Agenda and minutes
PDF 64 KBVenue: Committee Room 1, Council Offices Woodgreen, Witney OX28 1NB
Contact: Democratic Services
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Minutes of Previous Meeting To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2022. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2022 were approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.
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Apologies for Absence To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Suzi Coul and Councillor Richard Langridge. Councillor Harry St John substituted for Councillor Richard Langridge.
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations from Members of the Committee on any items to be considered at the meeting. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest received. |
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Participation of the Public To receive any submissions from members of the public, in accordance with the Council’s Rules of Procedure, anyone who lives in the district or who pays council tax or business rates to the Council is eligible to read a statement or express an opinion at this meeting. You can register to speak by sending your written submission of no more than 750 words to [email protected], by no later than 10.00am on the working day before the meeting.
Minutes: There was no public in attendance. |
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2023/24 First Draft Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy Purpose: To provide an update on the developing budget for 2022/23
Recommendation: That the report be noted and the Committee submits comments to Cabinet as it wishes. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Chair welcomed the Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Dan Levy, and the Chief Finance Officer, Elizabeth Griffiths, who introduced the Draft Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy report. The Chief Finance Officer explained to the Committee that the budget had been hit by inflation and the expectation that government funding would be cut. West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) was fortunate to have reserves that could assist the funding gap for the next year, however the Council needed to be aware that reserves would not assist future years, which will be critical times ahead. The Chair asked the Committee to focus on feedback comments to the Cabinet, this was the initial draft report that would return to the Committee for further scrutiny. The Committee discussed the report at length, concluding with the following comments for Cabinet: · Clarity on the role of Head of Commercial to include clear key deliverables · Concerns about the failing Leisure Services contract, and the reality of the lack of management fee income · Concerns about the number of growth posts (Annex C) · WODC Publica roles, could some these roles be shared roles with other Councils, so WODC could have an income? · Local Plan extra £250,000, more detail required what the additional funding is for · Any items in the budget not spent, other items may have been deleted to allow these items to be budgeted, therefore everything needs to be justified with extra care · New Homes Bonus government funding may disappear · Investments - more transparency · Potential Council Tax and Business Rates increases · Added “Forecast spend this year” column on the Charts in the report on page 11 (Quarterly reports do have the forecast) Councillors wanted to know when would the Council know about the government funding, the Deputy Chief Finance Officer, Georgina Dyer confirmed that they were expecting detail on government funding 21 December 2022.
Resolved that the Committee commented on the report and acknowledged that the state of the budget was serious. The Chair announced that the next item that would be considered at the Committee would be Agenda item 9 – Finance Performance, followed by Agenda Item 7, then 6. |
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Treasury Management Update Purpose: To advise members of the treasury and management activity and the performance of internal and external funds for the period 1st April 22 – 30th Sept 22.
Recommendation: That Treasury Management and the performance of internal and external Pooled funds’ activity for the period 1st April 22 – 30th Sept 22 are noted.
Minutes: The Chief Finance Officer introduced the Treasury Management Update report. The Chair asked the Committee if they had any questions or comments. Resolved that the Committee noted the report.
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2021/22 Treasury Outturn Purpose: To advise members of Treasury Management activity and the performance of internal and external funds for 2021/22.
Recommendation That Treasury Management activity and the performance of internal and external funds for 2021/22 are noted. Minutes: The Chief Finance Officer introduced the 2021/22 Treasury Outturn report, which related to last year, summarising that the Cabinet welcomed comments from the Committee. Councillors were concerned, but were keen to await the working group outcomes. Resolved that the report had been noted. |
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West Oxfordshire Council Plan 2023 - 2027 Purpose: The Council’s new corporate plan for 2023-27 (The Council Plan) is being developed in order to succeed the previous plan that covered the period 2020-24. In May 2022 there was a change of administration at the District Council and in July 2022 it was agreed that in light of the changing context in which the Council Plan 2020 – 24 was developed (not least by the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic) that a review of the Council Plan would be appropriate. The West Oxfordshire Council Plan 2023 - 2027 presents five new strategic priorities for the District which reflect the wide ranging issues and challenges requiring focus and attention over the immediate and longer term. This report provides an opportunity for the Overview & Scrutiny Committees to comment on a draft of the Plan so that their views and insights can be taken into account in developing the final version of the Plan. The final version of the Council Plan will be presented to Cabinet 11 January 2023 and then Full Council in early 2023 for adoption.
