Agenda, decisions and minutes

None were received.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2013 had been circulated with the agenda.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes be approved as a correct record.

As detailed in the recommendation.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance welcomed Mr Peter Graham, Regional Director of CSSIW to the meeting.

The Cabinet Member for Social Services introduced the report which provided an overview of CSSIW’s evaluation of social care in Flintshire and gave a positive view of the authority’s Social Services for both Vulnerable Children and Adults.

Mr Graham thanked the Cabinet Member for her introduction and delivered a presentation to Members on the key areas of progress for the year 2012/13 in Flintshire’s Social Services and areas for future improvement.

The key points were:

Adults Services

• Due to the emphasis on prevention, fewer people were supported in residential care and more able to lead independent lives
• The reablement service had been particularly successful in helping people regain independence with the majority not requiring ongoing services
• Adult safeguarding needed to be strengthened and the authority had taken action to improve the management of risk
• Ongoing issues in improving community health services with the authority reporting that the complex decision making processes with Betsi Cadwalader University Health Board (BCUHB) had not leant themselves to joint working for shared outcomes

Children’s Services

• Performance against a significant range of national indicators remained amongst the best in Wales
• The authority provided an effective response to incoming referrals and performed well in fulfilling its responsibilities in relation to child protection and looked after children
• The authority should consider the potential to improve placement stability
• The authority had developed a range of preventative services and provided good support to young people leaving care and access to accommodation had improved
• The authority’s annual performance report had been restructured to reflect the key components of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill and would better lend itself to public scrutiny against the key areas of leadership, commissioning, improvement, voice for citizens, safeguarding and integrating services
• The report recognised that the current economic climate, welfare changes and demographic pressures presented significant challenges for the future and was increasingly realistic about how to prepare for new demands and shifting public expectations

Potential Risks

• Sustainability of medium term financial planning
• Continuing ability to influence locality focused strategic planning with the BCUHB
• Securing sufficiently robust outcomes in adult safeguarding

Summary

• The authority had benefited from strong leadership and clear vision and continued to make progress in a number of key areas
• The authority was able to evidence a range of positive outcomes which had been delivered through its strategic transformation of services
• The authority had signalled its intention to put people in control of the services they received and to support more people to live independent lives
• The authority was seeking to reduce dependency on its services by strengthening support in communities and the use of new technology
• The authority was forward looking and was innovative.  This was recognised in the number of awards it had been given

Members thanked Mr Graham for the presentation and welcomed the positive report.

            RESOLVED:

            That the CSSIW’s evaluation of performance be received and endorsed.

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance advised that the report would be dealt with in two sections.  Firstly to consider the formal response to Welsh Government (WG) on the Provisional Settlement.  Secondly to consider the impacts on Flintshire. 

The Head of Finance introduced the first part of the report which provided details of the Provisional Welsh Local Government Settlement 2014/15 which had been announced by WG on 16 October 2013.  The consultation period on the Provisional Settlement was open until 20 November 2013. 

Full details were provided on the aggregate external finance (AEF), the damping mechanism (Floors), the Standard Spending Assessment (SSA), transfers into the Settlement, Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS), highways improvement – local government borrowing initiative, protection for schools and social care, specific grants, unhypothicated grants, capital settlement and the consultation period.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance proposed the following key points be included in the formal response to WG:

·         The financial challenges affecting public finances were recognised

·         Recognised that WG’s resources had reduced and WG had made policy choices about how to allocate across public services in Wales

·         The settlement was not going to change; the intention was to work with the Settlement rather than against it

·         The financial plans for local government had been changed drastically in a short period of time

·         Proactive and realistic national public relations were needed on the gravity and impacts.  WG needed to share responsibility for the local impacts which would follow

·         Longer term budget planning was needed at a national level.  Unlike Health who had 3 year plans, local government had one year of actual budget certainty and one further year with a broad outline which meant that the authority could not realistically plan in that operating environment

·         There needed to be a rounded and collective review of the sustainability of the Welsh budget as a whole (including the affordability and benefits of the universal services), not at individual sub-sector level which made thinking for the public services as a whole disjointed and could bring unintended consequences

·         Any further changes to the Settlement needed to be transparent and communicated from the outset as some of the detail had not met expectations e.g. Council Tax Reduction Scheme and prudential borrowing for highways

·         The need for the availability of capitalisation was high for local government to meet the costs of easing workforce reductions

·         The need to be creative over income generation, charging and new models of working with the best practice advocated by peer organisations

·         The proposed review of specific grants had to be ambitious and concluded quicker than proposed.  There should be a presumption that all specific grants were withdrawn and included in the Settlement unless there was a proven case for their retention as an exemption.  Local government should be judged on its performance outcomes and not constrained through tight financial controls

Following a question, the Head of Finance explained that at the time of writing the report it was believed that the Settlement included protection for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 116.

