Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

None.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting on 16 January 2025.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2025 be approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2025 be approved as a correct record.

That the Committee notes the progress which has been made.

The Democratic Services Manager presented a report (agenda item 4) on progress with actions from previous meetings and advised that final copies of draft letters would be shared with the Committee in due course.

The recommendation was supported.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee notes the progress which has been made.

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme, as amended, be approved; and

(b)       That the Democratic Services Manager, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises.

The Democratic Services Manager presented a report (agenda item 5) on the Committee’s current Forward Work Programme.

A referral from the Environment and Economy Overview & Scrutiny Committee to consider the out of hours service performance was agreed.

Councillor Coggins Cogan suggested that his requested report on Synthite be moved from March to the May meeting.

On that basis, the recommendations were supported.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme, as amended, be approved; and

(b)       That the Democratic Services Manager, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises.

That the Committee supports a review of the current Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process and provides observations to Cabinet.

The Corporate Manager (Capital Programme and Assets) presented a report (agenda item 6) to consider a proposed streamlining of the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process.

Following some concerns raised, Councillor Coggins Cogan proposed the recommendation, subject to the removal of reference to streamlining.  He was seconded by Councillor Ibbotson.  On being put to the vote, this was carried.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee supports a review of the current Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process and provides observations to Cabinet.

(a)       That having considered the Revenue Budget Monitoring 2024/25 (month 9) report, the comments raised by the Committee be referred to Cabinet; and

(b)       That having considered the Capital Programme Monitoring 2024/25 (month 9) report, the comments raised by the Committee be referred to Cabinet.

The Strategic Finance Manager presented the report (agenda item 7) on the 2024/25 month 9 position for the Council Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Capital Programme, prior to consideration by Cabinet.

Discussion on Revenue Budget Monitoring included comments on increasing pressures on homelessness services and Out of County Placements, together with the need for greater public awareness on changes which had impacted positively on the waste infraction charge.

Councillor Coggins Cogan referred to his request at the previous meeting that the underspend on free school meals be protected to support the Holiday Hunger scheme.  Officers agreed to follow up a response on whether this could be achieved.

In response to Councillor Ibbotson’s question on the authorisation of overspends to approved portfolio budgets, it was agreed that the Corporate Finance Manager would discuss the delegated authority process with the Chief Officer (Governance) and report back to the Committee.  An amendment put forward on this was lost when put to the vote, however the action was noted.

On that basis, the recommendations in the report were supported.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That having considered the Revenue Budget Monitoring 2024/25 (month 9) report, the comments raised by the Committee be referred to Cabinet; and

(b)       That having considered the Capital Programme Monitoring 2024/25 (month 9) report, the comments raised by the Committee be referred to Cabinet.

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting as the following item was considered to be exempt by virtue of paragraph 15 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

On being put to the vote, exclusion of the press and public was supported.

Councillor Coggins Cogan asked that his objection be noted, as he felt some of the information could have been dealt with in open session.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting as the following item was considered to be exempt by virtue of paragraph 15 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

(a)       That the Committee has reviewed and commented on Corporate Services’ options to reduce budgets;

(b)       That the Committee has reviewed and commented on Assets Service options to reduce budgets; and

(b)       That the Committee has reviewed and commented on the Governance portfolio’s options to reduce budgets.

The Chief Executive introduced a report to consider options for budget reductions for Corporate Services, Assets Service and the Governance portfolio, in advance of final budget setting for 2025/26.  The report identified further adjustments to budget options previously reported, following updates given on the Council’s challenging budget position and key headlines from the Welsh Local Government Provisional Settlement at the January meeting.

On being put to the vote, the recommendations in the report were supported.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee has reviewed and commented on Corporate Services’ options to reduce budgets;

(b)       That the Committee has reviewed and commented on Assets Service options to reduce budgets; and

(b)       That the Committee has reviewed and commented on the Governance portfolio’s options to reduce budgets.

None.