendations:

(i)            That an action tracker be reported to each Committee meeting to enable the monitoring of outcomes and recommendations from previous reviews;

(ii)          That the Portfolio Holder Advisory Groups be Chaired by Scrutiny Members as a Pre Scrutiny Advisory Group, which could include the Executive Portfolio Holder as a key contributor answering questions along with the relevant Assistant Director, prior to the Policy being considered at the Executive.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 11 November 2019 be noted subject to Councillor Margaret Notley being added to the attendance for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Michelle Gardner.

There were no declarations of interest.