Meeting documents

Venue: Mezzanine Room 2, County Hall, Aylesbury. View directions

Contact: Clare Gray/Karen Jones 

Note: Please note that this meeting will be webcast - please use the "Webcasts" link on the left 

Media

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Items
Note No. Item

1.

Election of Chairman

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Minutes:

It was proposed and duly seconded that Brian Roberts be elected Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Brian Roberts be elected Chairman of the Finance, Performance and Resources Select Committee.

2.

Appointment of Vice Chairman

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Minutes:

It was proposed that Bill Chapple be appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Bill Chapple be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Finance Performance and Resources Select Committee for the ensuing year.

10.05 am

3.

Apologies for Absence/Changes in Membership

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Minutes:

Apologies were received from Mr B Roberts and Mr D Shakespeare.

4.

Declarations of Interest

To disclose any Personal or Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

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Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

5.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 212 KB

To agree the Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 May 2014.

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Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 May 2014 were agreed as a correct record.

10.10 am

6.

Chairman's Report

For the Chairman of the Committee to provide an update to the Committee on recent scrutiny related activity.

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Minutes:

The Vice Chairman updated the committee that its Budget Scrutiny work has been shortlisted for a CfPS Good Scrutiny award for improving transparency.

7.

Public Questions

Public Questions is an opportunity for people who live, work or study in the county to put a question to a Scrutiny Committee about any issue that has an impact on their local community or the county as a whole.

 

Members of public, who have given prior notice, will be invited to put their question in person.

 

The Cabinet Member and responsible officers will then be invited to respond. 

 

Further information and details on how to register can be found through the following link:-

 

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/about-your-council/scrutiny/get-involved/

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Minutes:

There were no public questions.

10.15 am

8.

Budget Scrutiny Recommendations Update pdf icon PDF 65 KB

For Members to review progress against recommendations made in the Budget Scrutiny report 2014-15

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Minutes:

Richard Ambrose, Service Director (Finance) explained that the Leader had been lobbying through the CCN and LGA.  He reported that the notification of the Financial Settlement was late last year although it was for a 2 year period.  There was no certainty of the funding after that date.

 

The Service Director (Finance) commented on the following recommendations in the report:

 

4  We recommend that a) A brief guide to ‘understanding our budget’ is produced that explains acronyms, definitions and what information is being presented.’  

A guide to understanding the budget proposals will be produced this year.  A consultation will take place in September on the budget and it was anticipated that the results will be available in October/ November.

8 We recommend that Cabinet commits to improving rather than maintaining the current condition of Buckinghamshire’s roads. 
An asset management approach will be taken towards roads and it was recognised that much work was needed on how to finance roads.  A health check was awaited.

13 We recommend that there is a re-energising of efforts to devolve further competencies to parish and town Councils where it benefits both parties and makes financial sense to do so. 

A workshop took place on 27 May and was attended by approximately 50% of the parishes.  During the discussions which took place on for example delegating grass cutting a mixed response was received.  Members were advised that a consultation was taking place and that a decision will be taken during the summer.              

 

The following questions were asked:

 

1 Recommendation 3: p9

a) As we move towards becoming an outcome based commissioning Council how will our MTP budget setting process change?  Will we notice a difference in the way that budget changes are presented for 15/16?

b) Will there be a repeat of the corporate-led Priority Based Resourcing exercise next time?

 

The Service Director (Finance) replied that he did not expect major changes in the budget before the General Election.  Outcomes were set in the first year and the challenge was mapping the current MTP into the outcomes already decided.      

A Member expressed concern that there was a difficult learning process and he asked how members can be confident with the process.  The Service Director (Finance) replied that the draft outcomes will be available in June or July and that the aim will be to try and map them with the MTP.  During the summer the business units will produce ideas on how to achieve the outcomes and it will be necessary to understand the current budget and savings proposals and monitor how to achieve them.  The priority will be to produce a balanced budget. 

 

2 Recommendation 8: p11

Are you able to update us on progress made in developing a business case for prudential borrowing to fix our roads?  When do you expect a decision to be taken on this?            

 

The Service Director (Finance) replied that the LGA were trying to develop a Municipal Bond Agency.  The proposal was that the first issue of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

10.35 am

9.

Local Emergency Support pdf icon PDF 165 KB

For Members to revisit this topic and explore how we are meeting the needs of service users and the impacts of BCC policy.  

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Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Janice Moore, Assessments Welfare Benefits & Local Emergency Team Leader to the meeting. 

