Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor T Wendels and Sanjiv Kohli, Deputy Chief Executive, Director – Resources and Section 151 Officer declared an interest as Directors of Arkwood.

Councillor K Girling and Nick Wilson, Business Manager – Financial Services declared an interest as Directors of Active4Today.

The Leader advised that the proceedings were being audio recorded and live streamed by the Council.

The minutes from the meeting held on 21 February 2023 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

AGREED that:

a)       Members review the Community Plan Performance Report attached as Appendix 1;

b)      Members comment on the supplementary document showing targets for 2023/24 (Appendix 2); and

c)       Members consider the Council’s performance against its objectives highlighting any areas of high performance and identifying areas for improvement.

The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Performance & Finance presented the quarter 3 Community Plan performance report for October – December 2022 and the targets for 23/24.

The report examines how the Council has been performing against the Community Plan as well as the data to look at the performance of key services and delivery against the activities outlined in the plan from 1 October to 31 December 2022.

The Council’s performance is measured in four parts as ‘Our District’, ‘Our Performance’, ‘Our Customers’ and ‘Our Workforce’.

AGREED that:

a)      Members review the Community Plan Performance Report attached as Appendix 1;

b)      Members comment on the supplementary document showing targets for 2023/24 (Appendix 2); and

c)      Members consider the Council’s performance against its objectives highlighting any areas of high performance and identifying areas for improvement.

Reasons for Decision:

To enable the Cabinet to review the Quarter 3 Community Plan Performance report.

Options Considered:

Not applicable.

AGREED that:

a)      the General Fund projected favourable outturn variance of £1.020m to usable reserves be noted;

b)      the Housing Revenue Account projected unfavourable outturn variance of £0.446m to the Major Repairs Reserve be noted;

c)      the variations to the Capital Programme at Appendix E be approved; and

d)    the Capital Programme revised budget and financing of £60.393m be approved.

The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Performance & Finance presented a report to update Members as to the forecast outturn position for the 2022/23 financial year for the Council’s General Fund and Housing Revenue Account revenue and capital budgets.

The report provides the performance against the approved estimates of revenue expenditure and income; reporting on major variances from planned budget performance, and reporting on variations to the Capital Programme for approval; this being all in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

AGREED that:

a)      the General Fund projected favourable outturn variance of £1.020m to usable reserves be noted;

b)      the Housing Revenue Account projected unfavourable outturn variance of £0.446m to the Major Repairs Reserve be noted;

c)      the variations to the Capital Programme at Appendix E be approved; and

d)    the Capital Programme revised budget and financing of £60.393m be approved.

Reasons for Decision:

To consider the forecast outturn position for the 2022/23 financial year for the Council’s General Fund and Housing Revenue Account revenue and capital budgets.

To show performance against the approved estimates of revenue expenditure and income; report on major variances from planned budget performance; and report on variations to the Capital Programme for approval; all in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

Options considered:

Not applicable.

AGREED:

a)       To note the compliance performance of housing services and the areas falling outside of target;

b)      To approve the future reporting arrangements as set out in 1.5; and

c)       To identify any areas for further scrutiny to provide assurance on compliance performance in Housing Services.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Health presented a report to provide assurance on the performance of compliance services within housing services and highlight areas falling below the target set and reasons with plan for recovery.

The proposed future reporting arrangements were put to the Cabinet to commence from April 2023, to have compliance across the Council brought quarterly in one report to Cabinet.  To comprise of a covering report and two appendices showing housing services compliance and corporate asset compliance.  This with operational risks would have a new approach to aim to show all compliance in one report. 

The housing services report to contain six main areas of compliance, highlighting exceptional performance areas and any emerging issues/changes that the Council needs to be aware of.

AGREED:

a)      To note the compliance performance of housing services and the areas falling outside of target;

b)      To approve the future reporting arrangements as set out in 1.5; and

c)      To identify any areas for further scrutiny to provide assurance on compliance performance in Housing Services.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure housing services compliance with health and safety has sufficient oversight and scrutiny at executive level.

Options considered:

Not applicable.

To consider resolving that, under section 100A (4) of the Local Government

Act 1972, the 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 defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

None.

Agreed that under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

AGREED that Cabinet approve the market supplement of as detailed within the report.

The Cabinet considered the exempt report in relation to the request for Market Supplement.

AGREED That Cabinet approve the proposal to write off as detailed in the report.

The Cabinet considered the exempt report in relation to the Non-Domestic Rates Write Off.