Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall. View directions
Contact: Stephen Boyd 01597 826374
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Apologies To receive apologies for absence. |
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To authorise the Leader to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2017 as a correct record. Minutes: The Leader was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 20th June 2017 as a correct record. |
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest reported. |
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Director of Social Services Annual Report PDF 94 KB To consider the Annual Report of the Director of Social Services. Additional documents: Minutes: The Interim Strategic Director People gave her annual report as Director of Social Services for the period 2016/17. The report was an objective assessment of the impact and performance of the work of social services and demonstrated how the Council has promoted well-being and accounted for the delivery of the well-being standards contained within the Social Services & Well-being Act.
In endorsing the report the Portfolio Holders with responsibility for Children’s Services and Adult Social Care welcomed the contribution the Strategic Director had made since her appointment and the benefit of having such a senior officer with a dual role within the Council and the Health Board.
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To consider a report by County Councillor Phyl Davies, Portfolio Holder for Property and Waste. Minutes: The Portfolio Holder for Property and Waste explained that decision to reduce the opening days of the Household Waste Recycling Centres to three days per week and introduce a strictly enforced restriction on all commercial type vehicles and trailers using the sites had been a major concern raised by people during the local government elections. On appointment to the Cabinet he had asked for a review to be carried out and having considered the results was proposing an increase to 5 days a week and the introduction of a permit scheme for commercial type vehicles and trailers.
County Councillor JM Williams the local member for Machynlleth urged the Cabinet to return a bulk waste recycling facility to the town for the benefit of the whole of the Dyfi Valley noting that people were faced with a round trip of over 60 miles to the facility in Newtown. He thanked the Leader, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for agreeing to meet representatives of Machynlleth Town Council.
Members sought advice from the Section 151 Officer on the budget position who advised that whilst funding from reserves meant that the 2017/18 budget would be balanced, the Cabinet would have to address future years’ funding when it set the budget for 2018/19.
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Financial Overview and Forecast as at 31st May 2017 PDF 161 KB To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance. Minutes: Cabinet considered the budget outturn report for the period ended 31st May 2017. Savings of £11.780m made up of both in year and previous years’ targets needed to be made with savings of £5.513m (47% of the total) delivered so far leaving £6.267m yet to be achieved. The report detailed projected overspends with the Portfolio Holder for Finance advising Cabinet that the efficiency savings in respect of reablement intervention was unlikely to be achieved. The Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care confirmed this and advised that this was better viewed as a means of helping the service cope with demand. The service continued to address budget pressures. The Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Children’s Services advised that the service was looking to reduce its deficit over the long term by investing in preventative work. The Portfolio Holder for Highways noted that HTR had its budget cut by 54%. The Portfolio Holder for Education noted that school closures often came with costs such as having to transport children longer distances. Members’ attention was also drawn to the unachieved efficiencies for income and third party spend which was being addressed centrally.
Capital Programme Financial Overview as at 31st May 2017
Cabinet received an update on the Capital spend against Budget for the year to date, as at 31st May 2017 and was pleased to note that works on the new schools in the Gwernyfed were proceeding on time and under budget. Cabinet was also pleased to note that Powys Engineering Design Services had been commissioned by Network Rail to undertake detailed design and construction supervision of a scheme to facilitate elimination of 5 level crossings near Talerddig to improve safety for road and rail users.
The report contained requests for two virements, removing £925k from the Fleet replacement programme monies as the 2017/18 budget was already sufficient and rolling forward £2.255m from 2016/17 due to delays with the progression of the Cultural Hub in Brecon.
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School Budgets 2017/2018 PDF 169 KB To consider a report by County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander, Portfolio Holder for Education and County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader welcomed Ian Budd, the Director of Education to the meeting.
Cabinet was advised that as at the 31st March 2017 there were thirty four schools with cumulative deficit balances totalling £2.48m, compared with eighteen as at the 31st March 2016 with deficits of £0.94m. The level of reserves held by schools had reduced to £0.5m from £2.9m the year before.
The Portfolio Holder for Education explained that the size of a school or the medium of delivery were not crucial factors in setting a balanced budget and noted that those schools that had set balanced budgets had done so by addressing staffing issues which made up 85% of budgets. She encouraged schools to work with the Council. She also noted that there needed to be a broader look at whether the footprint of schools in the county was correctly configured, whether they were properly resourced and whether there were enough corporate support for schools. She advised that the fair funding formula was being reviewed with a view to bring a report back to Cabinet in October
The Portfolio Holder for Finance highlighted the Section 151 Officer’s comments that the schools’ budget deficit was a significant financial risk for the Council. He welcomed the Joint Education Scrutiny Group’s work looking at the financial viability of schools.
County Councillor David Meredith, speaking as the Chair of Brecon High School Governors was critical of the support offered to the school by the Council.
Members asked about the arrangements for the clawback of surplus budgets and were advised that schools were required to submit plans for how they would be utilised for consideration by the Portfolio Holder for Education. Members also asked about the actions open to the Council and were advised that there were different levels of intervention with the removal of delegation being the last resort.
The Section 151 Officer stressed the financial risk to the Council and confirmed that there was corporate ownership of the issue.
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To consider a report by County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander, Portfolio Holder for Education. Additional documents:
Minutes: Cabinet considered the Business Justification Case for capital investment in the Ffederasiwn Carno, Glantwymyn & Llanbrynmair Federation. The total cost for the project was £2,854,410.15 and the authority was requesting that Welsh Government provide 50% of the total cost of the project. Carno Recreation Association would be contributing £500k to the cost of replacing Ysgol Carno, reducing the authority’s contribution to £927,205.08. Cabinet welcomed the investment in this successful federation.
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Strategic Equality Plan PDF 193 KB To consider a report by County Councillor James Evans, Portfolio Holder for HR ICT and Communications. Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet considered the report which showed progress against the Strategic Equality Plan for the last 6 months. The report highlighted those objectives with a red BRAG status. It was confirmed that quality training was being arranged for all members in the autumn.
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Treasury Management Report for Quarter 4 PDF 221 KB To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance. Additional documents:
Minutes: Cabinet received the Treasury Management report for the 4th quarter of 2016/17. The report included a recommendation that the council pay suppliers by BACS rather than cheque which would save just over £2,000.
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CORRESPONDENCE To receive such correspondence as in the opinion of the Leader is of such urgency as to warrant consideration. |
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Delegated Decisions Taken Since the Last Meeting PDF 41 KB To receive for information details of delegated decisions taken by Portfolio Holders since the last meeting. Minutes: Cabinet received details of delegated decisions taken since the last meeting. |
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Forward Work Programme PDF 72 KB To consider the Cabinet forward work programme. Minutes: The Monitoring Officer reminded Portfolio Holders that the forward work programme needed to be kept up to date at least 8 months in advance and he asked them to work with their heads of service to ensure that this was done. |