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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Cabinet and Committee Room, 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk L39 2DF

Contact: Julia Brown 

Items
No. Item

36.

APOLOGIES

Minutes:

Apologies were received on behalf of Councillor D Owen.

37.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE

To be apprised of any changes to the membership of the Committee in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.

Minutes:

There were no changes to Membership of the Committee.

38.

URGENT BUSINESS, IF ANY, INTRODUCED BY THE CHAIRMAN

Note:  No other business is permitted unless, by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified at the meeting, the Chairman is of the opinion that the item(s) should be considered as a matter of urgency.

 

Minutes:

There were no urgent items of business.

 

39.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST pdf icon PDF 299 KB

If a member requires advice on Declarations of Interest, he/she is advised to contact the Legal and Democratic Services Manager in advance of the meeting.  (For the assistance of members a checklist for use in considering their position on any particular item is included at the end of this agenda sheet.)

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

40.

DECLARATIONS OF PARTY WHIP

In accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rule 16, Members must declare the existence of any Party Whip, and the nature of it, when considering any matter in the following categories:

 

-       The review of any decision of the Cabinet or

-       The performance of any Member of the Cabinet

 

N.B. The Secretary of State believes whipping is incompatible with Overview and Scrutiny.

Minutes:

 There were no declarations of Party Whip.

41.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 411 KB

To receive as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 September 2022.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 September 2022 be received as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

                       

42.

PUBLIC SPEAKING pdf icon PDF 243 KB

Residents of West Lancashire on giving notice, may address the meeting to make representations on any item on the agenda except where the public and press are to be excluded during consideration of the item.  The deadline for submissions is 10.00am on Friday 28 October 2022.  A copy of the public speaking protocol and form to be completed is attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no items under this heading.

43.

RELEVANT MINUTES OF CABINET pdf icon PDF 237 KB

To scrutinise the Minutes of Cabinet held on 13 September 2022.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the Minutes of Cabinet held on 13 September 2022   as contained on pages 355 to 362 of the Book of Reports.

 

The Chairman raised a comment in respect of Minute 28 – Risk Management Framework & Key Risk Report, in respect of disappointment that the comment "That the risk owner, look again at the risk 'Delays in Preparation of new Local Plan' to change the rating higher to 'cautious'" had not been accepted by Cabinet..

 

He also raised a comment in respect of Minute 30 C – Corporate Peer Challenge.  He informed that the Action Plan will be presented to the Committee in the New Year.

 

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of Cabinet held 13 September 2022 be noted.

44.

NOTES OF MEMBER DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION pdf icon PDF 223 KB

To note the notes of the Member Development Commission held on 22 September 2022.

 

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the Notes of the Member Development Commission held on 22 September 2022 as contained on pages 363 to 366 of the Book of Reports.

 

RESOLVED: That the notes of the Member Development Commission held on 22 September 2022 be noted.

45.

Results of Citizen Survey 2022 pdf icon PDF 74 KB

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources as contained on pages 367 to 464 of the Book of Reports, which presented the results of the Citizen Survey 2022.

 

The Digital Communications Manager outlined the report and defined both the 'open access' and 'closed' survey results to Members.

 

Comments and questions were raised as follows:

·         Lack of local media

·         Officer Task & Finish Group – Improve communication

·         Poor response from males18-34

·         Overall response rate of 20%

·         Frequency of Citizen Survey – Biennial to give a time cycle to review and implement actions prior to the next consultation

 

RESOLVED:

A         That the Citizen Survey 2022 be noted and passed to Cabinet for their consideration.

B.        That the Minute of Executive Overview & Scrutiny held 3 November 2022 be presented to the Officer Task and Finish Group.

C.        That the findings of the Officer Task and Finish Group activities and Action Plan be presented to a future meeting of Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

46.

HOUSING STRATEGY pdf icon PDF 436 KB

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director Transformation, Housing and Resources as contained on pages 465 to 474 of the Book of Reports, which provided an update about the Councils Housing Strategy.

 

The Housing Strategy and Development Programme Manager outlined the report.  He informed that the current Housing Strategy Vision remains, although one of the six delivery objectives be updated to reflect the delivery of the current Residential Sector objectives of the Council’s Climate Change Strategy 2020-2030.

