Issue - meetings

An opportunity for the Committee to question Councillor Goldberg on the Finance, Employment and Carbon Reduction portfolio:

·               Carbon reduction strategies

·               Council budget, taxation and benefits

·               Asset management and investment policy

·               Procurement

·               Property

·               IT

·               Customer contact

·               Corporate Property

·               Employment

·               Youth unemployment

Note: Youth Services, Youth Democracy, and Youth Offending are covered by the Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel.

The Chair welcomed Councillor Goldberg (Cabinet Member for Finance and Carbon Reduction).  Councillor Goldberg updated the Committee on various aspects of his portfolio.

NOTED

·               The budget was in a good position, considering the level of cuts.  The process had been managed well so far, and it was important to continue to do so going forward.

·               Carbon agenda – a full report would be provided to the next Full Council meeting.  Emissions had been reduced, and continued to move in the right direction.  The Council was working in partnership with Durham University.

·               The Corporate Building review had advanced, although there was no significant outcome so far.

·               Youth unemployment – services were looking at how this could be improved and people helped into work.

·               There were 2700 children affected by the benefit cap.  This would have an impact on educational outcomes for these children.

Councillor Goldberg responded to questions from the Committee:

·               The continuation of the Blackberry contract was not an immediate concern.  At the time of signing the contract, Blackberry was the only compliant system.  The biggest concern with any new contract was the compliance with the security standard for the public sector.

·               Since the implementation of Bedroom Tax / Benefits Cap, there had been successful renegotiations with regards to rental structures with Temporary Accommodation landlords. 

Actions:

·               To provide a comparison of fixed assets from 2010 and 2013 – what had been sold, how much they had been sold for, and whether they had been sold on again.

Cllr Goldberg / John McGrath