Agenda and draft minutes
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Contact: 01509 634781 Email: democracy@charnwood.gov.uk
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Minutes of the Previous Meeting PDF 245 KB The Panel is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8th December 2021. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 8th December 2021 were confirmed as a correct record. |
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Disclosures of Pecuniary and Personal Interests Minutes: No disclosures were made. |
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Declarations - The Party Whip Minutes: No declarations were made. |
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Questions under Scrutiny Committee Procedure 11.17 No questions were submitted. Minutes: No declarations were made. |
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Information on the Government Financial Settlement A verbal report of the Strategic Director; Environmental and Corporate Services updating the Panel on the Government financial settlement. Minutes: A verbal update by the Strategic Director, Environmental and Corporate Services, was made updating the panel on the Government Financial Settlement issued on 16th December 2021.
Assisting with the consideration of the item: Lead Member of Finance and Property Services, Strategic Director, Environmental and Corporate Services and the Head of Financial Services.
Summary, key points of discussion:
In response to questions, the panel were advised that:
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Budget Update - Approach to final budget development A verbal report of the Strategic Director; Environmental and Corporate Services advising members on the approaches to the final budget development for 2022/23. Minutes: A verbal update by the Strategic Director, Environmental and Corporate Services, was made advising members on the approaches to the final budget development for 2022/23.
Assisting with the consideration of the item: Lead Member of Finance and Property Services, Strategic Director, Environmental and Corporate Services and the Head of Financial Services.
Summary, key points of discussion:
In response to questions, the panel were advised that:
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
Reasons
To acknowledge the Board’s consideration of the matter.
The Lead Member of Finance and the Head of Financial Services left the meeting following the consideration of this item.
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To agree the Panel’s report, for consideration by the Scrutiny Commission at its meeting on 10th January 2022.
The Commission will be requested to recommend the report to the Cabinet at its meeting on 10th February 2022. Additional documents:
Minutes: A draft report of the Panel was submitted for agreement of the Panel, to then be submitted to the Scrutiny Commission on 10th January 2022 (agenda item 8 filed with these minutes).
Assisting with the consideration of this item: Strategic Director, Environmental and Corporate Services.
Summary, key points of discussion:
· Based on the costs of the Bedford Square project having doubled, it was proposed that a small contingency be put aside for overspend on the Shepshed Project should a similar increase in costs occur. In response, it was clarified that Bedford Square funding had increased along with costs, which had been approximately £70-80k from the Council. It was added that every major capital project had a contingency within it. It was further clarified that increases in costs can occur when unexpected discoveries such as wires were found when digging as it meant that companies would need to conduct work which took time and money. In order to avoid such issues with the Shepshed Project, an approach was planned using feasibility money and work to do initial digging to ascertain what was underground before the actual budget was set. A budget had been set as a placeholder; however, this was a substantial amount and as such it was thought that it would be enough. The project would go through the Capital Plan amendment process. There was contingency in the project already. but it would depend on the times when work could be undertaken. Processes and money were in place and as such it was not thought that amendment was needed.
The Chair added that the Capital plan was not yet fully costed.
The Strategic Director, Environmental and Corporate Services suggested that the issue would be considered by the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee.
· It was proposed that an exercise be undertaken to ascertain the land value of such garage land, versus the income gained per annum from garage rental. Garage land to be sold for housing either for Council builds or private builders.
The Strategic Director, Environmental and Corporate Services again suggested that the issue would be considered by the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee as part of the Regeneration agenda. He further added that some reviews had already been undertaken on garage land and it was thought that 26-32 homes could potentially be delivered by redeveloping Council owned garage parking spaces for housing to meet local need across the Borough.
The Chair proposed that the issue be picked up in the next cycle of the Budget Scrutiny Panel.
The Chair further suggested that future meetings of the panel would need to make recommendations based on what was discussed in terms of financial impact, savings and income with regard to the year’s budget and put to the Scrutiny Commission to decide whether to pass them to Cabinet.
· In response to a proposal to raise car-parking fees by 10p in order to generate income and mitigate savings to protect front-line services, it was explained that this was a complex issue as raising ... view the full minutes text for item 45. |