Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on 29^th September 2020 (previously circulated). 

It was proposed by Councillor Duggan and seconded by Councillor Dant and agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 29^th September 2020 be agreed as a correct record. 

It was noted that the minutes would be signed by the Chair when the minute book was available. 

There were no items of urgent business. 

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

Councillors 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, Councillors 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, Councillors 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 Head of Financial Services and S151 Officer. 

Councillor Lewis, Leader of the Council and Councillor Whitehead, Cabinet Member with Responsibility, were in attendance for this item. 

The Head of Financial Services submitted a report that provided details of the draft Capital Investment Strategy and its accompanying appendices as presented to Cabinet on 27^th October 2020.  This enabled the Panel to consider and comment on the draft proposal ahead of formal presentation to Council in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

It was noted that the Council’s Constitution (Part 3 Section 5 – Budget and Policy Framework) required that when a new or existing strategy was being considered, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Budget and Performance Panel had an opportunity to comment.  If it then considered it appropriate, Cabinet may then amend its proposals before submitting them to Council for consideration. 

Councillors asked a number of questions regarding the Strategy, including the following:

·            Commercial aspects and how success could be judged;

·            Why there is no criteria for success;

·            Profitability and social values;

·            Need for clarity and expected outcomes;

·            How the Panel could monitor and the need for KPIs;

·            Returns on investments;

·            The need to review commercial property in the light of the recession and the impacts on tenants;

·            Investment in the local economy;

·            Need for an evaluation system;

·            Requirement for a balanced scorecard;

·            Procurement Strategy, social value elements and work that that could be applied and transferred to this Strategy;

·            How the Council can move forward and not lose out on opportunities;

·            Queries regarding investments outside of the district;

·            How the Council review external resources and consultants;

·            How absorbed costs are managed;

·            Progress on the investment worksheet.

The Chair advised that if individual Members wished he would collate their individual Member ideas, input and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet Member Responsible Councillor Whitehead. 

It was moved by Councillor Dant and seconded by Councillor Young:-

“That before the Capital Investment Strategy is considered by Council, the issue of the social value matrix is clarified to ensure that there is some attempt to show how social value is going to be measured or judged and how this is going to be considered in relation to economic value and that a balanced scorecard be included as part of this Investment Strategy document.” 

Councillor Wood moved the following amendment which was seconded by Councillor King:-

“That the Panel asks, in the spirit of the recommendations, that the recommendation be re-phrased to ask whether Cabinet and/or Councillor Whitehead consider having the social value matrix accompany the Strategy if possible.” 

Councillors then voted on the amendment which was lost with 4 votes for and 5 against. 

Members then voted on the substantive motion, with 5 Members voting for the substantive motion, 3 against with 1 abstention, whereupon the Chair declared the proposal to be carried. 

Resolved:

That before the Capital Investment Strategy is considered by Council, the issue of the social value matrix is clarified to ensure that there is some attempt to show how social value is going to be measured  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.