Agenda item
Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes
- Meeting of Corporate Overview Group, Tuesday, 20th February, 2024 7.00 pm (Item 30.)
- View the background to item 30.
Report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services
Minutes:
Councillor Thomas joined the meeting to present the matrix for Accessible Housing. She said that this had arisen from budget discussion about the Disabled Facilities Grant and proposals for the Council to stop topping up the Central Government funding pot from its own funds. She noted that the £500k top up was a one-off amount which came from the Council’s sale of council houses. She said that she had been alarmed by the identified impact that waiting times would increase and as such thought that there was need to understand how much they would increase by and whether the increase would continue to roll into subsequent years. She said that case studies would help with understanding and that there were many related issues, as listed on the form, such as how much adaptable housing was being built by both the affordable and market sectors.
The Chairman said that this matter had implications for both the Communities and the Growth Scrutiny Groups and suggested options for having a joint scrutiny meeting or alternatively that one scrutiny group receive the item and invite the Chair and Vice Chair of the other scrutiny group to join for the discussion.
The Service Manager for Corporate Services said that a joint scrutiny meeting would allow the topic to be viewed from various angles but would also make it a big group requiring greater coordination and structure than normal, for example a pooling a questions ahead of the meeting. She said that alternatively a briefing session for all could be held which could feed into one scrutiny group reviewing the item, with the Chair of that group inviting the Chair and Vice Chair of the other group to attend for that item only.
Members of the Group discussed options, including holding separate discussions by both scrutiny groups and receiving a briefing session ahead of the item going to scrutiny. Members of the Group suggested that a briefing session for Councillors would be helpful in informing discussion at a subsequent joint scrutiny group meeting involving members of both scrutiny groups. The Chairman suggested consideration be given to inviting expert witnesses and the relevant Portfolio Holders to attend.
The Service Manager for Corporate Services suggested that the briefing session could be held on 17 October and the joint scrutiny meeting on 23 October and said that she would report back to the Group.
The Chairman referred to the Management of open spaces within new developments matrix submitted by Councillor Chewings and said that this arose from the same scrutiny meeting as the Management Charges Actions Review matrix submitted by Councillor Way. The Chairman asked for updates on housing density and SUDS.
The Service Manager for Corporate Services said that the housing density matter had been referred to the Director for Planning and Economic Growth who had spoken with the Chair of the LDF Group, with the proposal that it be taken through the LDF Group. She said that a briefing note regarding SUDS on new estates was being prepared which would be circulated shortly.
The Service Manager for Corporate Services explained that Officers were in the process of preparing a document addressing a range of matters arising from scrutiny discussion about open spaces and said that the points raised by Councillor Chewings in his matrix had been included in that.
The Chair of Growth and Development Scrutiny Group said that the actions arising from the scrutiny group meeting mirrored the matters raised in the matrix submitted by Councillor Chewings.
The Vice Chair of Growth and Development Scrutiny Group referred to Councillor Chewing’s request for detail about finances and a breakdown of the various quoted costs and said that it would be good for that information to be provided in the open.
Members of the Group noted that legislation in relation to estate management companies was currently going through parliament, which was due to be introduced imminently, although it may be focussed on leaseholders rather than freeholders.
The Vice Chair of Growth and Development Scrutiny Group said that her scrutiny matrix asked for the actions arising from the scrutiny group discussions to be reviewed at a future scrutiny meeting as this was an important subject for many residents in the Borough who were under much distress. She suggested that it perhaps come back for review in a year’s time.
The Chairman summarised that whilst Officers were aware of the concerns being raised by Members of the Group and were preparing work in response, and that that work required some time, it would be appropriate to make Officers aware that there was a request for that information to be brought back to a future scrutiny meeting rather than reported through issuing a briefing note.
Members of the Group discussed plans for reporting of the information back to scrutiny, appreciating that it was a significant topic which required time but also mindful that it was a pressing matter for residents of the Borough and how best to communicate the information.
The Chairman requested that a progress report be brought to the Corporate Overview Group in September 2024 and the Service Manager for Corporate Services said that whilst the function of the Corporate Overview Group would not allow it to scrutinise the report and as such Officers would not attend to present it, an update report could be brought. She said that she could take back any questions arising from it to the relevant Officers and that that this would also allow the Group to then consider how it be taken forward thereafter.
The Chair of Governance Scrutiny Group left the meeting at 8:15pm.
It is RESOLVED that the Corporate Overview Group:
a) considered any additional items for scrutiny from the current Cabinet Forward Plan, Corporate Strategy, Medium Term Financial Strategy, Capital and Investment Strategy and Transformation Plan (Appendix One)
b) determined any additional topics to be included in a scrutiny group work programme for 2023/24 or 2024/25 for each of the scrutiny groups as presented on newly submitted scrutiny matrices (Appendix Two)
c) reviewed the current work programme for each of the scrutiny groups (Appendix Three).
