Items
| No. |
Item |
1. |
To Receive Apologies for Absence
|
2. |
Substitutes
|
3. |
Public Questions & Statements
To receive questions / statements from the
public, if any.
|
4. |
Minutes  PDF 244 KB
To approve as a correct record the minutes of
the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 15
November 2023..
|
5. |
Items of Urgent Business
To determine any
other items of business which the Chairman decides should be
considered as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of
the Local Government Act 1972.
|
6. |
Declarations of Interest PDF 721 KB
Members are asked
at this stage to declare any interests that they may have in any of
the following items on the agenda. The Code of Conduct for Members
requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and
whether it is a disclosable pecuniary
interest.
|
7. |
Petitions From Members of the Public
To consider any petitions received from
members of the public.
|
8. |
Consideration of Any Matter Referred to the Committee by a Member
To consider any
requests made by non-executive Members of the Council, submitted to
the Democratic Services Manager with seven clear working
days’ notice, to include an item on the agenda of the
Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
|
9. |
Responses of the Council or the Cabinet to the Committee's Reports or Recommendations
To consider any responses of the Council or
the Cabinet to the Committee’s reports or
recommendations:
|
10. |
Draft Revenue Budget 2024-2025 (including Medium Term Financial Strategy) PDF 112 KB
|
Executive Summary
|
This report
presents the first iteration of budget for 2024/25. It is intended
to present the position as we currently know it and will need to be
updated as more information becomes available e.g. the impact of the Local Government Finance
Settlement for 2024/25.
|
|
Options considered.
|
No
other options have been considered as it is a requirement to
calculate “the expenditure which the authority estimates it
will incur in the forthcoming year in performing its
functions” and then subtract “the sums which it
estimates will be payable for the year into its general
fund”. This is required to set a balanced budget before 11
March 2024.
|
|
Consultation(s)
|
There has not been any consultation prior
to this paper. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee are being asked
to review the content and make recommendations to Cabinet for its
consideration. This paper is the first stage of consultation and as
the budget setting process progresses consultation will take place
with other stakeholders.
|
|
Recommendations
|
Recommend to Cabinet any options that this Committee would like
Cabinet to consider.
|
|
Reasons for recommendations
|
To
enable the Council to set a balanced budget.
|
|
Background papers
|
2023/24
Budget report presented to full Council on 22 February
2023.
|
|
Links to key documents:
|
|
Corporate Plan:
|
Strong Responsible &
Accountable Council.
|
|
Medium Term Financial Strategy
(MTFS)
|
The setting of a balanced budget for 2024/25
provides the base position for reviewing the following years of the
Medium-Term Finance Plan.
|
|
Council Policies &
Strategies
|
Budget
Setting & Medium-Term Finance Strategy.
|
|
Corporate Governance:
|
|
Is this a key
decision
|
Yes
|
|
Has the public interest test
been applied
|
Yes
|
|
Details of any previous
decision(s) on this matter
|
|
Additional documents:
|
11. |
Treasury Management Strategy Report 2023/24 PDF 90 KB
|
Executive Summary
|
This report sets out details of
the Council’s investment activities and presents a strategy
for the prudent investment of the Council’s resources. It
also sets out the Council’s approach to the deployment of
capital resources in meeting the Council’s overall aims and
objectives.
|
|
Options considered
|
This report must be prepared to
ensure the Council is compliant with the CIPFA Treasury Management,
CIPFA Prudential Codes and guidance issued by the Department of
Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC).
|
|
Consultation(s)
|
Cabinet Member
Section 151 Officer
This report has been prepared
with the assistance of Link Treasury Services, the Council’s
Treasury advisors.
|
|
Recommendations
|
To
recommend to Full Council that the Treasury Management Strategy
2024/25 is approved.
|
|
Reasons for recommendations
|
Approval by Full Council
demonstrates compliance with the Prudential Codes to ensure;
·
A flexible investment strategy enabling the Council
to respond to changing market conditions.
·
Ensure compliance with CIPFA and DHLUC guidance
·
Confirming capital resources available for delivery
of the Council’s capital programme.
It
is a requirement that any proposed changes to the prudential
indicators are approved by Full Council.
|
|
Background papers
|
The Council’s Treasury
Management Strategy 2023/24.
CIPFA Prudential Code (Treasury
Management in the Public Services: Code of Practice 2021
Edition).
CIPFA Prudential Code (Capital
Finance in Local Authorities: Code of Practice 2021
Edition).
|
|
Wards
affected
|
All
|
|
Cabinet member(s)
|
Cllr. Lucy Shires
|
|
Contact Officer
|
James Moore
|
|
Links to key documents:
|
|
Corporate Plan:
|
This report is required to ensure
the Council can demonstrate it is in a sound financial position and
able to deliver the projects in the Capital Programme which support
the Corporate Plan Objectives.
|
|
Medium Term Financial Strategy
(MTFS)
|
This report supports the MTFS in
confirming adequate financing is in place for the Council to
operate its regular functions alongside delivering the
Council’s Capital Programme.
|
|
Council Policies &
Strategies
|
N/A
|
|
Corporate Governance:
|
|
No
|
|
|
Not an exempt item.
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Additional documents:
|
12. |
Fees & Charges 2024/2025 PDF 135 KB
|
Executive Summary
|
This report recommends the fees
and charges for the financial year 2024-25 that will come into
effect from the 1st April 2024.
|
|
Options considered
|
Alternatives for the individual
service fees and charges proposed have been considered by service
managers as part of the process of creating this report.
|
|
Consultation(s)
|
Portfolio Holder
Director of Resources/S151
Officer
Budget Managers
|
|
Recommendations
|
That
Overview & Scrutiny Committee recommends to Cabinet that it
supports the following recommendations to Full Council:
- The
fees and charges from 1st April 2024 as included in
Appendix A.
- That delegated authority be given to the Section 151 Officer, in
consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and relevant
Directors/Assistant Director to agree the fees and charges not
included within Appendix A as required (outlined within the
report).
|
|
Reasons for recommendations
|
To approve the Council’s
proposed fees and charges for 2024/25.
|
|
Background papers
|
Fees & Charges 2023/24
report (Full Council – 12th December
2022)
|
|
Links to key documents:
|
|
Corporate Plan:
|
This report helps to ensure that
the Council is financially sound by setting charges for external
services, adequately reimbursing the costs of delivering the
Council’s services and generating extra income where
appropriate.
|
|
Medium Term Financial Strategy
(MTFS)
|
This report includes opportunities
that service managers have identified to generate extra income from
within their current operations.
|
|
Council Policies &
Strategies
|
N/A
|
|
Corporate Governance:
|
|
Is this a key
decision
|
Yes
|
|
Has the public interest test
been applied
|
Not an exempt item
|
|
Details of any previous
decision(s) on this matter
|
Current Fees & Charges
2023/24 report (Full Council – 22 February 2023)
|
Additional documents:
|
|
Work Programmes
|
13. |
The Cabinet Work Programme PDF 235 KB
To note the
upcoming Cabinet Work Programme.
|
14. |
Overview & Scrutiny Work Programme and Update PDF 178 KB
To receive an
update from the Scrutiny Officer on progress made with topics on
its agreed work programme, training updates and to receive any
further information which Members may have requested at a previous
meeting.
|
15. |
Exclusion of the Press and Public
To pass the
following resolution, if necessary:
“That under
Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and
public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of
business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of
exempt information as defined in paragraph _ of Part I of Schedule
12A (as amended) to the Act.”
|