Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

A copy of the Register of Interest for each Selby District Councillor is available for inspection at www.selby.gov.uk.

Councillors should declare to the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest in any item of business on this agenda which is not already entered in their Register of Interests.

Councillors should leave the meeting and take no part in the consideration, discussion or vote on any matter in which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Councillors should also declare any other interests.  Having made the declaration, provided the other interest is not a disclosable pecuniary interest, the Councillor may stay in the meeting, speak and vote on that item of business.

If in doubt, Councillors are advised to seek advice from the Monitoring Officer.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Committee held on 13 August 2020.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 13 August 2020.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 13 August 2020 for signing by the Chair.

There was no Chair’s address to the Committee.

To consider the Committee’s work programme.

The Democratic Services Officer presented the work programme for 2020-21 to Members.

The Committee considered the work programme and proposed and seconded that it be agreed.

RESOLVED:

The Committee noted the Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2020-21.

Members are asked to consider the report of the Head of Business Development and Improvement which provides a progress update on delivery of the Council’s Corporate Plan 2015-20, as measured by a combination of progress against priority projects/high level actions and performance against KPIs.

The Committee received the report of the Head of Business Development and Improvement which asked Members to consider and comment on the performance information contained in the report.

Members noted that the quarterly corporate performance report provided a progress update on delivery of the Council’s Corporate Plan 2015-20 as measured by a combination of: progress against priority projects/high level actions, and performance against KPIs.

Officers gave an overview of the report and detailed what had went well in Quarter 1, as well as aspects of performance had not been as good in some areas.

Members considered the report and asked Officers to relay the Committee’s thanks to all staff that had been working particularly hard during the Covid-19 pandemic.

RESOLVED:

To note the Corporate Performance Report for Quarter 1 2020-21 (April to June).

Members are asked to consider the report of the Chief Finance Officer which set out Financial Results and Budget Exceptions Reports for Quarter 1 to 30 June 2020.

Members are asked to consider the report of the Chief Finance Officer whichreviews the Council’s borrowing and investment activity (Treasury Management) for Quarter 1 (the period 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2020), which presents performance against the Prudential Indicators. 

The Committee received the report of the Chief Finance Officer for Quarter 1 of 2020-21, which asked Members to consider and comment on the information contained therein.

The report reviewed the Council’s borrowing and investment activity (Treasury Management) for the period 1April to 30 June 2020 (Q1) and presented performance against the Prudential Indicators. 

Members noted that on average the Council’s investments totalled £75.0m over the quarter at an average rate of 0.77% and earned interest of £143.9k (£103.9k allocated to the General Fund; £40k allocated to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) which was £22.7k above the year to date budget. Cash balances were expected to gradually reduce over the year, and interest rates were now at unprecedented low levels, so forecast returns could be in the region of £260k, a budget deficit of £225k. The Bank Rate of 0.10% was expected to remain in place for at least the next two years, and a Brexit trade deal was yet to be agreed. The position would be kept under review.

Officers explained that in addition to investments held in the pool, the Council had £4.69m invested in property funds at 30 June 2020. The funds achieved 3.59% revenue return and 2.91% capital loss. This resulted in revenue income of £41.7k to the end of Quarter 1 and an ‘unrealised’ capital loss of £136.6k. These funds were long term investments and changes in capital values were realised when the units in the funds were sold.

The Committee acknowledged that long-term borrowing totalled £52.833m at 30 June 2020, (£1.6m relating to the General Fund; £51.233m relating to the HRA). Repayment was made in May 2020 of £6.5m in HRA debt. Interest payments of £1.917m were forecasted for 2020/21, a saving of £0.871m against budget. This was due to HRA budgets allowing for borrowing to support housing delivery, which had not been required to date. The Council had no short term borrowing in place at 30 June 2020.

Lastly, Members noted that the Council’s affordable limits for borrowing were not breached during this period.

RESOLVED:

The Committee endorsed the actions of Officers on the Council’s treasury activities for Quarter 1 2020/21 and approved the report.

The Scrutiny Committee are asked to receive the report and the recommendations for agreement and subsequent referral to the Executive for its consideration and approval.

The Committee considered the report of the Operational Service Manager which asked Members to agree the recommendations for subsequent referral to the Executive for consideration and approval.

