Agenda and draft minutes
PDF 58 KBVenue: Committee Room 1
Contact: Democratic Services
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Apologies for Absence To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Julian Cooper and Ruth Smith. Councillor Phil Godfrey was absent.
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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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Minutes of Previous Meeting To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2023. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2023 were approved and signed by the Chair as a correct 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. |
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Telephone Channel Access Purpose: The purpose of this report, in light of a continuous decline in demand, is to propose reduced telephone access hours to the public. This will allow focus to shift to digital channels, where demand is increasing.
Recommendations: That the Committee scrutinises the report and agrees any recommendations it wishes to make to the meeting of the Executive on 13 September 2023. Minutes: The Chair informed the Committee he was changing the order of the agenda, and that the Telephone Channel Access item would be heard first, the rest of the agenda order remained unchanged. Michelle Clifford, the Business Manager Customer Services, introduced the Telephone Channel Access Report. The Business Manager Customer Services summarised the report, highlighting the following points:
The Business Manager for Customer Services concluded that Homelessness, Dangerous Structures and Election callers would receive a redirection message. The Chair thanked the Business Manager for Customer Services and asked Members is they had any questions on the trail proposed. Members of the Committee explored the following issues:
Following the debate, the Chair Councillor Alaa Al-Yousuf, introduced the Interim Chief Finance and Section 151 Officer, James Howse, to the Committee. The Interim Chief Finance Officer informed the Committee that innovations like the Telephone Access trail was crucial for generating savings. Councillors were keen to see the data evidence to back up the fall in telephone demand after 2pm. The Business Manager for Customer Services confirmed that following the meeting, Councillors would be sent the full data via email and be regularly contacted for feedback during the trial period.
The Chair reminded the Committee of the recommendation within the report, which were for Cabinet to agree.
Councillor Michael Brooker proposed to support the recommendations within the report. Councillor Elizabeth Poskitt seconded the proposal, which was duly put to the vote and was carried. Councillor ... view the full minutes text for item 72. |
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Treasury Management Out-Turn Report 2022/23 Purpose: To advise members of treasury management activity and the performance of internal and external fund managers for 2022/23.
Recommendation: That the Committee scrutinises the report and agrees any recommendations it wishes to make to the meeting of the Executive on 13 September 2023. Minutes: James Howse, Interim Chief Finance Director, introduced the Treasury Management Out-Turn Report 2022/23. The Interim Chief Finance Director summarised key points within the report:
The Interim Chief Finance Officer advised that Arlingclose had been chosen as the West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) Treasury Advisor, after a competitive tender process had occurred. The new contract included an enhanced package of advisory support.
Councillors asked if the Externally Managed funds at 3.7 within the report were actively or passively managed. The Interim Chief Finance Officer agreed to get back to Councillors with the answer via email, and added that the Council worked closely with Arlingclose in relation to pooled funds. It was added that hopefully in the future years the Council would be able to forecast cash flow more effectively.
Councillors also asked if there were any ethical constraints, the Interim Chief Finance Officer agreed to confirm whether this was built into the Treasury Management Strategy. The Chair explained that there had been a Treasury working group, but this was during Covid and had been difficult to manage, and was disbanded. The group had commented on the need to review the mandate of Arlingclose and had considered ethical issues, which were complex. The Executive Member for Finance, Councillor Dan Levy agreed that the Council should ensure ethical management of funds.
The Committee Resolved to: 1. Note the Treasury Management and the performance of internal and external funds for 2022/23. |
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Finance Performance Report 2023/24 Quarter One Purpose: To provide details of the Council’s Financial Performance Report at the end of Quarter 1, 2023/24.
Recommendation: That the Committee scrutinises the report and agrees any recommendations it wishes to make to the meeting of the Executive on 13 September 2023. Additional documents: Minutes: James Howse, the Interim Chief Finance Officer introduced the Financial Performance Report 2023/24 Quarter One. The Interim Chief Finance Officer summarised the report as largely relating to pressures on income: · Green waste; · Building control and Land charges; · Council Tax and Business Rates arrears; · Investment property voids.
