Agenda and minutes

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. 

Note:  All Members of Council are invited to attend the meeting for this item. 

All Members of Council had been invited to attend the meeting for this item. 

The Head of Finance/Section 151 Officer and Head of Legal Services/Monitoring Officer provided a presentation on the Corporate Services Directorate.  The services contained in the Directorate included Democratic, Finance, Legal, ICT, HR and OD and Internal Audit.  The presentation covered the following main areas:

Corporate Services – How much does this cost.

Salary Costs. 

Accountancy Services. 

Exchequer Services. 

Procurement and Insurance. 

Revenues and Benefits Shared Service. 

ICT. 

Internal Audit. 

Legal Services. 

HR and OD. 

Democratic Services. 

The Challenges and Opportunities for each service were outlined. 

The presentation concluded with the Panel being informed of the Directorate’s achievements.  ???

Members asked questions on the following subjects:-

·       Arrangements for Internal Audit and qualifications required for staff working in this area. 

·       Skill sets and recruitment. 

·       Inconsistencies and duplication from other services. 

·       P2P. 

·       Insurance costs and increases.  Economies of scale. 

·       Debts collected. 

·       Audit/Freud work. 

The Chairman, on behalf of the Panel, thanked officers for their attendance, for the presentation and information provided. 

Report of the Chief Finance Officer.  

The Panel received a report from the Chief Finance Officer that provided members with an update on performance, projects, and resources during the first quarter of 2022/23 (April – June 2022). 

Attached at Appendix 1 was the reportpresented to Cabinet on 13 September 2022.  This provided Members with a view of progress against the Council’s agreed priorities for Quarter 1 of the 2022/23 performance monitoring cycle. 

The Panel was asked to consider the Cabinet report and attachments in line with their Terms of Reference within the Constitution relating to the monitoring and review of the council’s performance. 

Members asked a number of questions in relation to gas cost increases, cost of living, overspends, staff pay award, Directorate variances, voids, capital programme/projects, OBR processes, reserves, collection fund, write-offs, structural deficit queries, reducing expenditure/increasing income, ownership of commercial property/maximising income and Heysham 1 Power Station life extension. 

Resolved:

That the report be noted.