Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A Mosley, D Tremellen and Councillor Miles Kenny for whom Councillor H Fraser attended as substitute. 

Members are reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

None were declared.

To consider the Minutes of the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 21^st October 2015.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee held on 21^st October 2015 be approved as a correct record.

To receive any questions, statements or petitions from the public of which members of the public have given notice.  Deadline for notification for this meeting is Friday 27^th November 2015.

No public questions were received.

To receive any questions of which members of the Council have given notice.  Deadline for notification for this meeting is Friday 27^th November 2015.

There were no questions from Members.

To consider the Financial Strategy (Report made to Cabinet 28 October 2015 attached) to gain an understanding of the challenges it addresses, the content and framework for the next five years, and identify how the Committee can take part in and enable engagement with how the Council evolves.

This item will also include receiving the feedback from the other Scrutiny Committees on their consideration of the Financial Strategy.

The Performance Manager confirmed that as agreed at the previous meeting of the Committee, the other Scrutiny Committees had taken the opportunity to consider the Financial Strategy and the Chairs of those Committees were present to present the views expressed.  He continued that once the Performance Management Committee had received those responses, a submission to Cabinet would be formulated which contained the views of the other Scrutiny Committees and any comments that the Performance Management Committee wished to make. 

Councillor Roger Evans expressed concern that Members of the Committee would not have the opportunity to comment on the report submitted to Cabinet on their behalf.  He continued that he had not had the opportunity to view the reports from the other Scrutiny Committees prior to the meeting and he had not had sufficient time to consider the points made. The Chairman explained that there were no reports from the other Committees and each Chairman had an aide memoir which had not been circulated.  He continued that the time frame for the consideration of the Financial Strategy before the Cabinet Meeting on 9^th December 2015 did not allow the Committee to develop a full report, only the main points raised by each Committee were being submitted, as had been agreed at the previous meeting and was set out in the minutes of that meeting.

The Chairman continued that should Members be minded to establish the Budget Task and Finish Group proposed under Agenda Item 7 this would enable a more considered response.  He added that the framework of Task and Finish Groups allowed more in-depth consideration of a matter than was possible within the Committee structure.   Councillor Evans requested that members of the public be admitted to the task and finish group meetings.  The Chairman responded that he did not have an issue with this.

In response to a request from Members the Finance, Governance and Assurance Officer outlined the information contained within the latest announcement from the Chancellor regarding funding of Local Government.  He observed that the announcement had not contained detail, but the headline point had been that Councils would be allowed to precept up to 2% of Council Tax for Adult Social Care.  Any precept funds would be ring-fenced for this purpose.  The Chancellor had not announced any lifting of the Council Tax referendum limit of 1.99%, but combined with the precept this would result in Councils being able to increase Council Tax by 3.99% without having to call a referendum.  The continued that there had also been an announcement on asset sales, with the benefit of capital receipts from assets sales to be used as revenue capital receipts on a one off basis. 

The Finance, Governance and Assurance Officer continued that no further details had been released on the Governments proposal to allow Councils to retain funds raised through Business Rates expect that it was expected to be implemented by the end of the Parliamentary term and the uniform national multiplier would come to an end,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

To consider the draft terms of reference [to follow] for scrutiny of the Council Budget 2015/16 and to consider whether a Task and Finish Group should be established to undertake this work.

RESOLVED:

That the Budget 2016/17 Task and Finish Group be established.

The Committee is scheduled to next meet at 2.00pm on Wednesday 27^th January 2016.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee was scheduled to be held at 2.00pm on Wednesday 27^th January 2016.