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Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1

Contact: Democratic Services 

Items
No. Item

55.

Election of Chair

Purpose:

Election of the Chair for Finance and Management Committee for Civic Year 2023/24.

 

Recommendation:

Committee elects the Chair for Finance and Management Committee for Civic Year 2023/24.

Minutes:

The Vice-Chair of the Council, Councillor Elizabeth Poskitt, opened the meeting, welcoming Members and Officers to the Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.

The Vice-Chair of the Council asked the Committee for nominations to the position of Chair of the Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2023/2024.

Councillor Michele Mead proposed that Councillor Alaa Al-Yousuf be elected Chair of the Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2023/2024. This was seconded by Councillor Julian Cooper and was put to a vote. The vote carried.

Committee Resolved to:

1.      Elect Councillor Alaa Al-Yousuf as Chair of the Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2023/2024.

56.

Election of Vice-Chair

Purpose:

Election of the Vice-Chair for Finance and Management Committee for Civic Year 2023/24.

 

Recommendation:

Committee elects the Vice-Chair for Finance and Management Committee for Civic Year 2023/24.

 

Minutes:

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Alaa Al-Yousuf, proposed from the Chair that Councillor Charlie Maynard be elected Vice-Chair of the Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2023/2024. This was seconded by Councillor Julian Cooper and was put to a vote. The vote carried.

Committee Resolved to:

1.      Elect Councillor Charlie Maynard as Vice-Chair of the Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2023/2024.

57.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for Absence were received from Councillors Charlie Maynard, Michael Brooker and Jane Doughty.

 

Councillor Rosie Pearson arrived late to the meeting at 2.16pm.

58.

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 by Members of the Committee.

59.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 43 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2023.

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on Wednesday 12 April 2023, were unanimously agreed by the Committee, and signed by the Chair as a true & accurate record.

60.

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 participation at the meeting.

61.

Decision - Decarbonisation of Carterton Leisure Centre pdf icon PDF 184 KB

Purpose:

To update the Committee on a decision taken under urgency rules.

 

Recommendation:

Committee to note the decision taken.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Claire Locke, Assistant Director for Property and Regeneration, joined the Committee virtually and delivered a briefing to the Committee regarding a decision taken under urgency rules relating to Carterton Leisure Centre.

 

The Council identified that an Investment Grade Proposal (IGP), is required to fully understand the requirements of decarbonising Carterton Leisure Centre. If the Council decided to proceed with or without grant funding, this advanced design proposal would still be required. A design and build contract was procured via a Framework and the Council has been working with Kier and their sub-contractor ‘Hydrock’, in preparing detailed modelling of the available options for replacement heating systems. The options considered were for space heating, swimming pool heating and hot water with the addition of Solar PV and battery storage to reduce the reliance on electricity from the grid.

 

The Chair invited the Committee to discuss the briefing and update received, which clarified the following points:

  • Fees associated with the project;
  • Planning permission required to undertake the work;
  • Contractors procured to undertake the work;
  • Elements associated with increased project costs;
  • Impacts on service provision at the Leisure centre;
  • Engineering works associated with the project;
  • Improvement of a Council asset;
  • Potential grant funding associated with the project;

 

The Chair proposed the Committee note the decision taken under urgency rules. This was seconded by Councillor Michele Mead, was put to a vote. The vote carried.

 

Committee Resolved to:

  1. Note the decision taken under urgency rules regarding Carterton Leisure Centre;
  2. Invite the Assistant Director to 6 December meeting to advise on progress made.

62.

Presentation on Commercial Waste

Purpose:

Committee to receive a presentation on Commercial Waste.

 

Recommendation:

Committee to note the presentation and ask questions.

Minutes:

Stuart Rawlinson, Business Manager for Data, Resources and Growth, delivered a presentation to Committee relating to commercial waste, which included debt management and further work undertaken by his team.

 

The Chair invited the Committee to discuss the presentation, which clarified the following points:

  • Reduction of historic aged debt levels;
  • Partnership working with shareholders, e.g. Ubico;
  • Additional service improvements;
  • Collaboration with Customer Service departments;
  • Processes of onboarding new customers;
  • Reputation of trade waste services;
  • Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic;
  • Trade waste collection not being a statutory service;
  • Exclusion of fly-tipping collections;
  • Compatibility of vehicles for trade waste;
  • Returning to levels of profit;
  • Identifying levels of resilience in the service;
  • Services of commercial food waste collection.

 

The Chair proposed the Committee note the presentation received. This was seconded by Councillor Michele Mead, was put to a vote. The vote carried.

 

Committee Resolved to:

1.      Note the presentation on commercial waste.

63.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund pdf icon PDF 193 KB

Purpose:

To update members on the delivery of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund in West Oxfordshire.

 

Recommendation:

That the Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee notes the update provided.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Will Barton, Business Development Officer, introduced and gave a high-level overview of the report, which updated the Committee regarding the delivery of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and Rural England Prosperity Fund, in West Oxfordshire.

 

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) was launched in April 2022 and was part of the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration agenda. The Fund provided £2.6 billion of new funding for local investment by March 2025, with all areas of the UK receiving an allocation. The primary goal of the UKSPF was to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK. The Council had to submit an ‘Investment Plan’ in July 2022 setting out how the funds would be used in the district. The Plan identified the challenges the District faces and the opportunities to address these using the fund with interventions, outputs and outcomes from the list. The Investment Plan also set out the Council’s governance structure which included a ‘Local Partnership’ comprising external stakeholders.