 

Comments and questions were raised in respect of the following:

·         Delay of HEDNA

·         Local Plan Cabinet Working Group – when will meetings commence?

 

RESOLVED: That the Housing Strategy be noted and passed to Cabinet for their consideration.

47.

22/23 Quarter 2 GRA Revenue Monitoring pdf icon PDF 301 KB

To consider the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement and Commercial Services.

 

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement and Commercial Services as contained on pages 475 to 478 of the Book of Reports which provided a summary of the General Revenue Account (GRA) position for the 2022/23 financial year at quarter 2 and to approve the budget amendments.

 

The Corporate Finance Manager outlined the report and responded to comments and questions raised by Members.

 

RESOLVED: That the Quarter 2 GRA Revenue Monitoring report be noted.

 

(Note: The Chairman informed, as agreed at the previous meeting of the Committee, that future financial reports not requiring a decision will be considered by the newly established Budget/Council Plan Committee)

48.

22/23 Quarter 2 GRA Capital Monitoring pdf icon PDF 73 KB

To consider the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement and Commercial Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement and Commercial Services as contained on pages 479 to 488 of the Book of Reports, which provided the Revised General Revenue Account (GRA) Capital Programme for 2022/23 and an update on the progress of capital schemes at quarter 2.

 

The Corporate Finance Manager outlined the report and responded to comments and questions raised by Members in respect of the following:

·         Concerns in respect of the Moor Street Phase 2 overspend (some of which will be funded partly by HAZ (Heritage Asset Zone) and Lancashire County Council)

·         Target for Council House Sales – Consideration of current economic climate

·         Capital Programme Schemes – budget profile / delivery timescales

 

RESOLVED: That the Quarter 2 GRA Capital Monitoring report be noted.

                             

49.

22/23 Quarter 2 HRA Revenue and Capital Monitoring pdf icon PDF 347 KB

To consider the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement and Commercial Services.

 

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement and Commercial Services as contained on pages 489 to 498 of the Book of Reports, which provided a summary of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Housing Capital Programme positions for the 2022/23 financial year.

 

The Principal Finance Business Partner outlined the report and the Property Services Manager responded to comments and questions raised by Members in respect of the following:

·         Roofing Programme – possibility of incorporating solar panels into future stock

·         Carbon neutral dwelling improvements – fabric first / technology

·         Decarbonisation funding – Invest and improve stock / reduce carbon

 

RESOLVED:

A.   That, the report be noted, and the following comment be submitted to the Housing Portfolio Holder, in advance of the Council meeting on 14 December 2022.

1.    That the Carbon Neutral Dwellings Scheme be reviewed, with funding possibly reallocated to measures on existing stock that contribute towards overall carbon neutrality within the council.

 

50.

TREASURY MANAGEMENT AND PRUDENTIAL INDICATORS Q2 MONITORING - 2022-23 pdf icon PDF 488 KB

To consider the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement and Commercial Services.

 

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement and Commercial Services as contained on pages 499 to 508 of the Book of Reports, which set out details of Treasury Management operations for the first half of 2022/23 and to report on the Prudential Indicators, where available.

 

The Corporate Finance Manager outlined the report and responded to comments and questions raised by Members in respect of the following:

·         Increase / forecast of interest rates

·         Frequency of Quarterly Reports / the Council adhere to CIPFA Treasury Management Code of Practice in Local Authorities.

 

RESOLVED: That the Treasury Management and Prudential Indicators Q2

Monitoring 2022-23 report be noted.

51.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

It is recommended that members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 (Financial/Business affairs) of Part 1 to Schedule 12A to the Act and as, in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 part 1 of Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.          

52.

HRA REPAIRS CONTRACTOR UPDATE

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the Report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources as contained on pages 509 to 516 of the Book of Reports, in respect of an update on the repairs contract and to seek Council approval of proposed amendments.

 

The Principal Finance Business Partner and Property Services Manager outlined the report and responded to comments and questions raised by Members of the Committee.

 

RESOLVED: That the report be considered and noted and passed to Cabinet for their consideration.