Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hannah Fraser and Les Winwood.

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 disclosed.

To consider the Minutes of the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 6 December 2017

The Minutes of the meeting held on 6^th December 2017 were confirmed 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 2.00 pm on Tuesday 30 January 2018

There were no public questions.

To receive any questions of which members of the Council have given notice.  Deadline for notification for this meeting is 2.00 pm on Tuesday 30 January 2018

There were no Member questions.

Report attached marked: 6

The Chair of the Financial Strategy and Budget 2018/19 Task and Finish Group introduced the Group’s final report.  She reported that the Group had met on four occasions over four weeks, the meetings were well attended and discussion had been useful.  She observed that the Group felt that they could have added more value if meetings had taken place over a longer time span and a recommendation of the Group was that a further Task and Finish Group should be established which could work alongside the development plans for the 2019/20 Budget. 

In response to a Member’s question, the Chair of the Task and Finish Group stated that despite short notice most of the Portfolio Holders and Directors had been able to accept the invitation to attend the meetings and answer questions. She continued that the Group had received evidence from all the parties it wished to see.

In reply to a Member’s request, the Director of Place and Enterprise agreed that paper copies of the Risk Assessment document for the purchase of the Shopping Centres in Shrewsbury could be distributed to Members of the Task and Finish Group.  He explained that the document remained confidential and not for publication as it contained information which was commercially sensitive.

The Chair proposed that to enable Members to further consider the report and the appendix to the report which had been tabled and was not for publication, press and public should be exluded and the meeting should go into private session.  This was duly seconded and agreed. 

RESOLVED:

That in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and Paragraph 10 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules, the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following item.

The Chair of the Task and Finish Group observed that the Group had identified the importance of identifying whether the Council had the appropriate skills, experience and capacity to deliver innovation and generate income through the Council’s assets to close the budget deficit.  Members considered the list of ‘Economic Development Buildings, Net Controllable Costs, Economic Development Estate – Base Yield Analysis’ provided by the Director of Place and Enterprise.  Members commented that the list was incomplete as it did not contain the staffing and central services costs which had been requested.  The Chair observed that it was not possible to understand how commercial services were performing without the relevant financial information.  The Director of Place and Enterprise explained that current IT systems were not capable of providing a detailed breakdown, although it was anticipated that better information would be available following the changes to the financial system resulting from the Digital Transformation Programme. 

A Member observed that the Committee did not necessarily need to know the full break down of costs to understand whether an asset was making a profit or loss and cautioned against requesting too much detailed information, which would not inform discussion.   Members observed that it was a Councillor’s role to provide  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

To agree that a Task and Finish Group is established to work alongside the development of plans for the 2019/20 Budget and to maintain an overview of progress and performance in relation to innovation and raising income.

RESOLVED:

That, subject to the inclusion of risk management being added to the second bullet point under information required, the terms of reference for the Financial Strategy and Innovation and Income Generation Task and Finish Group be approved and the Group be established.

To consider the future work programme of the Committee

Members noted that the Council’s review of its estates function was due to start imminently.  The Statutory Scrutiny Officer advised that topics for the Work Programme had been identified but it was also a dynamic document and responsive to immerging topics.  He continue that it was anticipated that in March 2018 the Scrutiny and Overview Committees would be involved in a review of strategic topics to be added to each Committee’s Work Programme.