 

The Chair invited the Committee to discuss the report presented, which clarified the following points:

  • Collaboration with local, higher-education authorities, regional chambers of commerce and skilled working groups;
  • Improvements to community infrastructure;
  • Investment in small and medium sized businesses;
  • Further opportunities for county-wide skill initiatives;
  • Liaison with the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP);
  • Skillset provision of military service leavers from RAF Brize Norton;
  • Future, business support projects;
  • Adaptation of green skills.

 

The Chair proposed the Committee note the updates received. This was seconded by Councillor Michele Mead and was put to a vote. The vote carried.

 

Committee Resolved to:

  1. Note the updates provided regarding the UK Shared prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund.

 

The Chair announced a short adjournment at 3.43pm for Members to take a comfort break. Committee reconvened at 3.49pm.

 

The Senior Democratic Services Officer, Max Thompson, advised the Committee upon its return that owing to technical issues, the live streaming of the meeting had ceased and the meeting was no longer able to be viewed on the Council’s website. The Senior Democratic Services Officer advised that the approval for the ceasing of the live stream was made between the Assistant Director for Business Services and himself. The Chair of the Committee thanked the Senior Democratic Services Officer for updating the Committee.

64.

Service Performance Report 2022/23 Quarter Four pdf icon PDF 406 KB

Purpose:

This report provides details of the Council’s operational performance at the end of

2022-23 Quarter Four (Q4).

 

Recommendation:

That the 2022/23 Q4 service performance be noted.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Elizabeth Griffiths, Chief Finance Officer, Section 151 Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, introduced and gave an overview the report, which provided details of the Council’s operational performance at the end of 2022-23 Quarter Four (Q4).

 

The Chief Finance Officer clarified subject points made in the report, in discussion with the Committee, which were as follows:

  • Reduction of aged debt;
  • Liaison with leisure providers and consultants;
  • Adaptation of leisure provisions for community use;
  • Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic;
  • Heavily increased utility costs;
  • Contractual position with GLL regarding Finances;
  • Management fees for Leisure provision;
  • Increased inflationary pressures of service contracts;
  • Pressures faced within the Council’s finance teams;
  • Enforcement action on fly-tipping;
  • Impacts on waste service provision.

 

The Chair proposed that the Committee note the Service Performance Report for 2022-23 Quarter Four (Q4). This was seconded by Councillor Michele Mead and was put to a vote. The vote carried.

 

Committee Resolved to:

  1. Note the Service Performance Report for 2022-23 Quarter Four (Q4).

 

Councillor Ruth Smith left the meeting at 4.08pm.

65.

Financial Performance Report 2022/23 Quarter 4 pdf icon PDF 621 KB

Purpose:

To provide details of the Council’s Financial Performance Report at

the end of Quarter 4, 2022/23.

Report to follow.

 

Recommendation:

That the Quarter 4, 2022/23 Financial Performance Report be noted.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Elizabeth Griffiths, Chief Finance Officer, Section 151 Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, introduced the report, which provided details of the Council’s financial performance at the end of 2022-23 Quarter Four (Q4).

 

The Chair invited the Committee to discuss the report, which clarifies the following points:

  • Staffing levels within the Council’s finance department*;
  • Budget overspending and underspending;
  • Budget building process leading up to February Council;
  • Future provisions for moving to paperless meetings;
  • Year-end financial positions;
  • Controlled debt recovery;
  • Transfer of parking services.

 

*Councillor Alex Wilson proposed that the Committee recommend that the Executive explore the idea of the recruitment of a permanent Credit Controller to help strengthen staffing levels within the Council’s finance team. This was seconded by Councillor Michele Mead and was put to a vote, The vote carried.

 

Committee Resolved to:

  1. Recommend that the Executive explore the idea of the recruitment of a permanent Credit Controller to help strengthen staffing levels within the Council’s finance team.

 

The Chair proposed that the Committee note the Financial Performance Report for 2022-23 Quarter Four (Q4). This was seconded by Councillor Michele Mead, and was put to a vote. The vote carried.

 

Committee Resolved to:

  1. Note the Financial Performance Report for 2022-23 Quarter Four (Q4).

66.

Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 319 KB

Purpose:

To provide the Committee with an updated Work Programme for 2023/24.

Recommendation:

That the Committee notes the work programme and provides comment where needed.

 

Minutes:

The Chair asked the Committee if there were any comments Members wished to make regarding the Committee Work Programme.

 

Councillor Mark Johnson queried the Leisure Centre Strategy report, due to come to Committee at the next meeting, as to what it would entail. The Chief Finance Officer stated that the report would focus on the financial aspects of the strategy.

 

Committee Resolved to:

1.    Note the Committee Work Programme.

67.

Executive Work Programme pdf icon PDF 121 KB

Purpose:

To give the Committee the opportunity to comment on the Executive Work Programme.

Recommendation:

That the Committee decides whether to express a view to the Executive on relevant issues in its Work Programme.

 

Minutes:

The Chair asked the Committee if there were any comments Members wished to make regarding the Executive Work Programme, of which none were received.

 

Committee Resolved to:

  1. Note the Executive Work Programme.

 

The Chair of the Committee paid tribute to the Chief Finance Officer, Elizabeth Griffiths, and thanked her for her hard work and  service to West Oxfordshire District Council. The Chief Finance Officer would leave the Council ahead of the next meeting to take up post at another local authority. The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, wished the Chief Finance Officer well for the future.