Recommendation: To provide comments on the Draft West Oxfordshire Council Plan 2023 - 27 Additional documents: Minutes: The Strategic Policy and Partnerships Officer, Astrid Harvey introduced the West Oxfordshire Council Plan 2023 - 2027, summarising that the outcome of consultation was five key priorities. The report was welcomed by the Committee and the general feeling was that it was clear and focussed. Councillors were concerned about sewerage damaging the environment, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Graham was in attendance and was able to confirm that working with partners and the Planning team would be part of sewerage management moving forward. Councillors’ feedback to Cabinet:
Councillors also agreed the plan would be challenging and would need to be reviewed in line with the changing economic conditions, to enable focus on core services. The Strategic Policy and Partnerships Officer confirmed that once the plan had been finalised and passed at Council a softer version would be published for the general public. Resolved, the Committee commented to Cabinet and noted the report. |
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Service Performance and Finance Performance Reports 2022-23 Quarter Two Purpose: These reports provides details of the Council’s financial and operational performance at the end of 2022-23 Quarter Two (Q2)
Recommendation: That the 2022/23 Q2 service and financial performance be noted Additional documents:
Minutes: The Chief Finance Officer introduced the Service Performance and Financial Performance reports, concluding that Officers and Cabinet continued to work on getting the budget and medium term financial strategy onto a sustainable path. Tough decisions were ahead, as well as looking carefully at the growth requests, leisure services contracts and initiatives for incomes streams. 14:55 Councillor Brooker left. Councillors discussed the income decline in parking, the Cabinet Member for Finance explained that hopefully with enforcement of off street parking fines, there should be an increase in income moving forward. The overspend on certain budgets concerned Councillors, Democratic Services had an overspend which the Deputy Finance was able to give some detail on, but would look into further detail and come back to members via email. Councillors wanted staff to know that they appreciated the hard work that had gone into producing all the budget reporting. There were some suggestions made on the performance reporting:
Resolved the 2022/23 Q2 service and financial performance reports were commented upon, and had been noted.
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Committee Work Programme Purpose: To provide the Committee with an updated Work Programme for 2021/2022. Recommendation: That the Committee notes the work programme and provides comment where needed.
Minutes: The Chair asked for comments the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2022/2023. The Committee Resolved to note the Scrutiny work programme, with no comments.
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Cabinet Work Programme Purpose: To give the Committee the opportunity to comment on the Cabinet Work Programme published on November 2022. Recommendation: That the Committee decides whether to express a view to the Cabinet on relevant issues in its Work Programme.
Minutes: The Chair invited comments on the Cabinet Work Programme published November 2022. Councillors were concerned that items had dropped off the Cabinet work program, in particular: · Woodstock – Hensington redevelopment · SIL review – replacement of S106 The Assistant Director for Business Services, Leadership and Management Team, Phil Martin, confirmed he would investigate and email the Committee with his findings. The Committee Resolved to note and commented on the Cabinet work programme. The Chair announced a short comfort break at 15:40. |
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Exclusion of the Publish and Press Exclusion of the Publish and Press If the Chair wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the exempt from publication part of the agenda, it will be necessary for the Committee to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. The Chair may maintain the exemption if and so long as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. Minutes: The Chair resumed the meeting at 15:55. The Committee Resolved to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. |
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Waste Service Review - Briefing on Waste Collection Options Appraisal Purpose: Waste Service Review – Verbal briefing from the Assistant Director (Commercial Development), on Waste Collection Options Appraisal.
Recommendation: The Committee to note the briefing and ask questions. Minutes: The Assistant Director (Commercial Development), Bill Oddy, briefed on the Waste Collection Options Appraisal. The Business Manager - Contracts, Environmental Services, Scott Williams, presented a summary of slides to support the options appraisal. Councillors had received a confidential report prior to the meeting, that was commissioned for an independent waste collection options appraisal, which had concluded with nine options to consider. Councillors were invited to ask questions and to comment to Cabinet on the options that they had been briefed upon, and the independent report. Councillors entered into a discussion on the following themes for feedback to Cabinet: · Kerbside sorting v collection and recycle centre · Levels/rates of contamination · Timelines for payback · Official bidding process for transparency · New bins and bags costs · Vehicle options · Residents’ learning curve · Residents’ ability · Staffing costs · Gate fees · Population growth · Doorstop service for assisted collections · Piloting potential schemes The Chair thanked Councillors for discussion points for the feedback to Cabinet as it was important to get this right being a vital decision for the Council. Resolved that the Committee noted the options appraisal and commented feedback themes for Cabinet. |