Meeting documents

Peter Hardy, BCC Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources, will deliver a presentation on the Future Shape Programme: Developing a Commercially-Minded Council.

Councillor Peter Hardy attended the meeting to provide a presentation on the Future Shape Programme: Developing a Commercially-Minded Council.  Cllr Hardy outlined the key objectives of the initiative as being:-

•      To share the County plan for the future and seek District Council views

•      To provide a clear view of the key County Council services

•      To identify any opportunities to collaborate where there are shared agendas

•      To identify key County and District  relationships that could be important in building our future shape agendas

 

There was a focus on the last 4 years and the key factors which had impacted on the County Council which were a reduced Government Grant by 44%, a Council Tax freeze for  3 years and increased demographic pressures and public expectations, particularly in respect of the condition of the County’s roads.  Despite these pressures Cllr Hardy reported that the County Council had delivered £85m savings by

-     Reducing staff levels and operating costs

-     Reducing property footprint

-     Contract savings of over £7m through category reviews

-     System and process redesign

-     Protected services especially those to the most vulnerable

-     Delivered 81% of performance targets

-     Increased residents satisfaction to 70%

 

The Cabinet Member added that future years were also potentially difficult, due to:-

•      Continued reduction in Government grant

•      Demographic change - more very elderly but also more children

•      Social change - increase in looked after children

•      Legislative change - Care Act and Children and Families Act

•      Demand Management - Identify root causes and focus on prevention

•      Environmental change - impact of the weather on roads and flooding

•      Technological change - 90% of Bucks residents have access to the internet

•      Political change - General Election and Scottish referendum

•      Rising public expectations

•      A further need to seek savings of at least another £60m

 

Cllr Hardy advised that there was a need for a radical change in the future delivery of services and approach of the County Council which included:-

•      A need to develop the “commercially minded council”

•      A smaller Headquarters of functions to support being Member-led

•      Outcomes based commissioning

•      Priority based resourcing

•      Different ways of delivering services based on value proposition

 

The components of a Commercially - Minded Council were defined as:-

•      A strong public service ethos

•      Putting the customer at the centre of the Council’s work

•      Understanding current and future costs

•      Reducing unnecessary costs and streamlining processes

•      Searching for opportunities to generate income to recover costs and make surplus where able

•      Digital First as a way of delivering services

•      Being risk aware rather than risk averse

•      Acting as though “it is your own money”

•      Some services will still be delivered in house (but at lower unit costs)

•      Many services will be delivered in different ways

 

Members were invited to ask questions.  The key lines of questions were in relation to managing successful contract arrangements and the cost of service delivery, and how this could be reduced through partnership working.  The Chairman thanked Cllr Hardy for his attendance.

 

To approve as a correct record and to sign the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 22 July 2014 (circulated separately)

The Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 22 July 2014 were approved as a correct record.

 

To present the Leofwine Shield to Linda Smith, Chairman of Chalfont St Peter Parish Council on behalf of Chalfont St Peter village. The Shield is awarded annually to the Town or Parish Council in Chiltern District achieving the highest mark in the Best Kept Village Competition. Chalfont St Peter is the 2014 winner.

The Chairman was pleased to present the Leofwine Shield to Councillor L Smith, representing Chalfont St Peter Parish Council, in recognition of Chalfont St Peter’s achievement of obtaining the highest marks in Chiltern District in the Best Kept Village Competition.  Councillor L Smith thanked the Council for the award.

 

(a)       Chairman’s Engagements

 

A list of Engagements carried out by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council between 23 July and 9 September had been circulated.

 

(b)       Chairman’s Announcements

 

The Chairman had no announcements to make.

 

(c) Announcements from the Leader of the Cabinet

 

The Leader of the Cabinet had no announcements to make.

 

(d) Announcements from the Head of Paid Service

 

The Chief Executive had no announcements to make.

 

(e) Petitions

 

No petitions were submitted.

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

 

i)      That the appointment of Councillor L Smith to the Chiltern Leisure Advisory Board be approved; and

 

ii)    That the appointments to the Committees of the Council in line with the structure amendment as approved at Council on 22 July 2014, as below be approved -

 

APPEALS & COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE (11)
Burton	Con
Burns - Green	Con
Garnett	Con
Gladwin	Con
Hardie	Con
Harris	Con
Patel	Con
Spate	Con
Cunnane	Con
Pirouet	LD
Lacey	Ind
Restrictions on Membership: All members eligible, but any who are also members of the Personnel Committee / JAIC will be ineligible to hear appeals that result from decisions of those Committees.
Political Balance (Seats):  9 Conservative; 1 Liberal Democrat; 1 Other

 

AUDIT & STANDARDS COMMITTEE (9)
Gladwin	Con
Garnett	Con
Garth	Con
Phillips	Con
Ryman	Con
L Smith	Con
Warder	Con
Bacon	LD
Meacock	UKIP
Restrictions on Membership: CM and VCM of the Council and Members of the Cabinet may not be members.
Political Balance (Seats):  7 Conservative; 1 Liberal Democrat; 1 Other

