Agenda and draft minutes
PDF 60 KBVenue: Committee Room 1
Contact: Democratic Services
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 by Members of the Committee. |
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Minutes of Previous Meeting 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. |
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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 participation at the meeting. |
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Decision - Decarbonisation of Carterton Leisure Centre 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:
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:
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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:
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. |
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UK Shared Prosperity Fund 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:
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:
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. |
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Service Performance Report 2022/23 Quarter Four 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:
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:
Councillor Ruth Smith left the meeting at 4.08pm. |
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Financial Performance Report 2022/23 Quarter 4 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:
*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:
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:
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Committee Work Programme 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. |
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Executive Work Programme 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:
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. |