Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the remainder of the 2016/17 Municipal Year. 

In accordance with Part 3, Section 11 of the Constitution, the holder of this appointment may not come from the largest political group with seats on the Cabinet.  

The Chairman requested nominations for the position on Vice-Chairman.

It was proposed and seconded:-

“That Councillor Gardiner be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2016/17.”

There being no further nominations, the Chairman declared the proposal to be carried.

Resolved:

That Councillor Gardiner be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2016/17.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 24^th January 2017 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 24^th January 2017 were signed as a correct record.

There were no items of urgent business.

To receive declarations by Members of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Members are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Members should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of the Chief Officer (Resources).

The Financial Services Manager introduced a report to present the Corporate Financial Monitoring 2016/17 Quarter 3. A summary of the Corporate Financial Monitoring for Quarter 3 of 2016/17 was attached for Members consideration.

Members were advised that the headline projections were as follows:-

·         A current General Fund net underspending of £34K, but expected to be in line with the budget by the year end.

·         The Housing Revenue Account was currently in line with the revised budget, but an underspend of £17K was expected by the end of the year.

Members asked a number of questions on Council Tax deficit, income collection, debt, Housing Benefit, the effect of new builds on Council Tax revenue, spending on recruitment agents, housing rent arrears and the impact of Universal Credit.

The Financial Services Manager presented the latest Treasury Management report which was attached for Members consideration. The Property update was not included as it was currently being re-worked following changes requested by the Panel. It was envisaged that an updated version of the report would be available for Quarter 4 as part of the wider performance monitoring.

Members asked a number of questions in relation to interest rates, fixed term deposits with Cambridge County Council and Birmingham City Council and ethical investment considerations.

The Chief Officer (Health and Housing) provided a briefing note on Salt Ayre Leisure Centre and answered a number of questions in relation to operational costs, the temporary café, swimming pool usage, gym membership, local competitors, the spa and immersive spin classes, the Budget Book for 2016/17 and insurance policies.

Resolved:

(1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That a further update on Salt Ayre be included in the corporate outturn reporting for 2016/17.

(3)  That a detailed debt report also be provided in the outturn reporting for 2016/17.

(4)  That information on the council tax base be provided to the Panel.

Report of the Chief Officer (Resources).

The Financial Services Manager introduced a report that sought the Panel’s views regarding the proposed treasury management framework for 2017/18.

The Chief Officer (Resources) advised of the key elements and assumptions feeding into the Strategy and that Cabinet had considered the report at its meeting on the 14th February 2017.  Unfortunately, it had not been possible to provide for scrutiny of the treasury proposals prior to it being considered by Cabinet, however, recommendations from the Panel would be fed into Budget Council on March 1^st 2017 when Members would be asked to formally approve the framework. 

Members asked a number of questions regarding changes to the report since the Cabinet meeting, investments decisions and advice, borrowing and debt and how this was split between General Fund and Housing Revenue Fund, interest payments, core funds and expected investments balances, business rates, under borrowing, Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) and benchmarking.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Report of the Chief Executive. 

Members were requested to consider the Panel’s Work Programme.

Members had previously requested regular updates on Salt Ayre to be provided as part of the quarterly monitoring reporting. Members were advised that the Chief Officer (Health and Housing) would also provide a separate report on Salt Ayre to the September 2017 meeting.

At the last meeting of the Panel Members had requested that the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire be invited to this meeting to answer questions on his budget proposals. Members were advised that the Commissioner had sent his apologies but if the Panel, either collectively or individually, had any questions he would be happy to consider and respond.

A response had been received from Lancashire County Council regarding questions raised at the last meeting of the Panel on the 24^th January 2017. These had been circulated to the Panel separately.

Members asked a number of questions on the Work Programme including asking for a report on CorVu. Members were advised that outside of Corvu, arrangements for reporting on key performance measures, to give a corporate overview, were currently being reviewed and developed and this would be reported through to the Panel in due course.

Members also requested that the information previously requested on Pensions be provided as a briefing note and for the briefing note on Out of Hours ICT Service to be circulated to the Panel.

Resolved:

(1)  That the Work Programme, detailed on Appendix A to the Report, be noted.

(2)  That the information requested on Pensions be circulated to the Panel as a briefing note.

(3)  That a report on performance be presented to the Panel.

(4)  A briefing note on Out of Hours Service be circulated to the Panel.