 

The Service Director (Finance) reported that an update had been provided at the December meeting and that a consultation took place on the proposed changes.  Members were reminded that on 1 April 2013 the fund was transferred to BCC.  Members were consulted and changes will be introduced to influence the infrastructure to help those most in crisis.  Approximately £31k had been awarded in grants and work was continuing in 2014/15.  The aim was to limit the cash grants and provide food banks and sign post people to other benefits available.  In the financial year 20/1314 there was a considerable underspend and it was anticipated that this would be the case in 2014/15.  The proposal was that funding of £300k would be available on a permanent basis.

 

The Team Leader reported that she attended an LGA meeting in London on 2 June where other authorities reported that they had similar issues and that some authorities were considering an exit programme from November.   Work was also taking place with the Department of Work and Pensions and one of the reasons for the underspend was that there was a lack in information on what would be provided when the new arrangements were introduced. 

 

The following questions were asked:

 

1                 Strategic Priority 6 – to encourage people to do more for themselves whilst providing a safety net for the most vulnerable members of the population. 

a)    Do we have a working definition of what we mean by ‘the most vulnerable members of the population’ in relation to Local Emergency Support, and how do we identify these people?

b)    What support and encouragement is available to help people who don’t fall into this category to do more for themselves, given the statement on page 22 that 90% of claimants in the first week of the new financial year had claimed the maximum 2 awards in the previous year?

 

The Team Leader replied that in the short term the most vulnerable are people without any immediate food or heating and are unable to support themselves due to debts or the withdrawal funding from the DWP.  Officers were very proactive in promoting other organisations.  The Head of Finance explained that the aim was to join up with other partners to help avoid repeat occurrences.   

 

2                 Drivers of Demand

The majority of service users are working age single males who are in receipt of benefits.  What in your view are the key underlying drivers of demand for local emergency support in Buckinghamshire?

The Team Leader replied that incapacity benefits and new assessments making people no longer entitled to sickness benefits make it necessary for individuals to claim jobseekers allowance were the main drivers.  It was now a requirement to say if you were no longer entitled to employment support and a decision can be appealed whilst resolving claims.  The problems arise because people sign off when they get a job although it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

11.30 am

10.

Crisis Support in Buckinghamshire Proposal pdf icon PDF 121 KB

Members are asked to consider conducting a proposed Scrutiny Inquiry into Crisis Provision in Buckinghamshire.

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Minutes:

The Policy Officer proposed that consideration be given to addressing Crisis Support in Bucks.  He suggested that the key areas to be considered were to review the support currently being provided, how effectively needs were being met, how they related to the strategic plan and what should be provided in the future.

 

The Chairman suggested that the enquiry should consider the administrative details and that some of the customers for example victims of flooding were interviewed to establish how the system can be administered to ensure that it works for them.

 

Members made the following points:

 

·         The Terms of Reference should include assistance, the preventative agenda and Age Concern.

·         It was suggested that the review includes how to maintain the work and sustain it.

·         It was further suggested that consultation takes place with local churches to see what work they were doing.

·         The review was welcomed and the suggestion that local churches be consulted and it was noted that unemployed executives had been using food banks.  It was also suggested that consideration be given to asking the police how they respond to people who need help.

·         The Policy agreed that consideration could be given to outsourcing.

11.45 am

11.

Balanced Scorecard and joint monitoring report Quarter 4 pdf icon PDF 266 KB

Paper for information

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Minutes:

A Member expressed concern that there had been slippage of 33.3% representing a 50% increase since February and he recommended that there was a need to monitor expenditure.  It was suggested that reassurance could be provided that officers were doing a robust job.

 

Members requested that a detailed report be presented to the meeting in September which will be half way through the financial year and in preparation for the budget scrutiny.

 

A Member noted that on page 36 there were revenue issues with the overspend being high which were also compensated by underspend and the accuracy by which budgets were prepared was questioned.       

 

It was reported that the budget in Children’s Services was set correctly on expected demand which subsequently increased (at the time of the meeting there were nearly 460 looked after children in Buckinghamshire).  A new Financial Director had been appointed to investigate the overspend and changes in senior staff.  Changes in the Fostering and Adoption staff had resulted in an almost increase in adoptions.  The fostering campaign was designed to take children out of expensive placements.  The number of children out of county placements had decreased from 458 on 1 April to 437 on 3 June 2014.  

 

Thanks were expressed for this update and it was requested that the committee receives a regular report on specific issues.     The Member agreed that there was a cultural issue and he explained that historically children’s services staff considered welfare over cost and he considered that fostering was often a better option.  In response to a question it was noted that a Quarterly Report will continue to be presented on the Work Programme.   

11.50 am

12.

Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 28 KB

To consider and agree the Finance, Performance and Resources Select Committee Work Programme 2013/14.

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Minutes:

The Committee Work Programme was noted.

11.55am

13.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

8 July 2014 at 10am.

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Minutes:

8 July 2014 at 10am.