Agenda and draft minutes

Any Member who is substituting for another Member should so indicate, together with the name of the relevant absent Member.

There were no substitutions declared.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Jane Midwood.

Councillor Peter Thompson was also unable to attend the meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2018 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2018, were unanimously accepted by the Committee as an accurate record of the meeting and signed by the Chairman.

Members of the public who live or work in Forest Heath are invited to put one question/statement of not more than 3 minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only.  If a question is asked and answered within 3 minutes, the person who asked the question may ask a supplementary question that arises from the reply.

A person who wishes to speak must register at least 15 minutes before the time the meeting is scheduled to start.

There is an overall limit of 15 minutes for public speaking, which may be extended at the Chairman’s discretion.

This item was taken in the informal joint session, where there were no questions/statements from members of the public.

Report No: PAS/SE/19/001

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/19/001)

Further to the informal joint discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No: PAS/SE/19/001.

Members had considered the report in detail and did not raise any issues.

Councillor Patricia Warby then moved the recommendation, this was duly seconded by Councillor David Roach and with the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED: That

1)   The Draft 2018-2019 Annual Governance Statement, attached at Appendix A to Report No: PAS/SE/19/001, be approved for signing by the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council.

2)   The Service Manager (Finance and Performance), in consultation with the Chair of the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee and the Portfolio Holder for Resources be authorised to make any necessary changes to the approved Annual Governance Statement, to take into account any unexpected and significant governance issues arising between the date of this Committee (31 January 2019) and 31 March 2019.

Report No: PAS/SE/19/002

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/19/002)

Further to the informal joint discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No: PAS/SE/19/002.

Members had considered the report and there being no decision required, the Committee noted the 2018-2019 Performance Report (Quarter 3).

Report No: PAS/SE/19/003

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/19/003)

Further to the informal joint discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No: PAS/SE/19/003.

Members had considered the report and there being no decision required, the Committee noted the West Suffolk Strategic Risk Register Quarterly Monitoring Report (December 2018).

Report No: PAS/SE/19/004

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/19/004)

Further to the informal joint discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No: PAS/SE/19/004.

Members had considered the report and there being no decision required, the Committee noted the Certification of Claims Annual Report 2017-2018 attached at Appendix B to Report No: PAS/SE/19/004.

Report No: PAS/SE/19/005

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/19/005)

Further to the informal joint discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No: PAS/SE/19/005.

Members had considered the report and there being no decision required, the Committee noted the External Audit Plan and Fees 2018-2019 attached at Appendix B to Report No: PAS/SE/19/005

Report No: PAS/SE/19/006

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/19/006)

Further to the informal joint discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No: PAS/SE/19/006.

The Committee noted the approach and timescales for the 2019-2020 budget setting process and medium term plans for the West Suffolk Council.

Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger moved the recommendation, this was duly seconded by Councillor Clive Pollington and with the vote being unanimous, it was

          RECOMMENDED:

That subject to the approval of the Shadow Council, the proposals, as detailed in Section 2 and Table 1 of Report No: PAS/SE/19/ 006, be approved.

Report No: TMS/SE/19/002 was due to  be considered by the Treasury Management Sub-Committee on 21 January 2019. 

Unfortunately the meeting was inquorate and the report was not able to be considered by the Treasury Management Sub-Committee, therefore there are no recommendations coming forward.

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/19/007)

Further to the informal joint discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report No: TMS/SE/19/002.

Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger then moved the recommendation, this was duly seconded by Councillor Clive Pollington and with the vote being unanimous, it was

          RECOMMENDED: That

1)    Subject to the approval of the Shadow Council, the Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2019-2020 attached at Appendix 1 to Report No: TMS/SE/19/002, be approved.

2)    Subject to the approval of the Shadow Council, the Treasury Management Code of Practice attached at Appendix 2 to Report No: TMS/SE/19/002, be approved.

Report No: TMS/SE/19/001 was due to  be considered by the Treasury Management Sub-Committee on 21 January 2019. 

Unfortunately the meeting was inquorate and the report was not able to be considered by the Treasury Management Sub-Committee, therefore there are no recommendations coming forward.

The Service Manager (Finance and Performance) presented the report which summarised the investment activities for the period to 31 December 2018.

The total amount invested at 1 April 2018 was £36.35m and at 31 December 2018 £44.30m.  The increase in balances over this period was due primarily to timing differences in respect of the collection of local taxes, the payment of precepts and changes in the profile of the Capital Programme.

The 2018/19 Annual Treasury Management and Investment Strategy Statements sets out the Council’s projections for the current financial year.  The budget for investment income in 2018/19 was £308,000 which was based on a 0.70% target average rate of return on investments. 

As at the end of December 2018 interest actually earned during the first nine months of the financial year amounted to £255,665  against a profiled budget for the period of £231,000; a budgetary surplus of £24,665.

The report also included assumptions on borrowing for capital projects included within it.  The borrowing was based around four specific projects as per their agreed business cases.  The report included a summary of the capital borrowing budget for 2018-2019, and a summary of capital borrowing for quarter three – all of which was currently internally borrowed from the Councils overall cash balances.  As at the end of quarter three, there had been no requirement to borrow externally, therefore there was no interest payable.

The Committee considered the report and was pleased to hear that following a procurement exercise that new Treasury Advisors (Arlingclose Ltd) had been appointed to the West Suffolk Councils.

Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger then moved the recommendation, this was duly seconded by Councillor Clive Pollington and with the vote being unanimous, it was

          RECOMMENDED:

That subject to the approval of Council, the Treasury Management Report 2018-2019 for the period 1 April to 31 December 2018 (Report No: TMS/SE/19/001), be approved.