Agenda and minutes

County Councillors C Dereli, T Brown, C Henig and M Brindle replaced County Councillors J Oakes, A Barnes, S Holgate and B Winlow respectively at this meeting.

Chair of the meeting

County Councillors B Winlow and A Barnes, chair and deputy chair of the Committee, were unable to attend the meeting.  Nominations were invited for a member of the Committee to act as chair for the meeting.  County Councillor Clifford was duly nominated and appointed as chair.

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.

The Committee considered a number of reports to be presented for decision by Cabinet on 12 August 2015.

The Committee considered a report on the proposed consultation arrangements for the Council's new Corporate Strategy.

It was reported that the draft strategy would be tabled at the Cabinet meeting to be held later in the day.  If approved, the consultation exercise would run until 30 September 2015.  It was anticipated that a final draft would be presented to Cabinet in November and then to Full Council for approval in December.

Details of the stakeholders to be consulted on the draft strategy were presented.  It was noted that, in addition to the organisations listed in the report, the following bodies would also be consulted:

·  Lancashire Association of Local Councils (LALC)

·  Society of Local Authority Clerks

·  MEPs

·  NHS Hospital Trusts

·  HE/FE establishments

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

The Committee considered a report on the County Council's Financial Position as at 30June 2015; the latest position in respect of the Council's reserves; and the Council's updated financial outlook and Medium Term Financial Strategy for the period 2016/17 to 2020/21.

Agenda items 3c to 3f were considered as part of this report

It was reported that the Budget Scrutiny Working Group would have the opportunity to discuss the report and its implications in more detail.  Officers would also be happy to meet with individual political groups to discuss the report and the financial pressures facing the Council.

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

The Committee considered a report on the proposed undertaking of a zero base budget review to inform the Council's future budget process.

The report provided details of the approach and timetable for the proposed review.  It was noted that full member briefings would be held in October 2015 on the initial outcomes of the review, linking in to the development of the Corporate Plan and to the normal budget planning cycle.

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

The Committee considered a report on the progress made to date in relation to the downsizing of the council.  The report also set out the extended time period over which the Council would need to reduce its workforce.

It was noted that the report proposed further changes to the Council's Redundancy Payments Scheme and the requirement to commence formal consultation with the recognised Trades Unions in the event that it became necessary to make staff compulsorily redundant was also highlighted.

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

The Committee considered a number of Key Decisions due to be taken by individual Cabinet Members.

The Committee considered a report on the proposed expansion of Trinity Church of England/Methodist Primary School, Buckshaw Village, Chorley.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested 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, 8^th of September 2015 at 2pm at the County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on Tuesday 8 September 2015 at 2.00 p.m. at 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 a number of Key Decisions due to be taken by individual Cabinet Members.

(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 a contract for the Delivery of Domestic Abuse Prevention Service (Perpetrator Prevention Support).

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