Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

None.

None.

A decision of the Cabinet meeting on 12 July 2022 relating to ‘Annual Review of Fees and Charges 2022’ has been called in.  Attached is a copy of the procedure for dealing with a called in item.

The Chief Officer (Governance) explained the procedure for the call in of a Cabinet decision as detailed in the supporting document.  The Cabinet had considered a report on ‘Annual Review of Fees and Charges 2022’ at its meeting on 12 July 2022.  The decision (Record of Decision 3991) had been called in byCouncillors Bernie Attridge, Helen Brown, Bill Crease, Richard Jones and Debbie Owen.  Copies of the Cabinet report, the Record of Decision and Endorsement of Call in, which identified three reasons for the call in, were included in the agenda pack.

Report of Corporate Finance Manager and Chief Executive - Cabinet Member for Finance, Inclusion, Resilient Communities including Social Value and Procurement.

To assist Members, the following documents are attached:-

·         Copy of the report - Annual Review of Fees and Charges 2022

·         Copy of the Record of Decision

·         Copy of the Call In Notice

That having considered the decision, the Committee is satisfied with the explanations received and therefore the decision may now be implemented.

Representations from call in signatories

            Councillor Bernie Attridge commented on the reasons given for the call-in, which he said was very broad, and outlined the questions he had as follows:-

1. Could officers confirm the differences between versions 2 and 3 of the Income Generation Policy (IGP).
2. Does the Cabinet Member think it is acceptable to increase fees and charges for cemetery services by 6% when there is no proposed increase to fees and charges for civil parking enforcement?
3. Why have the fees and charges relating to Marriage celebrations increased considerably?
4. The IGP requires consideration of the impact of fees and charges on communities.  Does the Cabinet Member believe the impact of the increased fees and charges was acceptable?
5. Which Members sit on the Programme Board, that considers the proposed changes to fees and charges, as outlined in the IGP; and
6. Where are the comments made by the Programme Board, in relation to the proposed increases to fees and charges?

Councillor Attridge referred to reason 1 for the call in which related to a rent increase of 88% to a community group which was felt would have devastating consequences and if replicated across Flintshire would cause social implications for other community Groups.  He raised concerns around the proposed increase, which he believed had been proposed due to the rent not being reviewed by the Council for a number of years and did not feel that the community group should be penalised for this.  He said that this was simply not acceptable.  

Councillor Bill Crease felt that the proposed 88% rent increase for a community group was an example of what could go wrong when trying to apply a standard measure across the board.  He said that the group affected had spent a great deal of time improving, without measure, a resource for the community and had run many sessions which had benefited the immediate and wider community.  He felt that due to a failure of the Council in managing it leasing policy properly and to apply rent reviews in a standard way, this community group were faced with an 88% increase for renting a resource which the Council, Ranger Service and Wepre Park did not have to provide any financial contribution towards.

The Chairman, as a signatory of the call-in, commented on room hire within the list of fees and charges which had not been increased and the youth and community services room hire which had increased by 6% and asked why there was this disparity.  In relation to the IGP, he commented on the statement within the Policy that services should be prepared to provide supporting information to demonstrate full cost recovery or market rate comparison was being achieved, where permitted, and suggested that the Committee, at a future meeting, be provided with the full costs in order to compare to market rates.  He also commented on the statement within the Policy that intelligence would be gathered to understand the ability of customers to pay.  He asked the Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

There were no members of the press in attendance.