Officers explained that in March 2019 Selby District Council’s Scrutiny Committee had agreed to establish a Task and Finish Group, to work in partnership with the Tenant Scrutiny Committee, in order to facilitate a review of Council-owned Housing Centres. This review took place between November 2019 and February 2020, with the aim of making recommendations to the Council’s Executive as to the future management of the centres.

The recommendations of the Group were set out in the report and summarise by the Operational Service Manager.

The Committee considered the report and agreed that it had been useful to visit all of the Housing Centres in the district in order to inform the recommendations set out in the report. It was proposed and seconded that the report be referred to the Executive.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations set out in the report be referred the Executive for consideration and approval.

To consider and comment on the content of the Annual Review 2019-20, and note the information provided by Officers on the urgent decision taken during Covid-19 in May 2020 relating to the waiving of a portion of the management fees for the Leisure Services Contract.

The Committee received the report of the Head of Commissioning, Contracts and Procurement which asked Members to consider and comment on the content of the Annual Review 2019-20, and note the information provided by Officers on the urgent decision taken during Covid-19 in May 2020 relating to the waiving of a portion of the management fees for the Leisure Services Contract.

Members noted that the review covered the period April 2019 to March 2020 inclusive. Inspiring healthy lifestyles (IHL) worked in partnership with Selby District Council (SDC) to deliver leisure facilities across the Selby district. Services included leisure centre management at Selby Leisure Centre and Tadcaster Leisure Centre, Selby Park and the development of sport and health interventions and outreach work through the Wellbeing team. 2019/20 marked the fifth full year of the extended 15-year contract.

Officers explained that this was the third year in which the annual review had been reported to Scrutiny Committee, and that the report contained information and examples of a number of positive achievements by IHL in 2019-20.

Members asked if Officers were aware of any financial difficulties being experienced by IHL in light of the current Covid-19 pandemic. Officers advised that there was weekly dialogue between the Council and IHL on this matter, and that in response to the reduced income the management fee had been waived by the Council between April and June 2020. Officers explained that they were working with IHL to establish how the service would operate in the coming weeks and months.

RESOLVED:

The Committee considered and commented on the content of the Annual Review 2019-20, and noted the information provided by Officers on the urgent decision taken during Covid-19 in May 2020 relating to the waiving of a portion of the management fees for the Leisure Services Contract.

The Director for Corporate Services and Commissioning will be in attendance at the meeting to answer questions from the Committee. There is no report attached as this will be a discussion item.

The Chairman amended the order of business on the agenda to take the Local Government Reorganisation item next.

The Committee were informed by the Director of Corporate Services and Commissioning that since the discussions at full Council on 22 September 2020, there had been no further developments on the government’s proposed local government reorganisation.

The Committee agreed that an update should be given at a future Scrutiny Committee meeting when appropriate.

RESOLVED:

                        To note the update.

To note the content of the 2018-19 annual reports for the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children and North Yorkshire Safeguarding Adult’s Boards.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Community, Partnerships and Customers which asked Members to note the content of the annual reports for the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children and North Yorkshire Safeguarding Adult’s Boards.

Officers explained that consideration of the 2018-19 annual reports had been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Committee noted that the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Boards had a statutory duty to publish annual reports, accounting for the activities of the Board for the previous year. The reports covered 2018/19 activity and provided evidence of the key areas of focus for the current year.Both reports discussed the governance arrangements across North Yorkshire, the work of the sub-groups and outlined the activity and partnership working in the Selby District.

Members were informed that the reports highlighted the governance changes agreed in 2018, and the timeframe for which they would be enacted. The changes included the following:

·           Adults: New Multi-Agency Protocols (i.e. A reduction of the number of stages in the process, and shifting the focus to be person-centred, to ‘Make Safeguarding Personal’).

·           Children: Following the changes in legislation, the Board would be revised and replaced by an Executive function by September 2019, with the co-ordination of children’s safeguarding undertaken by all organisations that featured in the report. 

Members discussed the reports and agreed that further scrutiny on the topic in the future could be worthwhile, perhaps as a half or full ‘scrutiny in a day’ session.

RESOLVED:

The Committee noted the content of the annual reports for the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children and North Yorkshire Safeguarding Adult’s Boards.