Agenda item

Scrutiny of Budget Proposals for 2018/19

Minutes:

 The Chair welcomed the following speakers to the Internal Scrutiny Committee meeting:

 

·  Neil Kissock, Director of Finance

·  Peter Buckley, Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services

·  Sarah Jenkins, Head of Service – Customer Access Service

·  Michael Green, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Environment and Planning

·  Keith Iddon, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport

·  Phil Durnell, Head of Service Highways

·  Oliver Starkey, Head of Service Public and Integrated Transport

 

The report presented set out all the savings proposals as agreed by the Cabinet at its meetings between 14 September and 7 December 2017 inclusive that were relative to the Internal Scrutiny Committee's terms of reference for consideration. It was a revised process as agreed by the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of all relevant Scrutiny Committees for the scrutiny of Cabinet's budget proposals following the disestablishment of the Executive Scrutiny Committee and its Budget Scrutiny Working Group.

 

From discussions on the savings proposals outlined in Appendix 'A' of the report, the following items for future scrutiny review during 2018/19 were identified:

 

·  How vacancies were being addressed and the costs around the use of agency and consultancy staff.

·  Further information regarding Highways Asset Management and how reductions relating to revenue would have no impact on service delivery.

·  Further information on waste arisings in relation to the impact on resources within the service for delivery of this option.

·  The potential impact of the withdrawal of funding to and cessation of Member Grants, the Central Gateway Fund and the Local Initiative Fund.

·  The potential opportunity for more savings in Residual Waste which could reduce the impact to some services and areas of concern for residents.

·  Update on the impact from the changes outlined for the Customer Access Service.

·  The Conservation and Collection Team (for consultation) and whether the savings identified would continue to maintain the current team, potentially increase its activity and work more effectively and commercially.

·  Defect pothole repairs and the financial viability of the proposal.

·  Street lighting maintenance (for consultation) and the potential impact on the service performance levels.

·  Further detail on the Community Transport consultation and the potential additional costs that could be incurred as a result of the outlined saving proposal.

 

In addition it was agreed that early intervention and prevention in relation to the budget savings proposals be included in the work plan.

 

Members requested that those matters identified which were agreed for consultation only, the outcomes from the consultations be reported back to the committee.

 

The following matters were discussed and identified for potential review through the External Scrutiny Committee:

·  Customer Access operating hours – out of hour's access for LCC services and the Emergency Duty Team Service.

·  The removal of LCC funding for Police Community Support Officers.

·  Drainage Maintenance and the capitalisation of drainage repairs expenditure.

 

Resolved: That;

  1. Matters from the relevant Cabinet Members' budget proposals for 2018/19 to form the basis for scrutiny review during 2018/19 be determined.
  2. All matters determined by members be compiled from the minutes of the meeting and form part of the work planning session in readiness for the 2018/19 municipal year.

 

Supporting documents: