Decisions

None.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That under Section 100A 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 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.     That the reasons for the following reports being in Part II were accepted, and that the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

None.

The Executive considered a report in respect of the 2022/23 Mid Year Treasury Management Review and Prudential Indicators.

In reply to a question from the Leader regarding local authority borrowing, the Strategic Director (CF) explained that of the £291M figure for SBC borrowing, 71% of that figure related to the financing deal that the Council entered into to buy back its housing stock from the Government.  All four Hertfordshire District/Borough Councils with their own housing stocks had significant levels of borrowing.  A further 19% of the SBC borrowing figure related to investment in the Council’s housing stock, including the Housing Development programme for the provision of brand new Council homes.  90% of the overall borrowing debt related to the Housing Revenue Account, with 2% (£6 Million) for Regeneration projects.

It was RESOLVED that the 2022/23 Mid Year Treasury Management Review and Prudential Indicators be recommended to Council for approval.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

The Executive considered a report in respect of Second Quarter Revenue Budget monitoring 2022/23 for the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

The Portfolio Holder for Environment & Climate Change referred to the climate change implications set out at Paragraph 5.6 of the report, and stressed the point that in the long run climate change mitigation projects and initiatives would reduce energy and other budget costs.

In reply to a question from the Leader, the Strategic Director (RP) confirmed that the underspend in Street scene salaries was due to staff recruitment and retention challenges following a recent restructuring of the service.

It was RESOLVED:

General Fund

1.          That the 2022/23 2nd Quarter projected net decrease in General Fund expenditure of £199,920 be approved.

2.          That it be noted the cumulative changes made to the General Fund net budget remains within the £400,000 increase variation limit delegated to the Executive.

Housing Revenue Account

3.          That the 2022/23 2nd Quarter projected net decrease in HRA expenditure of £263,300 be approved.

4.          That it be noted the cumulative increases made to the HRA net budget remains within the £250,000 increase variation limit delegated to the Executive.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

In respect of the Community Select Committee’s review of Void properties, the Leader referred to the serious Coroner’s case of a two-year old in Rochdale who had died from a severe respiratory condition as a result of the damp and mould in the social housing property in which he lived.  As the Community Select Committee had carried out a review of damp and mould in SBC-owned properties in 2016, officers were asked to bring the Coroner’s report, and in particular the associated recommendations concerning the Rochdale incident, to the attention of the Community Select Committee.

With regard to Minute 3(5) – Climate Change Annual Update: October 2022 of the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 18 October 2022, the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Environment & Climate Change supported the Committee’s request that each of the 13 wards in the Co-operative Neighbourhood areas should be allocated a sum of £7,500 per annum for physical climate change-related improvements in their areas.

It was RESOLVED that the following Minutes of meetings of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees be noted –

Community Select Committee – 11 October 2022

Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 18 October 2022

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 12 October 2022 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Assistant Director (Finance) presented a report in respect of the 2022/23 Mid Year Treasury Management review, including the 2022/23 prudential and treasury indicators.

It was RESOLVED that the 2022/23 Mid Year Treasury Management Review and Prudential Indicators report be recommended to Council for approval.

The Corporate Performance and Improvement Officer presented a report informing Members of progress with regard to the actions to strengthen the Council’s corporate governance arrangements, as identified in the Council’s 2021/22 Annual Governance Statement reported to the Committee on 7 June 2022.

It was RESOLVED that the progress to date of actions to strengthen the Council’s corporate governance arrangements, as identified in the Council’s 2021/22 Annual Governance Statement reported to the Committee on 7 June 2022, be noted.

The Shared Anti-Fraud Service (SAFS) Manager presented a report seeking the adoption of a proposed new Whistleblowing Policy for implementation across the Council.

In reply to a Member’s question, the SAFS Manager commented that the revisions to the policy were relatively minor and had been agreed by the SBC Human Resources Team.  In view of the minor nature of the revisions, the Trade Unions had not been consulted on the changes.

In response to a number of issues raised by a Member regarding the content of the policy, the Strategic Director (CF) explained that the wording in the document was designed to encourage staff to use the process even if they were perhaps uncomfortable in so doing, as all reported cases would be taken seriously and investigated in a confidential manner.  The reason that examples of whistleblowing were not included in the policy was to encourage as wide a breadth of reporting as possible.  These points would need to be articulated in the communications to staff regarding the policy.  

The Strategic Director (CF) agreed to circulate to Members of the Committee the number of SBC whistleblowing cases that had been investigated over the past 3 years.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the new Whistleblowing Policy, as attached at Appendix A to the report, be adopted, and a communication plan launched to provide assurance to staff who wish to raise genuine concerns at work.

2.          That, due to changes in the senior management at the Council, a Whistleblowing Group be created to review and assess all concerns raised to provide more transparency and consistency in the process.

3.          That the Council’s Head of Human Resources owns the Policy and brings an annual report to the Committee on all disclosures made to the Council under the Policy.

The Shared Anti-Fraud Service (SAFS) Manager presented a report in respect of progress with delivery of the 2022/23 Anti-Fraud Plan.

In response to a number of Members’ questions, the SAFS Manager advised:

·        he expected an increase in fraud reporting/cases due to the cost of living crisis.  An internal communications campaign would be carried out to heighten staff awareness to the potential for increased fraud, and public awareness would be heightened as part of the work on National Fraud Awareness week;

·        SAFS was one of the supported organisations on the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), although there was a limited amount that would be gained for SAFS from the NFI Fraud Awareness week;

·        the national estimate that the cost to local government for each social housing property that was being sub-let of at least £42,000 per property included the costs of fraud investigation; bringing the unit back into lettable condition; and the income loss incurred whilst the property was empty;

·        SAFS staff were employed by Hertfordshire County Council.  Rigorous employment checks (including DBS) were carried out on new SAFS staff.  The DBS checks for all SAFS staff were reviewed on an annual basis;

·        the reporting of fraud came from a variety of sources, primarily either from staff or members of the public;

·        in relation to 6 Council properties that had been sub-let or misused by the tenant and had been recovered, there was a strong likelihood that there were more such cases.  It was pointed out that it was often difficult to detect/investigate them or obtain clarity on the level of fraud alleged.  SBC had funded a post through the HRA to assist SAFS in the tackling of tenancy fraud; and

·        he agreed that it was important that National Fraud Awareness week should be advertised in public places for the benefit of those with limited or no access to IT/social media.

It was RESOLVED that the work of the Council and the Shared Anti-Fraud Service in delivering the 2022/23 Anti-Fraud Plan be noted.

None.

It was RESOLVED that:

1.          Under Section 100A 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 - 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.          Members considered the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determined that the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

None.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 7 September 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

In respect of Minute 4 – 2019/20 External Audit Update, the Strategic Director (CF) advised that the Ernst & Young Audit Lead had been on long term sick leave.  He had recently returned to work on a phased basis and his priority was to complete work on the 2019/20 SBC accounts.  As a consequence, Ernst & Young had confirmed that no work would be progressed on the 2020/21 accounts audit until 2019/20 work was completed.

In reply to Members’ questions, the Strategic Director (CF) stated that it was unlikely that the position would change with regard to the level of audit fees charged by Ernst & Young.  A number of other local authorities were in a similar position to SBC, in that they had three years’ unaudited accounts open (including Watford Borough Council and Three Rivers District Council).

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors John Gardner (Vice-Chair) and Loraine Rossati.  Councillor Anne Wells was substituting for Councillor Rossati.

There were no declarations of interest.