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Management introduced the report on the Council’s community review proposals for the purposes of consultation.

The County Council had not completed a community review of all electoral areas since coming into being.  There had only been limited reviews affecting a small number of Town & Community Councils.

The first formal stage of the community review was to seek and obtain proposals from Town & Community Councils and other interested parties and a series of consultation meeting were held.

Following representations by a member of Leeswood Community Council, all Town & Community Councils were informed that the objective of the seventh and eighth guiding principles was to have approximately the same ratios of electors to Councillors across the different wards that a town or community may be divided into.  County Council, at its meeting on 23 October 2013, endorsed the clarification of the seventh and eighth guiding principles.

The community review draft proposals were appended to the report as recommended by County Council.  Once Cabinet had agreed the Council’s draft proposals it was intended that there would be a nine week consultation period similar to the initial consultation in May.  The response to the consultation period would be analysed and reports submitted to Council and Cabinet to determine what changes should be made to the proposals in light of the consultation responses received.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the seventh & eighth guiding principles be clarified as indicated in paragraph 3.02 of the report;

(b)       That the proposals outlined in Appendix A to the report be sent out for consultation; and

(c)        That the second formal consultation period be as identified in paragraph 3.06 above.

(a)       That Cabinet grant delegated authority to the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, to approve the Vehicle Replacement and Fleet Utilisation Policy as detailed in Appendix 1;

(b)       That Cabinet grant delegated authority to the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, to approve the proposals set out in paragraphs 3.10, 3.11 and 3.12 of the report; and

(c)        As detailed in recommendation (c) above

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment introduced the report which sought approval for the adoption of a Vehicle Replacement and Utilisation Policy for all fleet vehicles operated by the authority.

The potential savings identified by the consultants within the report were substantial and therefore, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment asked that the Council’s internal Finance team confirm them before finally committing to the course of action outlined.  He therefore proposed amendments to recommendations 4.01 and 4.02 of:

4.01    That Cabinet grant delegated authority to the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, to approve the Vehicle Fleet Replacement and Fleet Utilisation Policy (Appendix 1)

4.02    That Cabinet grant delegated authority to the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, to approve the proposals set out in paragraphs 3.10, 3.11 and 3.12 of the report

            which were agreed.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That Cabinet grant delegated authority to the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, to approve the Vehicle Fleet Replacement and Fleet Utilisation Policy (Appendix 1);

(b)       That Cabinet grant delegated authority to the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, to approve the proposals set out in paragraphs 3.10, 3.11 and 3.12 of the report; and

(c)        That a further report is brought to Cabinet updating Members on Phase 3 of the project, as set out in paragraph 3.10, before a final decision is taken on the Council’s future approach.

As detailed in the recommendation.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment introduced the report which sought approval for the adoption of a Fuel Policy for all Fleet Vehicles operated by the authority.

RESOLVED:

That the Council Fleet Fuel Policy (Appendix 1) be approved.

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Management introduced the 2013/14 Mid Year service performance reports which had been produced at divisional level and covered the period April to September 2013.

The Chief Executive explained that this was the first round of receiving the streamlined and corporate approach mid year service performance reports since being adopted at Cabinet on 17 September.

Analysis had been undertaken for 35 of the 39 Improvement Targets and National Strategic Indicators (NSIs) showed the following:-

·         20 (57.1%) achieved a green (Red, Amber, Green) RAG status

·         12 (34.3%) achieved an amber RAG status

·         3 (8.6%) achieved a red RAG status

Details of those indicators which showed a red RAG status against target were outlined in the report with detailed commentary.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Mid Year service performance reports be noted and any specific issues which may require management action and/or referral to the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration be recommended; and

(b)       That the following be noted:

·         The progress updates for the Council Improvement Priorities that are not set as an in-year priority

·         Service plan progress;

·         Progress / performance against Corporate measures e.g. absence management;

·         The assessment of any regulatory reports; and

Performance against Improvement Targets and National Strategic Indicators (NSIs)

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Head of Finance provided the most up to date revenue budget monitoring information (Month 5) for the Council Fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) in 2013/14.

