Agenda and minutes

County Councillor C Dereli replaced County Councillor J Oakes at this meeting.

None.

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary or Non-pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

None.

Resolved:  That the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 January 2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

The Committee considered the following reports on decisions due to be taken by the Cabinet.

The Deputy Leader of the Council introduced a report which set out the impact of the Autumn Statement and the Finance Settlement for 2016/17; provided an update of the forecast outturn position for 2015/16 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2016/17 to 2020/21; and the position with regard to reserves.

Attention was drawn to the reduction of £303.3m in central government support over the period 2016/17 to 2019/20, noting that the settlement announced immediately before Christmas had presented the Council with an even greater reduction in financial resources than previously anticipated.

Damon Lawrenson, interim Director of Financial Resources, set out the detail contained in the report. The work to reduce the predicted overspend in the current financial year was welcomed, but it was emphasised that the financial position of the council was such that, whilst a legal balanced budget could be set for 2016/17, there were a number of significant risks in the councils financial position that meant that it was not currently possible to say with confidence that a legal balanced budget could be set for 2017/18. It was made clear that the position in 2017/18 was heavily dependent on the timely delivery of the budget proposals announced by Cabinet, and that any delay would require the greater use of reserves, threatening the position for later years.

It was MOVED and SECONDED that the recommendations set out in the report be noted, to which the following amendment was MOVED and SECONDED: 

"That the Committee requests the Cabinet not to proceed with the proposed cuts to the flood risk budget, subsidised bus routes budget, libraries, museums, the Knott End Ferry and transport to day centres."  Upon being put to the vote the amendment was lost and the original motion was then put to the vote.  The original motion was carried and it was:

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that no additional comments or alternative recommendations be made.

Report to follow.

Mike Walker, Information, Intelligence, Quality and Performance Manager, attended to present the responses to the consultation on the Cabinet's proposed budget options. It was reported that the individual responses would be made available to all members of the Council. 

It was confirmed that the responses, along with responses from any further individual budget decisions and proposals would be used to review and update existing equality analyses as appropriate.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that no additional comments or alternative recommendations be made.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the Minutes, the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency. Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Member's intention to raise a matter under this heading.

None.

The next meeting of the Executive Scrutiny Committee will be held on Tuesday, 2February 2016 at 2pm at the County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on Tuesday, 2February 2016 at 2pm at the County Hall, Preston.

The Committee is asked to consider whether, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, it considers that the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as indicated against the heading to the item.

Resolved: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 and that in all circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Committee considered the following reports on Key Decisions due to be taken by individual cabinet members as indicated.

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.)

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.  It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The Committee considered a report on the proposed award of contracts for the provision of Highways, Repairs and Maintenance works. 

Resolved:  That the recommendation set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.)

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.  It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The Committee considered a report on the proposed award of contracts for a Reablement Service in Lancashire. 

Resolved:  That the recommendation set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.