 

GOVERNANCE & ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE (11)
Brown	Con
Darby	Con
Garth	Con
Garnett	Con
Phillips	Con
Rose	Con
Stannard	Con
Stewert	Con
Warder	Con
Jones	LD
Bhatti	Lab
Restrictions on Membership: None
Political Balance (Seats): 9 Conservative; 1 Liberal Democrat; 1 Other

 

OVERVIEW COMMITTEE: SERVICES (15)
Burton	Con
Burns-Green	Con
Hardie	Con
Patel	Con
Phillips	Con
Prince	Con
Rose	Con
Rush	Con
Shepherd	Con
L Smith	Con
Wertheim	Con
Jones	LD
Pirouet	LD
Lacey	Ind
Berry	Ind
Restrictions on Membership: Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council and Members of the Cabinet may not be members.  Chairmanship of one Overview Committee is reserved for a member of the largest minority party.  If the CM is a Member of a particualr party group the VCM is reserved for a member of the largest remaining party group.
Political Balance (Seats):  11 Conservative;  2 Liberal Democrat; 2 Other

 

OVERVIEW COMMITTEE: RESOURCES (15)
Garnett	Con
Garth	Con
Gladwin	Con
Phillips	Con
Ryman	Con
Spate	Con
Stewert	Con
Vivis	Con
Warder	Con
Wertheim	Con
Williams	Con
Bacon	LD
Spruytenburg	LD
Berry	Ind
Meacock	UKIP
Restrictions on Membership: Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council and Members of the Cabinet may not be members.  Chairmanship of one Overview Committee is reserved for a member of the largest minority party.  If the CM is a Member of a particualr party group the VCM is reserved for a member of the largest remaining party group.
Political Balance (Seats):  11 Conservative;  2 Liberal Democrat; 2 Other

 

 

It was moved by Councillor M Smith, seconded by Councillor M Stannard and

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the Minutes and the Resolutions of the Joint Appointments and Implementation Committee held on 4 August 2014 be received.

 

It was moved by Councillor M Smith, seconded by Councillor D Phillips and

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Minutes and Resolutions of the Licensing and Regulation Committee held on 6 August 2014

 

It was moved by Councillor A Garnett, seconded by Councillor C Spruytenburg and

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the Minutes and Resolutions of the Planning Committee held on 12 August 2014 be received.

 

It was moved by Councillor A Bacon, seconded by Councillor J Ryman and

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the Minutes and Resolutions of the Joint Appointments and Implementation Committee held on 19 August 2014 be received.

 

 

This item was withdrawn.

It was moved by Councillor J Burton, seconded by Councillor A Pirouet and

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the Minutes and Resolutions of the Planning Committee held on 28 August 2014 be received.

 

To consider the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26 August 2014  (circulated separately) and to receive questions and answers on any of these minutes and recommendations in accordance with Rule 8 of the Procedural Rules

It was moved by Councillor I Darby, seconded by Councillor M Stannard and

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the Minutes and Resolutions of the Cabinet held on 26 August 2014 be received and the recommendations contained in Minute No’s 10, 11 and 22 be adopted.

 

a) Councillor Rose - HS2

 

Councillor Rose reiterated his report that negotiations on the HS2 proposals had now reached a position of mitigation and a recent meeting had been held with HS2 to continue discussions on a way forward.  He added that the Council’s overall policy remained in opposition to HS2 but that to enter into mitigation was to achieve the best possible position for the community in respect of the potential impact of HS2.

 

Councillor Rose explained that the Council were involved in various areas of work in the mitigation process and the feasibility of developing a Green Plus route.  There was a HS2 Seminar due to be held at Chiltern District Council on Friday 12 September and a HS2 Summit in Aylesbury on 8 October 2014 to provide further information on the progress of the opposition and mitigation processes for HS2.

 

b) Councillor Harris - Changes to Permitted Development

 

Councillor Harris reported that the Government was consulting on changes in respect of permitted development rights including use of retail, office, industrial and warehouse units and other uses for residential accommodation and to see a potential increase of this in the future.  There was a concern that this could lead to a lack of available units for small businesses in the future.  The deadline for submission of consultation responses was 26 September 2014.

Councillor Phillips also  expressed his concerns about the impact of the proposed changes to permitted development and that control and management of development in the local area may be lost due to the changes.

 

The Vice-Chairman advised members of a forthcoming event called ‘Silver Sunday’ taking place in Amersham on 5 October 2014 where a 1940 Tea Dance would be held to encourage and support people who are vulnerable or isolated to participate in a local event.  A leaflet outlining the event was to be circulated to all members.

 

The Chairman reminded members of a forthcoming charity event in Princes Risborough, the Kop Hill Climb and encouraged colleagues to attend.

 

 

No Motions had been received.