Agenda and minutes
PDF 309 KBContact: Kunwar Khan, Scrutiny Officer
Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Purpose of the item: To receive any apologies for absence and substitutions. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Lesley Steeds.
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING: 7 OCTOBER 2022
Purpose of the item: To agree the minutes of the Resources and Performance Select Committee held on 7 October 2022 as a true and accurate record of proceedings. Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the Resources and Performance Select Committee held on 7 October 2022 were formally agreed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Purpose of the item: All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter:
I. Any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or
II. Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at this meeting.
NOTES:
· Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.
· As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest, of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is living as a spouse or civil partner).
· Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be reasonably regarded as prejudicial. Additional documents: Minutes: None received.
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QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
Purpose of the item: To receive any questions or petitions.
NOTES:
1. The deadline for Members’ questions is 12:00pm four working days before the meeting (5 December 2022).
2. The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting (2 December 2022).
3. The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received.
The public retain their right to submit questions for written response, with such answers recorded in the minutes of the meeting; questioners may participate in meetings to ask a supplementary question. Petitioners may address the Committee on their petition for up to three minutes Guidance will be made available to any member of the public wishing to speak at a meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: None received.
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BUDGET TASK GROUP NOTES WITH A COVERING REPORT
Purpose of the item: To receive the agreed notes of the Budget Task Group meeting held on 3 November 2022 with a covering report. Additional documents: Minutes: Noted and agreed.
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SCRUTINY OF 2023/24 DRAFT BUDGET AND MEDIUM-TERM FINANCIAL STRATEGY TO 2027/28
Purpose of the report: Scrutiny of the Draft Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy. Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses: David Lewis, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Property and Waste Denise Turner-Stewart, Cabinet Member for Communities and Community Safety Leigh Whitehouse, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources Simon Crowther, Director of Land and Property Marie Snelling, Executive Director, Customer and Communities Anna D’Alessandro, Director of Finance- Corporate and Commercial Rachel Wigley, Director of Finance - Insight and Performance Louise Lawson, Strategic Finance Business Partner Nicola Kilvington, Director of Corporate Strategy and Policy
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Chairman asked what the biggest risks, mitigations and opportunities were concerning delivery of the budget. The Director of Finance - Insight and Performance said that the £125 million of pressures showing within the draft budget were the biggest risk and had resulted in the need to look for a higher level of efficiencies than in previous years. A risk contingency budget had been set and each directorate was clear of the requirement to work within their budget envelope. The most significant and continuing risks to Surrey County Council (SCC) were within Children’s and Adults services with officers working on a range of measures to manage those risks, including Home to School Travel Assistance where the overspend in 2022/23 had begun to reduce.
2. The Chairman queried if the contingency of £20 million could be used to close the £14.4 million budget gap. The Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources confirmed that use of reserves was one of three options to close the budget gap, the other two being the identification of further efficiencies or an increase in Council Tax. The contingency was important to the budget setting process as it allowed a push for further efficiencies without risking a deficit, it provided some tolerance. It was expected that a good proportion of the gap would come through a positive outcome of the Local Government Finance Settlement.
3. The Chairman asked if Children’s services was the area of highest risk for 2022/23. The Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources said that the increase in demand over two financial years during the pandemic had resulted in Home to School Travel Assistance being one of the main risks, in addition to inflationary and external factors.
4. The Chairman noted the potential issue around staffing costs and inflation. The Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources said that the five per cent allowance in the budget was affordable and higher than in previous years. It was hoped that with continued work and focus an agreement with the unions would be achieved for a local pay deal in good time for the new financial year.
5. The Chairman asked when the Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) of the Draft Budget would be undertaken, what they would include, how would they compare to previous assessments and queried the method of public consultation necessary. The Director of Corporate Strategy and Policy confirmed that officers had been determining which efficiencies listed in the Draft Budget ... view the full minutes text for item 50/21 |
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Purpose of the report: As part of its strategy to innovate in developing new models of delivery and to benefit from the freedoms introduced by the Localism Act, Surrey County Council had made investments and created trading companies to deliver income and efficiencies and in doing so has established a Strategic Investment Board, which reports annually to the Council. The purpose of the Board was to safeguard the Council’s interest as shareholder and to take decisions in matters that required the approval of the Council as owner of a company.
The report is due to be considered by the Strategic Investment Board at its meeting in February 2023. As part of good governance, it has previously been agreed to have the annual ad mid-year reports scrutinised in advance by the Resource & Performance Select Committee. N.B. There is a Part 2 annex to this item. Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses: David Lewis, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Property and Waste Leigh Whitehouse, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources Simon Crowther, Director of Land and Property Anna D’Alessandro, Finance Director, Corporate and Commercial Neil Jarvey, Strategic Finance Business Partner
Key points raised during the discussion:
Resolved:
The Select Committee noted the report. |
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EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information under the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act. Additional documents: Minutes: The Cabinet Member for Property and Waste introduced a Part 2 report containing information which was exempt from Access to Information requirements by virtue of paragraph 3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including commercially sensitive information to the bidding companies)
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STRATEGIC INVESTMENT BOARD MID YEAR REPORT - PART 2 ANNEX
Purpose of the report: This Part 2 Annex to the public report at item 8 (Strategic Investment Board Mid-Year Report) contains information which is exempt from Access to Information requirements by virtue of paragraph 3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including commercially sensitive information to the bidding companies). Additional documents: Minutes: No discussion took place under Part 2 conditions.
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PUBLICITY OF PART TWO ITEMS
Purpose of the report: To consider whether the item considered under Part 2 of the agenda.should be made available to the Press and public. Additional documents: Minutes: No discussion took place under Part 2 conditions.
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PERFORMANCE MONITORING SESSION NOTES 14 OCTOBER 2022
Purpose of the item: To publish the notes of the Performance Monitoring session conducted on 14 October 2022. Additional documents: Minutes: Agreed and noted.
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FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME AND RECOMMENDATION TRACKER
Purpose of the item: For the Select Committee to review the attached Forward Work Programme and Recommendation Tracker, making suggestions for additions or amendments as appropriate. Additional documents: Minutes: Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Select Committee noted the Recommendation Tracker and the Forward Work Programme.
2. The Chairman reiterated the request made for a full briefing to the R&PSC on the property portfolio with a timescale determined by the Cabinet Member for Property and Waste. The Cabinet Member for Property and Waste requested confirmation of specific requirements to be included in this briefing. The Chairman suggested that a discussion between the Chairman, Vice Chairs, the Member concerned and Scrutiny Officer to agree the requirements.
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DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING: 2 FEBRUARY 2023
The next meeting of the Resources and Performance Select Committee will be held on 2 February 2023 at 10:00am. Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee noted its next meeting would be held on 2 February 2023.
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