Agenda item

Members considered the reports within the District Executive agenda for 6 July 2017 and made the following comments:

Westlands Leisure Complex (Agenda item 6)

·      Members requested clarification as to who would be the point of contact in the future for updates on the Westlands Leisure Complex.

·      Scrutiny noted that the overspend is not quantified and queried if there was an adequate project contingency to cover the amount. An indication of the overspend figure as a percentage would be useful to context.

·      Members were concerned that the overspend may have an impact on other projects across the district or even prevent them.

·      Some members were concerned by the list of items causing the overspend (para 15) as it was felt most should have been predicted/anticipated or included within the contingency.

·      Scrutiny felt the ‘requirement creeps’ should have been better managed. Several members noted that in the early stages members had been assured that costings had been based on worst case scenarios and professional advice had been sought. Members wished to make it clear they were not critical of the project outcome but had concerns about the management of the project and felt lessons should be learnt.

SSDC Corporate Peer Challenge and Review (Agenda item 7)

·      Scrutiny agreed that the activity had been worthwhile and comments of the Peer team were encouraging.

·      It was queried if the costs associated with the resourcing and recruitment referred to in the Action Plan were already reflected in future financial planning?

·      Members sought reassurance that timeframes for completion of actions in the Action Plan were on target, and if there was any option to bring forward the review of capacity in Economic Development (bottom of page 36).

·      Scrutiny asked if there was a need for a Task and Finish Group to look at car parking charges.

·      Members were content that the recommendations go forward.

SSDC Transformation Programme – Progress Report (Agenda item 8)

·      Members commented that it was good to see a brief, rather than a lengthy report. Clarification was sought about the purpose of the appendix.  Members requested that future reports include detailed monitoring of timescales and savings against the table and programme milestones. Another line at the bottom of the table was requested to clearly show the current position in comparison to targets.

·      Scrutiny requested reassurance that any slippage could be picked up.

·      Members noted the comments made by the Performance Manager including that:

o  The programme is based on a baseline as at June 2016.

o  A detailed assessment of the skills and knowledge required to deliver Council services and identifying areas where these could be lost was conducted as part of the transformation process to prevent and minimise risk to service delivery.

Affordable Housing Development Programme (Agenda item 9)

·      Members noted the updates to the report provided by the Corporate Strategic Housing Manager at the Scrutiny meeting, including progress with regard to rural proofing as recommended in the Scrutiny Disposal of properties Task and Finish Review.

·      With reference to recommendation (e) Scrutiny noted the costs for the cookers and raised concern if it may set a precedence for other schemes. It was also queried if there was a policy or minimum specification of what should be provided or expected in properties for which SSDC provides financial assistance.

2016/17 Capital Budget Outturn Report (Agenda item 10)

·      Members noted updates to the report provided by the Finance Manager.

·      Page 80 – it was queried in the funding allocated for bus shelters would be returned to balances?

2016/17 Revenue Budget Outturn Report (Agenda item 11)

·      Members noted updates to the report provided by the Finance Manager.

·      Page 91 – table in para 6 – Scrutiny asked for a little more detail regarding the adverse variance for Development Control.

·      Page 103 – Fraud and Data – some members were concerned about the comment and asked what was being done to address the resourcing issue.

Prevention Charter for Somerset (Agenda item 12)

·      Scrutiny queried who would be responsible for raising awareness of the Charter across SSDC?

CONFIDENTIAL – Exclusion of the Press and Public

In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the Committee resolved that the press and public be excluded from the following items in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, i.e. “Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Property Investment Acquisition for Income Generation (Confidential) (Agenda item 16)

Members made a number of comments in confidential session.