Venue: By Zoom. View directions
Contact: Rachel Pugh - Scrutiny and Democratic Support Officer Email: rachel.pugh1@powys.gov.uk
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Apologies To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from
A Cartwright, T Colbert, S Williams |
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Disclosures of Interest To receive any disclosures of interests by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting. Minutes: The Committee received the following disclose of interests by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting: Cllr GM declared a personal interest for item 4 Quarterly Report and 7 Shared Prosperity Fund due to being a trustee for PAVO and sits on the Growing Mid Wales Stakeholder Group, and a trustee and employees several local organisations that may in the future apply for funding under Shared Prosperity Fund.
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Declaration of Party Whips To receive disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.
(NB: Members are reminded that under Section 78 Members having been given a prohibited party whip cannot vote on a matter before the Committee.) Minutes: The Committee did not receive any disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011. |
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Performance - Risk - Finance - Quarter 2 |
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Performance Report - Quarter 2 PDF 73 KB To receive and consider a report by County Councillor James Gibson-Watt Portfolio Holder for Corporate Performance Management
https://sway.office.com/XubMNRNWln1WWoUI?ref=Link
Minutes: Documents Considered: Report by County Councillor James Gibson-Watt Portfolio Holder for Corporate Performance Management
Issues Discussed: · Work continued towards the new Cabinet Corporate plan which hold the Cabinet priorities and vision; however, the current plan would continue for 2022-2023, which each service has set out objectives and measures with targets to achieve. · The proforma was provided to the Committee to clarify the nature of the report.
Questions:
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Strategic Risk Register - Quarter 2 PDF 74 KB To receive and consider the report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Transformation, County Councillor David Thomas Additional documents:
Minutes: Documents Considered: Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Transformation, County Councillor David Thomas.
Issues Discussed: · Strategic risks would be reported to Cabinet and the Audit Committee on a quarterly basis. · Each service was responsible for a register and risks were escalated to the strategic risk register if required. · Registers were updated continually as integrated into the JCAD system. · There was a need for the committee to focus on risks and to challenge individual risks relevant to services covered by economy, residents, and communities.
Questions:
Outcomes: · Use one methodology across all reports · Inadequate control measures were shown with limited information provided. · To provide a timescale to show the estimated time risks will be on the register · It was felt that duplication of work with outside bodies should be addressed. · Unachieved targets by services implies a shortfall of workforce or workload with challenging budgets. · The risk scale scoring system is useful, as it provides evidence of occurring issues.
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Finance Report - Quarter 2 PDF 448 KB Minutes: Documents Considered: Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Transformation, County Councillor David Thomas
Issues Discussed: · Financial forecast as year ending 31 March 2023 as at 30 September 2022. · The report covers the impact of rising inflation, costs of fuel, food, energy and pay awards which the Cabinet has considered. · Q1 reported £3.827 million was projected to be drawn from specific reserves to deal with the additional pressures which identified a further shortfall of £1 million. · The deficit for Q2 has risen to £7.064m, £5.316 million would be funded through the drawdown of specific reserves. · Capital schemes had also been impacted due to contractor and material cost increasing. · Highways, Transport and Recycling (HTR) carried forward unachieved savings targets of £1.3 million, those unachieved savings were absorbed within the HTR budget in 2021/22. The delivery of the savings was impacted by Covid, such as car park income and public transport. · The Head of Service has confirmed that the unachieved savings would be absorbed within the existing HTR revenue budget and has also confirmed £295,505 of the target will be achieved this financial year. The service budgets will be realigned as the targets can now be met through additional income being achieved through Street Works income, Highway Design income and Recycling income. · The cost-of-living challenge also impacted on our local businesses and residents and creates additional pressure on the Council as demand for our services increases. · The previous agreed budget was no longer sufficient to meet council costs and reserves would be drawn down. · It is unlikely that the Council would receive more funding form the Welsh Government.
Questions:
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Working Group Feedback / Councillor Reports |
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Phosphates Working Group Minutes: The Group met to explore options explore options, councillors felt they would be best placed to support officer roles with engagement with external bodies and would evolve into the nature and climate emergency work of the Council.
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County Farms Working Group Minutes: In addition to the recent meeting, conversations have been held with the Leader the151 Officer and Finance Team. A detailed briefing would be held with the Estate Manager early next year. A draft Terms of Reference would be shared with the committee once finalised.
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LDP Working Group Minutes: Closing date for candidate sites was the13 December, councillors were asked to encourage potential candidates to come forward as further advertisement has been released. It was noted that previous sites would not automatically be included into the plan and would need to re-apply. One to one assistance is available for applicants. It was noted that the scheme is progressing well.
Questions:
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Scrutiny Work Programme To note that future meetings of the Committee will be held as follows:
Minutes: The Committee noted the schedule of future meetings.
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Shared Prosperity Fund |
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Shared Prosperity Fund PDF 64 KB To receive and consider the report of the Cabinet Member for a Prosperous Powys, County Councillor David Selby: “Shared Prosperity Fund: Submission of a Regional Investment Plan for Mid Wales”.
Additional documents:
Minutes: Documents Considered:Consider the report of the Cabinet Member for a Prosperous Powys, County Councillor David Selby: Shared Prosperity Fund: Submission of a Regional Investment Plan for Mid Wales.
Outcomes: Scrutiny made the following observations: · The Committee was generally content with the report presented for consideration and that the application form was very clear and straightforward. · Funding has been confirmed and a memorandum of understanding would need to be completed so that the funding could be accessed. · £2.7m had been allocated for year 1 and that it was hoped that written confirmation would be received that some of this funding could be rolled forward to Year 2. · The Investment plan sets out the high-level information which was available for everyone to share to encourage applications. · In the first-year applications would be focussed on Council based projects due to the short timescale but subsequently would be an open to a wider range of applications. · In response to whether support would be available for organisations who required it to complete applications, which limited support would be available, but a series of guides were being prepared to support applicants in completing the form. · A further update would be provided to Town and Community Councils about the Fund and how to make applications as well as a further briefing to Members. · Consideration was being given as to whether applicants could apply for multiple workstreams rather than a single workstream as suggested. · Organisations involved in the Local Partnership would be allowed to apply for funding for projects but could not take part in the determination of their own applications. · All applications would be assessed by officers and then applications and officer recommendations would be considered by the Local Partnership.
The Committee suggested that: · the overall investment plan be sent out in advance of the requests for applications being issued and noted that a communications plan for the plan had been agreed. · Consideration be given to representation on the Local Partnership from a work-based learning provider and also Local Nature Partnerships.
Scrutiny Recommendations to Cabinet 1. that the overall investment plan be sent out in advance of the requests for applications being issued 2. that consideration be given to representation on the Local Partnership from a work-based learning provider and Local Nature Partnerships
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Exempt Item To consider passing the following Resolution:
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 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. 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 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. 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.
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Confidential Report To receive and consider confidential appendices to the Shared Prosperity Fund Report. Additional documents:
Minutes: Issues Discussed: · Suggestions of organisations to form part of the panel · Cabinet has approved the list · The Panel should be a reasonable cross section of the County
Questions:
Outcomes: · In-depth document. · Application form was very clear and straightforward - needs to provide good guidance. · The Committee was happy with the selection criteria that will be used to help the panel assess criteria . · Application form was very clear gives business of all sizes to apply.
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