Agenda, decisions and minutes

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made.

To consider the report of the Corporate Manager Policy, Communications and Community Engagement.

The report of the Corporate Manager Policy, Communications and Community Engagement was submitted seeking Members' approval of the Council’s 2015 Corporate Plan.

The Leader stated that the Corporate Plan captured the achievements of the Council the positive work proposed for the next year and reflected the valuable work of the Council’s staff.

RECOMMENDED that Council notes and approves the 2015 Corporate Plan update.

(In accordance with Standing Order no.43, Councillor Leadbetter requested that his abstention from voting be recorded)

To consider the report of Assistant Director Finance.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources considered the report at its meeting on 16 September 2015 and its comments will be reported.

The report of the Assistant Director Finance was submitted to advise Members of the overall projected financial position of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and General Fund Revenue Budgets for the 2015/16 financial year after three months and sought approval for a number of supplementary budgets totalling £89,000. There was a forecast underspend on the General Fund of £653,600 and on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) of £625,391.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources considered the report at its meeting on 16 September 2015 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the:-

(1)        General Fund forecast financial position for the 2015/16 financial year;

(2)        HRA forecast financial position for 2015/16 financial year;

(3)        additional supplementary budgets listed in Appendix C;

(4)        outstanding Sundry Debt position as at June 2015;

(5)        creditors’ payments performance; and

(6)        Council Tax and Business Rates collection performance.

To consider the report of Assistant Director Finance.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources considered the report at its meeting on 16 September 2015 and its comments will be reported.

The report of the Assistant Director Finance was submitted to update Members on the current position in respect of the Council’s revised annual capital programme and the anticipated level of deferred expenditure into future years. During the first three years of the year the Council spend £1.534 million which equated to 6.6% of the revised programme.

Members were advised that the capital spend of £1,600,000 on the Leisure Complex Build Project had been brought forward from 2016/17 into this financial year and of the achievements completed during the first quarter of 2015/16.

The Portfolio Holder of Housing Revenue Account outlined the problems with the LAINGS properties and the requirement to appoint consultants to manage the refurbishment.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources considered the report at its meeting on 16 September 2015 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED that the Council notes and approves the:-

(1)          revisions to the capital programme detailed in section 8.1 of the circulated report; and

(2)          revision of the annual capital programme to reflect the reported variations detailed in 8.4 and 8.5 of the circulated report.

To consider the report of the Assistant Director Customer Access.

The report of the Assistant Director Customer Access was submitted to inform Members of the Council’s work as part of the first phase of the Troubled Families Programme and to seek support for increasing the Council’s engagement in Phase Two of the programme, now called Early Help For Families. The report also outlined the emerging agenda in co design and co delivery with partners and proposed that the Council increased its engagement with this agenda to recognise the benefits.

The Portfolio Holder for Customer Access supported the proposal for this temporary post.

The Assistant Director Customer Access clarified that an analysis would be done using the Home Office’s cost calculator to assess if savings and/or other benefits merit a case being developed for a permanent post towards the end of the 18 months. Devon County would not be contributing any funding to this post at this present time as their funding had gone into the Local Coordinators posts as well as individual budgets for families.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)          the areas of the Council’s work impacted by the Early Help approach and benefits of working with other agencies to support families and vulnerable individuals, be noted;

RECOMMENDED that Council approves:-

(2)          the creation of a temporary post for 18 months to support this work on an invest to save basis and agrees to receive a monitoring report on its success in reducing the costs to the Council, using the Home Office’s Cost Calculator; and

(3)          the sum of up to £38,000 to fund the proposed post; to be met from the Housing Revenue Account working balance and General Fund balances.

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of item 8 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Part I, Schedule 12A of the Act. 

RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1,2 and 3 of Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Act. 

To consider the report of the Assistant Director Customer Access.

The report of the Assistant Director Customer Access was submitted to seek Members’ approval on the draft business case in respect of the proposed amended financial re-structure within the Customer Access Directorate. The proposed structure had taken longer than expected because of the changing agenda around welfare reform alongside a complex systems review process. The new structure provided clarity on roles which would help to address staff uncertainty which has had an impact on morale. However, with the further changes to welfare reform to come, there may be a need to review the structure again within the next two years.

The Systems Lead – Finance advised of the reasons for the recommendation.

Members supported the way forward and congratulated the officers involved for their work in putting together a comprehensive proposed re-structure. Members also noted that the work done in this System had been pioneering and encouraged officers to share it with other authorities. Members further thanked the staff for their willingness to engage with the new ways of working.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)          the proposed amended re-structure be approved, so that formal consultation with staff and unions could commence; and

(2)          Members recognise that this proposal captured immediate and short term need. With further welfare reforms to come, there was a need to remain as agile as possible to reflect the changes in the way the Council resource the service. Therefore this structure may need to be reviewed again in two years.