The projected year end position on the Council Fund, as estimated at Month 5 was:

·         Net in year expenditure forecast to be £1.074m less than the budget (a decrease of £0.173m on the £1.247m reported at Month 4)

·         Projected contingency reserve balance at 31 March 2014 of £3.715m

The projected year end position on the HRA, as estimated at Month 5 was:

·         Net in year expenditure forecast to under spend the budget by £0.014m (£0.260m overspend reported at Month 4)

The report provided details on the projected positive variation of expenditure against budget of £1.074m, programme of efficiencies, inflation and monitoring budget assumptions and new risks.

On unearmarked reserves, after taking account of an allocation of £0.518m for recovery costs following the March 2013 severe weather, and bringing in the impact of the projected in year budget position, the current projected level of contingency reserve at the end of March 2014 was an amount of £3.715m.

On the HRA, for 2013/14 there was an overall projected under spend of £0.014m and a projected closing balance at Month 5 of £1.448m, which at 5.1% of total expenditure satisfied the prudent approach of ensuring a minimum level of 3%.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the report be noted;

(b)       That the projected Council Fund contingency sum as at 31 March 2014 be noted; and

(c)        That the projected final level of balances on the Housing Revenue Account be noted.

As detailed in the recommendations.

Prior to introducing the report, the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance said an incorrect press statement had appeared in a local newspaper on an increase to Council Tax.

The Head of Finance clarified the position and explained that the Tax Base was the number of chargeable dwellings expressed as Band D equivalents of which there were 61,501.  The Council Tax Base calculations were supplied to the Welsh Government and used for the distribution of the Revenue Support Grant in the annual Provisional and Final Local Authority Revenue Settlement.  The calculations were also used by the Council when it set its annual budget to calculate the Council Tax levels.  This was done by dividing the net budget requirement by the Council Tax Base to provide the amount of Council Tax for a dwelling in Band D.  A set formula was then used to determine the Council Tax levels for the eight remaining Property Bands (A to C and E to I).

Also, the setting of the Council Tax Base allowed the County Council, Police & Crime Commissioner for North Wales and Town & Community Councils to calculate the following year’s Council Tax charges based on the estimated number of chargeable properties, expressed as the equivalent number of Band D properties in the Council’s area.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That a ‘nil’ level of discount for properties falling within any of the Prescribed Classes (A, B or C) be set and for this to apply to the whole of the County area; and

(b)       That the Tax Base of 61,501 chargeable Band D equivalent properties as shown in Appendix 1 be approved for the financial year 2014/15.

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for Waste Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure introduced the report which updated Members on the liquidation of AD Waste and the closure of the Company’s accounts following the transfer of the service into Council control.

Details on the remaining financial balances and the outstanding commitments from the organisations operations were detailed in the report.  Also highlighted was the net value of the company at transfer, which after taking account of its liabilities, was £2,831,474 which mainly comprised of the Property and Fleet assets owned by the Company.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the finalisation of the liquidation arrangements for AD Waste be noted;

(b)       That the additional works set out in paragraph 3.01 be funded from the liquidated balance; and

(c)        That the remaining balance of £513k from the transfer of the company be added to the Council’s in year Capital Programme Budget.

As detailed in the recommendation.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Management introduced the report which requested authorisation to write off three corporate sundry debt invoices amounting to £98,985.45, relating to a single company that was no longer trading.

The Head of Finance confirmed that all possible routes to recover the debt had been exercised and there was no prospect of recuperation.

            RESOLVED:

That the write off of three Corporate sundry debts invoices amounting to £98,985.45 be approved.     

As detailed in the recommendation.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Management introduced the report which provided an update for the second quarter 2013/14 on establishment, headcount, agency, early retirements, turnover, diversity and absence.

Members welcomed the reduction in the spend on agency staff and the 81% of employees who had 100% attendance in the second quarter.

RESOLVED:

That the Workforce Information Report for quarter two for 2013/14 be noted.

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed.

An information report on the actions taken under delegated powers was submitted.  The actions were as set out below:-

            Corporate                             -           Business Rates – Write Offs

            Environment                        -           Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 Fees

There was one member of the press in attendance.