Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on 2^nd February 2022 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 2^nd February 2022 were signed by the Chair as a correct record. 

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 made at this point. 

Report of the Director of Corporate Services. 

Councillor Whitehead, Cabinet Member with particular responsibility for Finance and Resources, had been invited to the meeting to update the Panel regarding the report and appendices.  Councillor Hamilton-Cox, Cabinet Member with particular responsibility for Sustainable Economic Prosperity, had been invited to update the Panel on specific issues within his portfolio. 

The Panel received a report from the Director of Corporate Services that provided members with an update on performance, projects and resources during the 3^rd Quarter of 2021/22 (October – December 2021). 

It was report that Cabinet had considered the Delivering Our Priorities projects, performance and resources report for Q3 2021-22 at its meeting of 1^st March 2022. The Panel was now invited to consider the report and raise any comments or questions in line with its 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 1 Lodge Street urgent structural repairs, Morecambe Co-op building renovation, Local Authority Delivery for Green Homes Grant, Travel Plans, Mellishaw Park (part of Homes Programme), social media, Communities and the Environment significant budget variances service restructure, Economic Growth and Regeneration significant predicted year end variances and building control.  Regarding Corporate Services significant predicted year end variances were primarily due to top up payment requirement to the pension fund etc.  There was discussion on working and original budgets and how budgets are presented in the future, where Members confirmed they do not wish to see working budgets and prefer a variance based approach.  Other discussions were around flow of information through project reporting, The Platform and Markets, HRA variances and development pool slippage. 

With regard to 1 Lodge Street Lancaster urgent structural repairs Members requested an update report.  Councillor Hamilton-Cox advised that tenders were due to be submitted in the next month and that it was anticipated that an update would be provided within his Cabinet Member report to be submitted to Council on 27^th April 2022.  If there was no further progress by the time of the Cabinet Member’s annual report Members were minded to request the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to receive a report and scrutinise. 

The Chair thanked officers for the change in format of the report and links to monitoring reports.  The Panel requested that, with regard to the Number of Disabled facilities Grants completed, the service be congratulated on winning the national Healthy Homes, DFG adaptation service of the year award in December 2021. 

Resolved:

That the report be noted. 

Report of Head of Democratic Services. 

The Panel was asked to consider its Work Plan and consider any updates.  It was reported that the Chair had requested a review of the property portfolio with an update on income and arrears to be added to the Panel’s Work Programme. The request was for a report and data to be provided by the deadline of agenda publication for the meeting the item is to be considered at. 

The Panel was informed that an Asset Strategy that sought to address this is under development.  Councillor Hamilton-Cox had requested information and had been advised it would be available for assets acquired during the current administration in sufficient time to be included in the Annual Report as Property Portfolio Holder to be submitted to Full Council on 27^th April 2022. 

The Chair advised that his intention for onward meetings is to limit presentations to the Panel to 30 minutes, would not accept late reports after the publication of the agenda, with additional meetings being arranged for consideration of any reports received after agenda publication. 

Resolved: 

That the Work Programme report be noted.