Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Michael Anderson, Chris Barker, David Bimson, Geoffrey Jaggard, Michael Jefferys, Colin Noble and John McGhee.

The following substitutions were declared:

Councillor Bill Sadler substituting for Councillor David Bimson and Councillor Simon Cole substituting for Councillor Michael Jefferys.  

Members of the public are invited to put questions/statements of not more than 3 minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only.

There were no questions/statements from members of the public.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2014 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2014, were accepted by the Committee as an accurate record, with 2 voting for the motion and with 3 abstentions and, signed by the Chairman.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/001

(For reference purposes, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Report Number is PAS/SE/14/001)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No PAS/FH/14/001.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the report and the progress made against the 2014/15 Internal Audit Plan.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/002

(For reference purposes, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Report Number is PAS/SE/14/002)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No PAS/FH/14/002.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the performance against the Key Performance Indicators for Quarter 2, 2014-15. 

Report No: PAS/FH/14/003

(For reference purposes, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Report Number is PAS/SE/14/003)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No PAS/FH/14/003.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the West Suffolk Strategy Risk Register Quarterly Monitoring Report for September 2014.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/004

(For reference purposes, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Report Number is PAS/SE/14/004)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No PAS/FH/14/004.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the Biannual Corporate Complaints and Compliments Digest.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/005

(For reference purposes, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Report Number is PAS/SE/14/005)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No PAS/FH/14/005. 

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

With the being unanimous, it was

RECOMMENDED:

That the West Suffolk Fees and Charges Policy, attached as Appendix B to Report PAS/FH/14/005 be approved.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/006

(For reference purposes, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Report Number is PAS/SE/14/006)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No PAS/FH/14/006. 

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RECOMMENDED:

That:-

(1)        Subject to the approval of full Council, as part of the 2015/16 budget setting process and subject to external audit support, the proposed cost sharing model for income and employee costs as detailed in Table 2 and 3 and at paragraph 2.17 of Report PAS/FH/14/006, be approved.

(2)        The proposed model, as detailed in Table 2 and 3 and at paragraph 2.17 of Report PAS/FH/14/006, be reviewed annually as part of the budget setting process with any necessary amendments to the model (in order to secure delivery against the principles set out in paragraph 2.12 of Report PAS/FH/14/006), be reported through the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee in the Autumn.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/007

(For reference purposes, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Report Number is PAS/SE/14/007)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No PAS/FH/14/007.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the work programme for 2015.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/008

The Committee received Report No PAS/FH/14/008, which set out the context of the 2015/16 budget process, including a summary of the budget consultation focus group results and the proposed saving and income generation items for delivering a balanced budget for 2015/16.

The budget gap for the years 2015/16 to 2017/18 were projected in Table 1 of the report.  The current budget assumptions for the 2015/16 and for the period of the Medium Term Financial Strategy were also detailed in Appendix B.  The key budget assumptions continued to be reviewed as more accurate information became available.

Attached as Appendix A to the report, was the initial results of the budget consultation exercise which was carried out over the summer in order to inform the budget setting process and help councillors to make decisions about the 2015/16 budget. The purpose of the consultation was to gauge public opinion on the main savings/income generating options and to test views on a range of issues relating to council priorities and themes in the Medium Term Financial Strategy, such as channel shift, families and communities and our commercial approach.

The Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee was asked to support the inclusion of a number of budget proposals set out in Table 2 of the report, taking into account the public consultation results outlined in Appendix A, in order to progress securing a balanced budget for 2015/16.

The Committee was further asked to support the removal of a number of proposals from the 2015/16 budget, set out in paragraph 1.5.2 of the report, following the public consultation exercise.  

Members scrutinised the report in detail, particularly paragraphs 1.5.2 and 1.5.3, in relation to the potential savings/income generation options which had been explored as part of the budget consultation exercise and asked a number of questions to which Officers duly responded. 

Members noted the progress made on delivering a balanced budget for 2015/16, and with 4 voting for the motion and with 1 abstention, it was

RECOMMENDED:

That taking into account the public consultation results outlined in Appendix A to Report No PAS/FH/14/008, the Cabinet:

1)   includes the proposals, as detailed in Table 2 at paragraph 1.5.1 of Report No PAS/FH/14/008; and

2)   removes the proposals, as detailed in paragraph 1.5.2 of Report No PAS/FH/14/008.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/009

The Committee received Report No PAS/FH/14/009, which updated Members on the current position with regard to the 2014-15 year-end forecast financial position. 

The latest Revenue Budget Summary for the year-to-date position after six months currently showed an underspend of £116,000 with a forecast position for the year end showing an underspend of £190,000 (and not £143,000 as stated within the report).  In terms of the Council’s capital financial position, the first six months of 2014/15 showed an expenditure of £2,524,000, and the revenue reserves summary showed an opening balance of £6,369,214 with a forecast closing balance of £8,064,640.

Members scrutinised the report in detail and asked a number of questions in relation to the report to which responses were provided. 

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the year end forecast financial position.

(Councillor Edwards left the meeting at 6.55 pm, following the conclusion of this item)

Report No: PAS/FH/14/010

The Committee received Report No PAS/FH/14/010, as presented by Melanie Richardson, from Ernst and Young, which updated Members on the outcome of the annual audit of the 2013/2014 financial statements by Ernst and Young (the Council’s external auditors) as detailed in their Annual Audit Letter for 2013/2014, attached as Appendix 1 to the report.  The letter was for information and confirmed the completion of the audit of the 2013/2014 financial statements. 

It was reported that the final fee of £64,745 for work carried out, included two small additional sums totalling £2,900.  The first additional sum of £2,000 reflected work undertaken by Ernst and Young over and above that planned due to extra time spent in undertaking the audit trail which supported the financial statements.  Details of the work were included in the Annual Audit Letter at Appendix 1.

The second sum of £900 was an Audit Commission variation to the base scale fee to reflect the extra audit procedures required nationally, and further details were attached at Appendix 2. 

Both of these additional fees had been agreed by the Section 151 Officer.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of  the report.

Report No: PAS/FH/14/011

The Committee received Report No PAS/FH/14/011 which set out a complaint which had been referred to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) and who had upheld part of the complaint.  The Ombudsman’s final decision was set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) decision of maladministration and injustice and the payment of the recommended compensation of £150.

Such other business which, in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered as a matter of urgency to be specified in the minutes.

There were no items of Urgent Business raised.