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 Chair to sign the minutes of the last meeting held as a correct record. Minutes: The Leader was authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 9th July 2019 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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Performance Report Quarter 1 To consider a report by the Leader, County Councillor Rosemarie Harris. The report can be accessed via the following link:
https://sway.office.com/7anWjqA8IViBn5t3
Minutes: Cabinet considered the performance report for the first quarter of 2019/20 which set out details of the top 20 Powys specific performance measures, top priorities and milestones in the Corporate Improvement Plan 2018-23, Public Accountability Measures, progress against the Strategic Equality Plan and the Quality Assurance Framework. The report set out remedial actions for targets that had not been met.
The Portfolio Holder for Learning and Welsh Language referred to the roll out of child-care offered to 77% of families which was the best performance of any Welsh local authority and a considerable achievement given the rural nature of the county and the limited number of staff. The Leader asked that her thanks be passed on to the staff.
With regard to the red percentage indicator for Children Looked After statutory visits carried out within timescale, the Portfolio Holder for Young People and Culture explained that the level of performance was as expected given the restructure that taking place within the service. This was a priority for the service to improve on. More positively, 70% of referrals were now coming through the early help service.
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To consider a report by County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander, Portfolio Holder for Learning and Welsh Language. Additional documents:
Minutes: In presenting the report the Portfolio Holder for Learning and Welsh Language noted that the county’s 21st Century Schools building programme was the largest in the country and that it was aligned with the schools modernisation programme.
The Chair of the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee spoke to the Committee’s recommendations which had been addressed in an appendix to the report. With regard to the Committee’s comments on the relationship between schools and HoWPS, the Portfolio Holder acknowledged that the relationship was far from perfect but that she had been assured that the appropriate actions were being taken. Cabinet was informed that there was regular liaison and feedback to HoWPS from services. With regard to environmental aspirations, the Portfolio Holder said she would like to see schools maximise opportunities for green energy generation and she hoped to bring forward a report on this in the near future.
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Budget Outturn Report PDF 445 KB To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Countryside and Transport.
Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet considered the financial outturn report for the period ended 30th June 2019. The Portfolio Holder for Finance highlighted his serious concerns over the Schools Delegated Reserves which was projected to move into deficit to £2.75 million. He also advised that warning notices had been sent to 12 schools that had failed to submit budget plans that complied with the Scheme for the Financing of Schools. These schools were required to submit budget recovery plans by early September. The Head of Finance advised that it was critical to bring down the projected overspend over the course of the year. An update report on budget savings would be brought to the Cabinet meeting in September. The Portfolio Holder for Learning and Welsh Language noted commended those school governing bodies who had set balanced budgets.
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Capital Programme Update for the period to 30th June 2019 Minutes: Cabinet received the Capital Programme update for the period ended 30th June 2019. The report contained a number of virements, with those over £500k requiring approval by Council.
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Scrutiny Observations to Cabinet PDF 87 KB To consider the observations of the Finance Panel on · Outturn 2018/19 · Capital Outturn 2018/19 · Savings Outturn 2018/19 · CIPFA Finance Model Executive Summary.
Minutes: Mr John Brautigam, the Chair of the Finance Panel, presented the Panel’s findings on the Revenue Outturn 2018/19, Capital Outturn 2018/19, Savings Outturn 2018/19 and CIPFA Finance Model Executive Summary.
The Head of Finance acknowledged the comments of the Panel and agreed there needed to be better assurance on savings delivery and variances at year end and for training for budget managers. A written response would be provided to Finance Panel.
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Council Tax Protocol for Wales 2019 PDF 300 KB To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Countryside and Transport. Additional documents:
Minutes: Cabinet considered the Council Tax protocol for Wales introduced by Welsh Government with effect from April 2019. Welsh Government wanted each Council to adopt this approach in the collection, recovery and enforcement of Council Tax.
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Treasury Management Review 2018/19 PDF 360 KB To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Countryside and Transport.
Minutes: Cabinet received the Treasury Management Review report for 2018/19.
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Treasury Management Qtr 1 Report PDF 471 KB To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Countryside and Transport.
Additional documents:
Minutes: Cabinet received the Treasury Management report for Quarter 1.
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Strategic Risk Register Report Quarter 1 - 2019/20 PDF 180 KB To consider a report by County Councillor Rosemarie Harris, Leader. Additional documents:
Minutes: Cabinet received the Strategic Risk Register report for the first quarter. The Leader noted the request from the Audit Committee for the inclusion of the Mid Wales Growth Deal in the strategic risk register and said that this would be kept under review. Cabinet welcomed the proposal to align the Council’s risk matrix with Powys Teaching Health Board’s risk matrix. This would provide consistency across joint programmes and projects of work.
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Report of the Independent Chair of the Improvement and Assurance Board PDF 159 KB To receive and consider the report of the Independent Chair of the Improvement and Assurance Board. Minutes: Cabinet received the report of the Independent Chair of the Improvement and Assurance Board. |
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Correspondence To receive such correspondence as in the opinion of the Leader is of such urgency as to warrant consideration. Minutes: There were no items of correspondence. |
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Delegated Decisions Taken Since the Last Meeting PDF 71 KB To note the delegated decisions taken since the last meeting. Minutes: Cabinet noted the delegated decisions taken by Portfolio Holders since the last meeting. |
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Forward Work Programme PDF 84 KB To consider the Cabinet forward work programme. Minutes: Cabinet received the forward work programme. |
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Exempt Items The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following items. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council's Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).
These factors in his view outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting.
Minutes: RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 1 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
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Leadership Arrangements for the Education Service PDF 183 KB To consider a report by the Chief Executive. Additional documents:
Minutes: Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Executive proposing changes to the leadership arrangements for the Education Service, deleting the post of Head of Education and replacing it with a new post – Chief Education Officer – which would be referred to as the Director of Education. This role would have strategic responsibility for key areas in the Schools Service including school improvement and financial management and would be accountable to the Chief Executive. The appointment process would take up until April 2020 so the Chief Executive also set out interim arrangements for the service with an internal appointee, to be designated as Interim Chief Education Officer at a Head of Service Grade, backed by 3 external experts headed by Geraint Rees, an experienced education professional.
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