Agenda and minutes

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NOTED.

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Ibrahim.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 15 below).

There was no such business.

None.

None.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2016 as a correct record of the meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2016 be approved as a correct record.

To receive and note the minutes of the following Scrutiny Panels and to approve any recommendations contained within:

Adults & Health Scrutiny Panel – 1 March 2016

Environment & Community Safety Scrutiny Panel – 1 March 2016

Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Panel – 3 March 2016

Children & Young People Scrutiny Panel – 3 March 2016

RESOLVED that the minutes of the following Scrutiny Panels be noted and any recommendations contained within be approved:

Adults & Health Scrutiny Panel – 1 March 2016

Environment & Community Safety Scrutiny Panel – 1 March 2016

Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Panel – 3 March 2016

Children & Young People Scrutiny Panel – 3 March 2016

This report covers the fourth update and publication of priority dashboards, the original launch was in October 2015. It informs the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of performance against the  outcomes and strategic priorities in the Corporate Plan 2015-18, as at June 2016. It provides an overview of key performance trends and an assessment of progress against targets and objectives on an exception basis.

Charlotte Pomery, Assistant Director for Commissioning, introduced the report as set out.

The following arose following discussion of the report:

a.         Financial information would be available in the next quarter, as the data required some work to convert it into a more coherent, consistent format.

b.         There was limited feedback from the public on the publication of the priority dashboards on the Council’s website and further work was required to raise the awareness of the availability of this information.  The Committee suggested that it could be highlighted on the front page of the website on a quarterly basis, and some ‘good news’ stories could be linked in with the different priority areas in order to show some tangible information.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

This report sets out the 2015/16 Final Outturn position, the impact on the Council’s General Fund and Earmarked Reserves, and the movement from the provisional outturn provided to Cabinet on 15^th March.

Councillor Jason Arthur, Cabinet Member for Finance and Health, and Anna D’Alessandro, Deputy s151 Officer, introduced the report as set out.

The following arose from discussion of the report:

a.         The Provisional Outturn report to Cabinet on 15 March 2016 had set out a draft Period 10 position of a net £11.1m overspend, which required an additional £3.9m drawdown from General Fund Reserves.  Since then, the final 2015/16 final outturn position shows a final overspend of £6.8m, which was a c£4.3m improvement on the provisional outturn.  The overspend was still significant however, and would require strong and rapid mitigating strategies to turn around the position in 2016/17.

b.         Adult Services – a review was to be carried out on all care packages available, in order to ensure that the correct packages were being provided, and that the Council were receiving value for money.  The review was not about taking services away, but about shifting to more appropriate packages for users.  Care packages would be reviewed annually (as prescribed in the Care Act), and capabilities and capacity would need to be built in to do this.

c.         There needed to be some improvement in financial planning as the overspend was £14m higher than what had been anticipated, however a clear plan of action was being worked on to bring the deficit onto the right track.  Across the Council there was a need to speed up transformation, and in order to support this, services needed to be clear about what would be realistic, but ambitious at the same time.

d.         Spending in Children’s had reduced since 2014, however the service was still overspending, and this was due to the unrealistic targets set in the MTFS planning for 2014-15.

e.         There was a £7m surplus in the Collection Fund (Council Tax), this surplus highlighted the importance of pushing for growth, as these funds would be used to help pay for services in the future.

f.          The Council had a duty to meet its legal requirements, and this could not be compromised.  In order to continue to meet legal requirements and provide services it was important that the Council become more efficient in how services are delivered, and the growth agenda would help this.

The Chair thanked Councillor Arthur and Anna D’Alessandro for the update, and reminded the Committee that detailed reports on the 2016-17 budget performance would be provided at the Scrutiny Panel meetings, where Members would have the opportunity to drill down on headlines.

RESOLVED that

i.          the report and the Council’s 2015/16 Final Outturn position in respect of net revenue and capital expenditure be noted;

ii.         the revenue transfers and capital carryforwards be agreed;

iii.        the principle that the carryforward of resources will only be permitted once agreed by the Chief Finance Officer, and where the expenditure is backed by an approved reserve or external funding source be noted; and

iv.           the risks and issues identified in the report in the context of the Council’s on-going budget management responsibilities be noted.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

The Committee is asked to consider the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017/2018 to 2021/2022 Planning Timetable, including the Budget Scrutiny process for 2017/18. 

Councillor Jason Arthur, Cabinet Member for Finance and Health, and Anna D’Alessandro, Deputy s151 Officer, introduced the report as set out.

The following arose from discussion of the report:

a.         The Council were looking beyond a 1 year approach to budget modelling.  Public consultation would begin in October on the Medium Term Financial Strategy covering years 2018-2022, and a timetable for statutory development process and budget modelling for 16/17-17/18 were being developed.

b.         The OSC meeting on 17 October should provide the opportunity for the Committee to look at plans for engaging with the public.

RESOLVED that the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017/2018 to 2021/2022 Planning Timetable, including the Budget Scrutiny process for 2017/18, be noted.

TO FOLLOW

Councillor Wright introduced the report as set out.

RESOLVED that the report be submitted to Cabinet for response.

TO FOLLOW

Martin Bradford, Scrutiny Officer, introduced the tabled report and gave a brief summary.

RESOLVED that

i)       the summary report be noted;

ii)      the recommendations set out in the summary report be agreed;

iii)     a full report shall be prepared ahead of the submission to Cabinet with updated legal and financial comments; and

iv)     any variations to recommendations shall be agreed by the Chair in consultation with the Committee ahead of submission to Cabinet.

The Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report (Appendix A) details the work of the five scrutiny bodies in Haringey, and the North Central London Joint Health OSC..

The Committee noted that the Chair was still to complete the foreword for the report.

RESOLVED that the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2015/16 be approved for submission to full Council.  

Following a wide ranging consultation exercise, this report outlines the indicative 2016/17 scrutiny work programme for approval by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC). 

NOTED that the Temporary Accommodation outline scoping document was not available to be tabled at the meeting.

RESOLVED that

i)          The indicative scrutiny work programme for 2016/17 be approved;

ii)         During August 2016, in respect of the items agreed for inclusion in the 2016/17 scrutiny work programme, the Chair of OSC and Chairs of each Scrutiny Panel meet with appropriate Cabinet Members and senior officers to further clarify the work programme;

iii)       The outline scoping document for the Development Vehicle Scrutiny Project be approved, and that this projects would report back to OSC in October; and

iv)       Budget scrutiny arrangements for the budget setting process for 2017/18 be confirmed.

None.

17 October 2016

28 November 2016

30 January 2017

27 March 2017

Noted.