Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor W Nichols; Councillor R Packham was in attendance as a substitute for Councillor Nichols.

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 meetings of the Scrutiny Committee held on 4 February and 13 February 2020.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meetings held on 4 and 13 February 2020.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee meetings held on 4 and 13 February 2020 for signing by the Chair.

There was no Chair’s address to the Committee.

Members are asked to consider the reports of the Chief Finance Officer which set out Financial Results and Budget Exceptions Reports for Quarters 3 and 4 respectively (Quarter 3 to 31 December 2019 and Quarter 4 to 31 March 2020).

Members are asked to consider the reports of the Chief Finance Officer whichreviews the Council’s borrowing and investment activity (Treasury Management) for the periods 1April to 31 December 2019 (Quarter 3) and 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 (Quarter 4), which present performance against the Prudential Indicators. 

The Committee received the reports of the Chief Finance Officer for Quarters 3 and 4 of 2019-29, which asked Members to consider and comment on the information contained therein, to comply with the Treasury Management Code of Practice.

Members noted that the reports reviewed the Council’s borrowing and investment activity (Treasury Management) for the periods 1April 2019 to 31 December 2019 (Quarter 3) and 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 (Quarter 4) and presented performance against the Prudential Indicators.

Quarter 3

Officers explained that on average the Council’s investments totalled £63.9m over the first 3 quarters at an average rate of 0.92%, and had earned interest of £441k (£304k allocated to the General Fund; £137k allocated to the HRA) which was £114k above the year to date budget. Whilst cash balances were expected to reduce over the year, should interest rates remain static, forecast returns could be in the region of £572k, a budget surplus of £137k. However, a no-deal Brexit could lead to a cut in the Bank Rate and therefore the position would be kept under review.

The Committee were informed that in addition to investments held in the NYCC investment pool, the Council had £4.83m invested in property funds as at 31 December 2019, with a net rate of return of 2.42% (3.95% revenue return and 1.53% capital loss), and achieved revenue income of £146.2k to the end of Quarter 3 and a capital loss of £75.2k.

Officers also explained that long-term borrowing had totalled £59.3m at 31 December 2019, (£1.6m relating to the General Fund; £57.7m relating to the HRA). Interest payments of £2.5m were forecast for 2019/20, which was a saving of £0.3m against budget. The Council had no short term borrowing in place as of 31 December 2019. The Council’s affordable limits for borrowing were not breached during this period.

Quarter 4/Annual Review 2019-20

The Committee noted that the Council’s investments held in the NYCC investment pool totalled £66.04m over the year at an average rate of 0.91% and earned interest of £601k (£415k allocated to the General Fund; £186k allocated to the HRA) which was £166k above the total annual budget.  This exceeded estimates at Quarter 3, which remained prudent in the event that Brexit would result in a sharp decline in rates. For the General Fund £65k interest earned above a £350k threshold would be transferred to the contingency reserve.

Members were informed that in addition to investments held in the pool, the Council had £4.69m invested in property funds as at 31 March 2020. The funds achieved 3.46% revenue return and 4.54% capital loss. This resulted in revenue income of £168.9k to the end of Quarter 4 and an ‘unrealised’ capital loss of £222.8k. These funds were long term investments and changes in capital values were realised when the units in the funds were sold.

Officers gave details of the long-term borrowing that totalled £59.3m at 31 March 2020, (£1.6m relating to the General Fund; £57.7m relating to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

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. The report before the Committee also included a year-end summary of progress on delivery of the Council’s Corporate Plan 2015-2020 as measured by year-end performance against KPIs in 2019/20 compared with year end data for KPIs in 2018/19.

Officers gave an overview of the report and detailed what had went well in Quarter 4; emergency response and support to residents and businesses during flooding in February and Covid-19 (which remained a live incident), Council housing rent and arrears collection, sundry debt collection, the average wait time in minutes before a customer phone call was answered by an advisor, access of benefits forms and taxation direct debit forms online and the average days to re-let standard voids.

However, the Committee also noted that performance had not been as good in some areas; average days sick per full time employee, number of affordable homes provided in the district, missed waste collections, number of SMEs supported, corporate complaints, visits to leisure centres and amount of planned savings achieved.

Members asked Officers to provide some further information on the costs of not re-letting void properties and on the provision of affordable homes, particularly what was causing the difference between the targets and the number of actual homes delivered.

RESOLVED:

i.             To note the Corporate Performance Report for Quarter 4 2019-20 (January to March)/Year End 2019-20.

ii.           To ask Officers to provide further information on the costs of not re-letting void properties and on the provision of affordable homes, particularly what was causing the difference between the targets and the number of actual homes delivered.

Members are asked to consider the Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2019-20 and to make any comments or suggestions as to how the format of the Committee’s Annual Report could be improved for future years.

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report which asked the Committee to approve the Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2019-20 and make any comments or suggestions as to how the format of the Committee’s Annual Report could be improved for future years.

Members noted that the Scrutiny Committee was required, under Article 6 of the Constitution, to prepare an annual report reviewing its work during the previous municipal year.

The Committee confirmed that they were happy with the contents of the Annual Report 2019-20 as set out in the agenda.

RESOLVED:

To approve the Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2019-20.

To consider the Committee’s work programme.

The Chair asked the Committee to consider and comment on their Work Programme for 2020-21.

RESOLVED:

To note the Work Programme for 2020-21 as circulated.