Work Programme 2023-24 and 2024/25 – Corporate Overview Group
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20 February 2024 |
· Standing Items o Feedback from Scrutiny Group Chairmen o Feedback from Lead Officer o Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes o Financial and Performance Management · Rolling Items o |
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xx June 2024 |
· Standing Items o Feedback from Scrutiny Group Chairmen o Feedback from Lead Officer o Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes o Financial and Performance Management · Rolling Items o Diversity Annual Report and update on the Equality and Diversity Strategy o Annual Update on Strategic Tasks |
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xx September 2024 |
· Standing Items o Feedback from Scrutiny Group Chairmen o Feedback from Lead Officer o Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes o Financial and Performance Management · Rolling Items o Health and Safety Annual Report o Progress of recommendations from the January 2024 Growth and Development Scrutiny Group |
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xx November 2024 |
· Standing Items o Feedback from Scrutiny Group Chairmen o Feedback from Lead Officer o Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes o Financial and Performance Management · Rolling Items o Customer Feedback Annual Report |
Work Programme 2023-24 and 2024/25 – Governance Scrutiny Group
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22 February 2024 |
· Internal Audit Progress Report · Internal Audit Strategy · Risk Management – Update · Capital and Investment Strategy Update · External Annual Audit Plan · Asset Management Plan · Annual Audit Letter and Value for Money Conclusion · Capital and Investment Strategy 2024/25 |
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xx June 2024 |
· Internal Audit Progress Report · Internal Audit Annual Report · Annual Fraud Report · Annual Governance Statement (AGS) · Capital and Investment Strategy Outturn · Constitution Update · Code of Conduct |
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xx September 2024 |
· Risk Management Update · Going Concern · Capital and Investment Strategy Update · Internal Audit Progress Report |
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xx November 2024 |
· Internal Audit Progress Report · Annual Audit Completion Report 2023/24 · Statement of Accounts · Capital and Investment Strategy Update · RIPA Review |
Work Programme 2023-24 and 2024/25 – Growth and Development Scrutiny Group
|
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Items / Reports |
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6 March 2024 |
· Sewerage and Drainage [extension of January meeting due to non-attendance of guest (due to flooding)] · Connectivity and Communications |
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xx July 2024 |
· Review of the Crematorium · Infrastructure Delivery · Annual Report on Scrutiny |
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xx October 2024 |
· Accessible Housing |
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xx January 2025 |
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Work Programme 2023-24 and 2024/25 – Communities Scrutiny Group
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Items / Reports |
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21 March 2024 |
· Streetwise In-Sourcing · Carbon Management Plan Update |
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xx July 2024 |
· Use of Community Facilities · Annual Report on Scrutiny |
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xx October 2024 |
· Accessible Housing |
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xx January 2025 |
|
Actions Table - 20 February 2024
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Min No. |
Action |
Officer Responsible |
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27 |
The Vice Chair of Communities Scrutiny Group asked about the predicted underspend of £0.332 for the DFG. |
The £323k underspend in year is committed but the time frame for completion of the works in 7 months and therefore will not complete until next financial year, any unspent funds will be carried forward. |
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27 |
The Chair of Communities Scrutiny Group asked about reporting on usage of community facilities and whether it included facilities managed by Lex Leisure, such as Bingham Community Hall |
None of our sites managed by a third party, such as Lex Leisure, are included in our performance statistics as they are not classed as Rushcliffe-managed community venues and scrutinised instead regularly in line with their contract with us. The majority of our West Bridgford based venues which the data focuses on are still community venues due to link to the special expense area and how they are funded. |
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27 |
The Vice Chair of Governance Scrutiny Group asked for an information breakdown and timespan for all of the West Bridgford special expenses, including what the £25k sinking fund for the Hook was allocated for and when the charges for West Park would end |
The hook sinking fund is in relation to the skate park, the £20k per year is to maintain the legacy of the asset and includes for full replacement within 10 ten years.
Re the annuities, just to clarify the annuities are charged each year to the special expenses area as per the budget, this is to pay back the monies borrowed for capital works and includes an element of interest. The amount charged is paid back into reserves. Timescales for these are detailed below: |
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27 |
The Vice Chair of Communities Scrutiny Group asked why funds for Homes for Ukraine and Homelessness had not been spent during the year and whether the unspent funding going into reserves would be ringfenced. She asked how many Ukrainian families were hosted within the Borough |
On the Homes for Ukraine project, here are the latest figures for the Borough. · As of February 20, Rushcliffe has received 387 Homes for Ukraine (HFU) visa applications, with 296 arrivals to date. · Current NCC records show that 105 guests are still living with 51 sponsors. 84% of these sponsors have hosted for six months or longer and 67% have done 12 months or longer. · In regards to the funding, in November 2022 Rushcliffe Borough Council received £183,000 from Nottinghamshire County Council, to support HFU guests with homelessness and access to private rented / follow-on accommodation. · According to the 2023-24 Q3 return completed by Rushcliffe BC, £11,126.65 of this funding has been spent to date. 12 HFU families have been supported so far using these funds. |
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27 |
The Vice Chair of Communities Scrutiny Group asked whether there were any traveller sites currently within the Borough and what would happen if seven were not provided by 2025 |
The current traveller sites located within the Borough are: · West Leake Road East Leake. 1x pitch, personal permission · Cedar Lodge Radcliffe on Trent 12x caravans · Flintham Lane Screveton 6x pitches, personal permission · Harmony Park at Stragglethorpe Sites with planning permission but not yet built are · South of Clifton (Fairham) 1x site for 4x pitches Allocations requesting provision of a gypsy and traveller site are as follows: Land East of Gamston/North of Tollerton. Unspecified number of pitches in policy |
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30 |
In relation to Accessible Housing, Members of the Group requested that a briefing session for all members of both Growth and Communities Scrutiny Groups be held prior to a joint scrutiny group meeting involving all members of both Scrutiny groups, potentially holding the briefing session on 17 October and the joint scrutiny meeting on 23 October |
Service Manager for Corporate Services |
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30 |
In relation to Management of Open Spaces, the Chairman requested that a progress report be brought to the Corporate Overview Group in September 2024 |
Service Manager for Corporate Services |
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Supporting documents:
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Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes, item 30.
PDF 142 KB -
Enc. 3 for Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes, item 30.
PDF 56 KB
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Enc. 2 for Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes, item 30.
PDF 231 KB
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Enc. 1 for Consideration of Scrutiny Group Work Programmes, item 30.
PDF 152 KB