Agenda item

This report provides the Committee with an overview of scrutiny of service plans and fee & charges undertaken by the Select Committees during February and March 2018 and the latest budget sub-group findings.

Declaration of interests:

 

None

 

Witnesses:

                        

David Hodge CBE, Leader of the Council

Kevin Kilburn, Deputy Chief Finance Officer

 

Key points raised during the discussion:

 

1.    The Vice-Chairman introduced the report by informing members that the Budget Sub-Group had recently met with the Chief of Staff, to discuss the progress of transformation projects. Despite transformation projects playing a key part in meeting saving targets, the Budget Sub-Group Chairman reiterated the need for an increased pace of change at the Council to ensure a sustainable budget.

 

2.    It was noted that a Red-Amber-Green (RAG) rated list of savings listed in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) was reviewed by the group and concerns were raised with the amount of red/amber rated savings.

 

3.    The Leader of the Council commended the Committee’s report and noted concerns with pace of change and the implications of the RAG appraisal. The Leader explained that the savings were agreed over a period of 3 years with the long term objective to produce a sustainable budget therefore achieving results would be on completion and not on a short term basis.

 

4.    A Member reported a typographical error in the MTFP 2018-21 and Officers clarified that SEND, in the summary list of savings was in fact a red rating.

 

5.    It was noted that the initial £15m investment in transformation projects would deliver savings between £30-£60m over a period of time.

 

6.    The Chairman clarified that the Adults and Health Select Committee recommendation requested the review of income from charging for adult social care services and did not necessarily suggest any increases on the matter.

 

7.    The Committee agreed to make revisions to recommendations 37c and 38c, to note that ‘the Council’ will explore and consider these options rather than addressing it as service specific leads.

 

8.    The Vice-Chairman reiterated that detailed responses on the recommendations would be welcomed and the Leader of the Council assured respective Cabinet Members would provide these.

 

The Committee agreed the following recommendations:

 

1.        The Adults and Health Select Committee recommended that:

 

a)    Officers benchmark income from charging for adult social care services with neighbouring local authorities to identify opportunities for Surrey County Council to maximise income from charging for adult social care; and

 

b)    The Adult Social Care & Public Health Directorate embeds a process for reviewing the potential financial implications to the Council arising from reduced spending on Public Health programmes or non-statutory adult social care services.

 

 

2.        The Children and Education Services Select Committee noted:

 

a)    The service plans and recognised that there were significant challenges to the Directorate regarding securing external funding; and

 

b)    That the Committee reviewed and approved the current scheme of charges as proposed by the Children, Schools and Families Directorate.

 

3.        The Communities Select Committee recommended that:

 

a)    An assumption is made that inflation is taken into account when annual increases in fees and charges are being considered by Cultural Services;

 

b)    Officers adopt a more commercial approach to operating the Library Service in order to optimise income generation, this includes improved marketing of the stock and services that the Library Service has to offer;

 

c)    Officers benchmark fees and charges within Cultural Services against those levied by neighbouring authorities;

 

d)    Surrey Fire and Rescue Services' plans to achieve savings as outlined within the Medium Term Financial Plan are shown to the Cabinet in order to progress these plans or explore alternative opportunities to deliver these savings where appropriate; and

 

e)    Encourages the Buckinghamshire County Council and Surrey County Council Joint Trading Standards Service to continue its work establishing Primary Authority Partnerships (PAP) and recommends that the Service seeks to expand the number of PAPs by actively marketing them through district and borough councils and chambers of commerce.

 

 

4.        The Corporate Services Select Committee recommended that

 

a)    The Cabinet Member for Communities considers the introduction of an administration fee for health and safety planning and support provided by the Emergency Management Team to event organisers.

 

b)    The Chief of Staff reviews the budget allocated to the Healthwatch contract so that total expenditure does not exceed the amount of the national government grant

 

c)    The Council explore income generation opportunities within Audit and Pension Administration Services.

 

d)    The Head of Communications explore income generation through online advertising on the Surrey County Council website and promoting in-house communication services to Local Authorities and Government bodies.

 

e)    The Head of Legal Services explore income generation opportunities within employment law and special projects as part of Orbis Public Law integration.

 

 

5.        The Environment & Infrastructure Select Committee recommended that:

a)    Future reviews of fees and charges assume an increase at least by the level of inflation and ensure that it presents justifications for any variation on this; and

 

b)    Further work is undertaken regarding cost recovery: where it is focussed and what can effectively be recovered, as part of a review of fees and charges and that this is reviewed by the Select Committee in late 2018.

 

c)    The Council considers the implementation of new technologies such as LED lighting and charging points on lamp posts; and

 

d)    The service presents a business case for use of such new technologies as outlined in the IoT (Internet of Things) UK research report[1] for use in Surrey in 2018/19 as this presents an income opportunity.

 

 

6.        The Overview and Budget Scrutiny Committee recommended that:

 

Scrutiny on next year’s budget and business planning begins in July to allow sufficient time for Member input at the earliest stage possible