Agenda item

Work Programme Report

Report of the Chief Officer (Governance). 

Minutes:

The Principal Democratic Support Officer requested members to consider the Panel’s Work Programme for 2015/16.  Members were asked to consider whether they would like to include any items in the Work Programme from those listed in the report. 

 

Members were advised of two further items which had been referred to the Panel for consideration.  The first was a referral from the last meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on supporting the Citizens Advice Bureau.  It was noted that this could be considered as part of the reporting requested on Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector Commissioning. 

 

The second referral was a Notice of Motion brought to Council on ICT and bringing your own device. The Panel was advised that Council had requested, at its meeting on the 15th July 2015, that the Head of IT report to the Panel with costings as soon as possible and by April 2015. It was agreed that this report would be brought to the 23rd February 2016 meeting of the Panel. 

 

Councillors discussed the expenditure on venues and facilities in the Lancaster and Morecambe localities. It was agreed that a briefing note would be circulated to the Panel by the Financial Services Manager which identified specific areas of spend that were either in Lancaster, Morecambe or the rural areas. 

 

It was also agreed that Councillors would be offered the opportunity for further training on finance and the budget with specific reference made to the contents of the Council’s Budget Book.  The training not to be arranged on the same date as the Panel’s meetings and that other members of Council to be invited to attend. 

 

The Panel requested that a briefing note on E-Billing covering its use for both business rates and council tax collections be circulated prior to the next meeting of the Panel. 

 

Members also discussed the work of the Empty Homes Officer and how the budget was being spent on tackling the issue of Empty Homes across the district.  It was noted that Overview and Scrutiny Committee had recently considered this issue and that the Committee’s recommendations would be reported to the next meeting of the Panel as part of the Work Programme report. 

 

The Panel agreed that energy expenditure, in particular more details on how to save money, would be included as part of the Corporate Performance Monitoring report. 

 

The Chief Executive advised, with regard to Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector Commissioning (VCFS) – Review of Activity, that a report was being prepared for consideration by Cabinet. 

 

The Panel made a number of decisions regarding the Work Programme, as set out below: -

 

Work Programme Item

Decision

Annual Stakeholders Meeting

The Leader of the Council will be invited to present the City Council’s budget proposals to the Panel at its 26th January 2016 Annual Stakeholder Meeting.  All members of Council and stakeholders to be invited to attend. 

Arts Commissioning Framework

To be considered at the appropriate time.

Complaints Monitoring

Half yearly monitoring of the complaints procedure to be contained within the Corporate Performance Monitoring Report. 

Forthcoming Key Decision List

Members to put items for pre-scrutiny to the Pre-Scrutiny Champion of Overview and Scrutiny as and when appropriate.

Invitations to the Leader and Cabinet Members

The Leader and Cabinet Members to be invited to attend meetings of the Panel to coincide with consideration of issues relevant to their respective portfolios. 

Further, that a rolling programme of invitations be made to Cabinet Members, that they provide a briefing for the Panel and answer questions on the financial elements of their Portfolios. 

Procurement Strategy

Further pre-scrutiny prior to the updated Procurement Strategy being presented to Cabinet. 

Budget Overspends/Variances

Consideration of budget variances which may be identified when considering the annual outturn report. 

Treasury Management Strategy

The Panel’s views will be sought regarding the proposed treasury management framework for 2016/2017.

Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) – Review of Activity

 

 

Support of the Citizens Advice Bureau

Regular monitoring of the commissioning arrangements which have run from April 2013 until March 2016. 

To be dealt with as part of the Panels Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) review. 

Financial Monitoring

(1)  Quarter 1 (including impact from outturn – September 2015.

(2)  Quarter 2 (including any implications / undated for Medium Term Financial Strategy – November 2015.

(3)  Quarter 3 (including any implications / undated for Medium Term Financial Strategy – February 2016.

Corporate Performance Monitoring

(1)  Quarter 1 - September 2015.

(2)  Quarter 2 - November 2015.

(3)  Quarter 3 - February 2016.

ICT – Bring your Own Device

Report on Cost Findings to the 23rd February 2016 meeting.

E-Billing (Business Rates and Council Tax Collections)

Briefing note to circulated to the Panel.

Empty Homes

Report back as part of next Work Programme. 

 

Resolved:

 

That the actions, as set out above, be agreed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: