Issue - meetings

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr. Lucy Shires

Contact Officer

Daniel King

Assistant Director Finance & Assets

Daniel.king@north-norfolk.gov.uk

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Estates & Property Services presented a report that set out (i) the Council’s Capital Strategy for the year 2025-26; and (ii) the Council’s approach to the deployment of capital resources in meeting the Council’s overall aims and objectives while providing the strategic framework for the effective management and monitoring of the capital programme.

Questions Responses and Discussion

The mains points of the discussion are summarised as follows:

The Committee:

v Indicated that it would be helpful if Members had the background to those decisions and how best they could engage in that process in a constructive and positive way.  Therefore, it was felt that a joint review should be undertaken with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Estates & Property Services and the Director of Resources of the capital bids process to look at how the scrutiny function can meaningfully engage in this process from 2026/27.

v Wanted to look the Council’s approach to Capital Bids process, and to understand how officers prepare bids as part of effective management of the Council’s financial resources and to produce a coherent balanced budget that is realistic and reflects the Council’s priorities and encourages the efficient and effective use of the Council’s resources.

v Noted that the Capital Programme flows from a range of strategic documents e.g. the Capital Strategy; the Asset Management Plan (AMP); and the Medium-Term Financial Plan

v Noted that when preparing a bid for the Capital Programme, officers had to be able to evidence that the relevant strategic documents had been fully considered.

v Noted that it is essential that it can be evidenced that the Council’s Financial Regulations and Standing Orders are adhered to at all times, and if in doubt, help and advice can be obtained from staff within the Resources Directorate.

v Noted that as part of the preparation of a Capital Programme bid, officers must prepare a business case, including an options appraisal which is suitable to the size and scale of the proposal.  The Committee asked and received a copy of the Capital Bid Submission & Scoring Form 2025-26 used by officers in preparing their business case.

The Chairman Moved and Overview and Scrutiny committee RESOLVED to

1.    recommend that Full Council approves the 2025/26 Capital Strategy and further requested:

2.    Undertake a joint review, with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Estates & Property Services and the Director of Resources, of the capital bids process to understand how it works and look at how it can effectively engage in this process from 2026/27.

Cllr Philip Bailey requested that the minutes show that he had voted "against" regarding recommendation 2.