Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 July 2013.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 4th July 2013 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary, non disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests in relation to any Agenda Item.

Mr R Eacott, Co-Opted Member, declared a pecuniary interest in Minute No.29 by virtue of his current employment connections with Improvement East and left the meeting part way through the discussion on this item.

A copy of the current Notice of Executive Decisions, which was published on 21August 2013 is attached. Members are invited to comment as appropriate on any items contained therein.

The Panel considered and noted the current Notice of Key Executive Decisions (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). The Chairman reported that the Customer Services Strategy would appear on the Agenda for the Panel’s October meeting.

In response to a comment by Councillor P G Mitchell that it might be appropriate to consider the financial implications of the proposed Whole Waste System, the Scrutiny and Review Manager undertook to provide Councillor Mitchell with a copy of the report which was to be considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) at its next meeting.

To consider a report by the Assistant Director Environment, Growth & Planning.

(Councillor J A Gray, Executive Councillor for Resources, was in attendance for this Item).

(See Members Interests).

By means of a report by the Assistant Director Environment, Growth and Planning (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Panel received an update on the work which was taking place between the Council, other Councils in Cambridgeshire and public sector organisations to re-shape and make more efficient use of their property portfolios.

The Panel was reminded that the District Council had to-date taken a common sense approach to making the best use of its property assets and was engaging with partners in this regard. Although there had been limited success thus far with the countywide project, the District Council had achieved some success through re-letting part of the Civic Suite to NHS Cambridgeshire.  In terms of the County Council’s proposal to establish a publicly-owned Joint Venture vehicle, it was suggested the Authority should endorse the principles of this initiative but that further work, analysis and Cabinet approval would be required before the Council made any firm commitment.

Members supported the common sense approach which the District Council had adopted to date but expressed some concern regarding the establishment of the publicly-owned joint venture. Their reservations related to the deliverability of the initiative and its potential costs. Whilst the Executive Councillor shared these reservations, Members were advised that it was important not to preclude the District Council from participating within the arrangement at a later date if it was deemed to be advantageous. In the meantime the Council would continue to look for logical ‘sharing solutions’. Members requested that if any proposals were forthcoming, they should be fully costed for consideration by the Panel.

Members queried the lack of progress which the Making Assets Count initiative appeared to have made on a countywide basis over the course of the last two years and how much the Council had spent on it thus far. They were informed that, despite political consensus about the concept, there had been a number of barriers to its progress, details of which were outlined to Members. The Council’s only contributions had been in the form of Officer and Member time. The consultants who had been appointed to provide property advice had been funded by Improvement East.

In response to a question as to whether there were there were any alternatives to the joint venture approach, the Assistant Director Environment, Growth and Planning explained that one to one discussions with other organisations could be undertaken at any time. He reiterated that the creation of a joint venture might not be required if the common sense approach was applied but it was important to keep the Council’s options open. Members were reminded that the aim of the Making Assets Count Initiative was to make best use of the Council’s assets and the Authority was making good progress in this respect.

In response to a question by Councillor P D Reeve, Members were assured that the Authority was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

To consider and comment on a report by the Assistant Director, Finance & Resources prior its submission to the Cabinet.

(Councillor J D Ablewhite, Executive Leader, and Councillor J A Gray, Executive Councillor for Resources, were in attendance for this item).

Consideration was given to a report by the Assistant Director, Finance and Resources (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) in relation to the Council’s financial forecast. By way of introduction, the Executive Leader explained that the Authority faced a significant challenge. The outcome of the latest Government Spending review had placed additional pressures on the Council’s finances and on its ability to deliver its current portfolio of services. This would require all Members to work together to bring forward tangible and innovative solutions. The Cabinet would be receiving an options paper for this purpose at the earliest opportunity. He emphasised that the forthcoming months would be difficult for the Authority, as work would need to be undertaken to develop Budgets for 2014/15 and 2015/16 in tandem.

Councillor J A Gray emphasised that the Authority faced a difficult situation. This would require decisions to be taken on the provision of Council services and service levels, taking into account the requirements of Huntingdonshire residents. Consideration would need to be given to the ways in which the Authority engaged with the public to establish what local communities want local government to deliver.

The Assistant Director, Finance and Resources provided the Panel with an explanation of detailed aspects of the report. Members’ attention was drawn to the progress which had been made to achieve the previously identified savings requirements and the factors which had been taken into account in establishing the forecast position. Whilst uncertainty about the final figures remained, it was reasonable to assume that extra savings of around £2.6M need to be found for 2015/16 increasing to £3.7M by 2018/19. To begin the process of identifying savings, the Cabinet would be considering a report at its September meeting that outlined a range of options and approaches.

In considering the outcome of the recent Spending Review, the Panel discussed the Government proposal to require local authorities to pass on a percentage of their New Homes Bonuses to their Local Enterprise Partnerships. In response to a question whether this should have been foreseen, the Executive Councillor explained that it had not been expected that this would have materialised before 2015 and that he and the Executive Leader intended to lobby the Department for Communities and Local Government to reduce the level of the Council’s loss. He suggested that if funding were to be changed in this way it should be done in a more constructive or phased manner.

Members were reminded that the Local Enterprise Partnership comprised local Council leaders and that the majority of spend thus far had been on local government initiatives. In response to an observation that there had been no scrutiny of the Local Enterprise Partnership thus far, it was suggested that its Chairman and the Chief Executive should be invited to a future meeting of the full Council to give a presentation on its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

To consider with the aid of a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, the programme of studies being undertaken by the other Overview and Scrutiny Panels.

The Panel received and noted a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) containing details of studies that were being undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels for Social and Environmental Well-Being.

To consider a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services detailing progress on the Panel’s activities.

The Panel received and noted a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) reviewing progress of matters that had previously been discussed. The Chairman reported that a meeting of the Customer Services Working Group would be held on 12th September 2013 and that arrangements were currently being made for a further meeting of the Corporate Plan Working Group.

With regard to the Panel’s review of the Document Centre, Councillor A H Williams reported that he had received the Officers’ responses to the Panel’s recommendations, which he would now review.

In view of the workload which was expected to arise from the Cabinet report ‘Facing the Future 2013’, it was agreed that the proposed studies on Communications and Marketing and Shared Services should be put on hold. The Chairman indicated that he would like the review of the Estates function to commence in December 2013.

To scrutinise decisions taken since the last meeting as set out in the Decision Digest and to raise any other matters for scrutiny that fall within the remit of the Panel.

The Panel considered and noted the latest edition of the Decision Digest (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book).