Councillors reviewed the report and discussed the following topics:
The Executive Member for Finance agreed that there were challenges that needed monitoring and cost management to be continually reviewed. The Interim Chief Finance Officer wanted to see increased marketing of space availability to reduce voids, and also confirmed that the Council Tax and Business Rates arrears, 98% budget target was on track. The Chair concluded that Finance needs to be on balance and stay on target, and that the Property Performance Report should be reviewed when ready.
The Committee Resolved to: 1. Note the Finance Performance Report 2023/24 Quarter One.
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Service Performance Report 2023/24 Quarter One Purpose: To provide details of the Council’s Service Performance Report at the end of Quarter 1, 2023/24.
Recommendation: That the Committee scrutinises the report and agrees any recommendations it wishes to make to the meeting of the Executive on 13 September 2023. Additional documents: Minutes: Phil Martin, Assistant Director for Business Services, introduced the Service Performance Report 2023/24 Quarter One. The Assistant Director for Business Services highlighted the following points from the report:
The Chair thanked the Assistant Director for Business Services and asked the Committee for any questions or feedback. Councillors asked if the team had changed, and how was the Town Centre Shop being used. The Assistant Director for Business Services confirmed that the team was stable and that they had received positive feedback. Councillors queried the table data on page 45, and asked if the system recorded the longest time that customers had to wait for a connection to a call, and could another matrix be added for a peak response time. Councillor Mead also enquired about the percentage increase in customers who had signed up to the on-line portal. The Chair asked if the Committee could see the positive feedback reflected within the report and recommendations. The Assistant Director for Business Services agreed to take these additional matrix recommendations back to the team, and to reflect in future reporting.
The Committee Resolved to: 1. Note the Service Performance Report 2023/24 Quarter One.
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Enhancement Suggestions for the Effectiveness of Scrutiny Purpose: To provide an opportunity for the Committee to express ideas on how the Committee can enhance its effectiveness.
Recommendations: That Committee agrees any changes it wishes to make to enhance it’s effectiveness. Minutes: Andrew Brown the Business Manager for Democratic Services, informed Members that the Constitution Working Group was sending a report to Full Council in September. The Constitution Working Group was unanimously recommending that the three existing overview and scrutiny committees be replaced by a single Overview Scrutiny Committee which would meet regularly for the rest of the Civic Year. The proposal will suggest that this change takes effect on 5 October 2023, meaning that this Committee meeting would be the last Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting. The planned Economic and Social Overview and Scrutiny meeting will still go ahead on 4 October 2023, this will be followed by the first new combined Scrutiny Committee, the week before the Executive meeting planned in November. The new Overview and Scrutiny Committee was suggested to meet at 5:30pm on a Wednesday evening, with a membership of 24 Councillors. There will also be task and finish group opportunities. Group leaders will nominate the membership, which will be politically balanced. Regular Councillor briefings were also being planned to take place virtually, where all Councillors would have the opportunity to receive briefings from officers and ask questions. Topics of the briefings would include:
· Health; · Housing; · Flood update; · Waste update.
The Budget was likely to be considered at one Overview and Scrutiny Committee, where it was potentially the only item on the Agenda. Members could if they wished to arrange substitutes, at any Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting. The Committee was invited to give the Chair or the Business Manager for Democratic Services any specific recommendation ideas on how to improve the scrutiny within the Council.
The Committee Resolved to: 1. Note the update from the Business Manager for Democratic Services.
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Executive Work Programme Purpose: To provide opportunity to review the Executive Work Programme. Recommendation: That the Committee notes the Executive Work Programme and agrees which future Executive decisions should be subject to pre-decision scrutiny.
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.
The Committee Resolved to: 1. Note the Executive Work Programme. |
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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 and comments on the work programme.
Minutes: The Chair asked the Committee if there were any comments Members wished to make regarding the Committee Work Programme, of which none were received.
The Committee Resolved to: 1. Note the Committee Work Programme.
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