Agenda item

The Scrutiny Committee considered the reports contained in the District Executive Agenda for the 3 November 2016 and made the following comments:

South Somerset Community Infrastructure Levy Report (Agenda item 6)

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic planning introduced the report, the Principal Spatial Planner went on to give an overview of the process going forward, and during discussions the following points were made:

·      The Committee supported the suggestion that a recommendation be added asking Full Council to accept a CIL Implementation date of 3^rd April 2017.

·      Members sought assurances that the implementation date of 3^rd April 2017 is achievable bearing in mind the potential impact of the Transformation programme, given that the successful implementation of CIL will rely on several different service areas – each being ‘transformed’ at different times, combined with the need to procure a new IT system?

·      CIL and Section 106 payments may need to be paid on a site, Section 106 would only be paid for very site specific issues such as landscaping, street lighting and accessibility.

·      The Regulation 123 list is produced with member involvement, if something is on the Regulation 123 list you cannot then ask for a Section 106 contribution for this.

·      There is no back on CIL, it is non-negotiable.

·      Member’s clarified self-builders are still exempt from CIL.

·      The Committee were pleased to note that due regard had been paid, and would continue to be given to the Equalities throughout this process.

Members thanked the Planning Policy Team for all their hard work in bringing the scheme forward.

2016/17 Revenue Budget Monitoring Report for the period ending 30^th September 2016 (Agenda item 7)

·      Members sought clarification about how and where vacant posts are accounted for. Members were unclear whether vacant posts agreed in years 2015/16 and 2016/17 would be claimed as Revenue Budget savings or would be attributed to Transformation? Members stressed the importance of avoiding double counting and that greater clarity is needed in the future – this is a high profile, high cost project. The Committee were informed by the Transformation Programme & Performance Manager that he had prepared a short note explaining this point, members requested that this is distributed to all members to help explain this complex issue.

·      The delay in delivering the ANPR project and the resulting shortfall in anticipated savings was noted – members asked for further details about the delay.

·      Members queried the statement that EDM savings from within Housing would now be incorporated into Transformation and delivered in a different way.  The Finance Manager explained that the original budget was £100K, £75k had been transferred to the Transformation budget but £25K had been assigned as a saving in 16/17 and was agreed at Management Board in July.

·      On page 3 of the Appendix under Procurement and Risk, members queried why an £8k underspend had been allocated to be transferred to the Transformation budget?

2016/17 Capital budget monitoring report for the period ending 30^th September 2016 (Agenda item 8)

·      Members sought clarification on the role and purpose of the Affordable Housing – Mortgage Rescue Contingency Fund and the Affordable Housing – Bought not Built Allocation – is it a statutory requirement to have these funds, have we assessed the need to maintain current levels given the statement that they are ‘unlikely to be spent this financial year..’

·      Members questioned the MTIG Reserve and why so much of it remains unspent. The Committee were grateful to the Portfolio Holder for expanding on the comments within the report, and noted that a new raft of Community Plans are currently in production and new projects will emerge in due course.

Final Recommendation of the Community Governance Review of Yeovilton Parish Council (Agenda item 9)

Members noted the report and made no comments.

Draft Proposals of the Community Governance Review of Brympton Parish Council (Agenda item 10)

Members noted the report and made no comments.

District Executive Forward Plan (Agenda item 11)

Scrutiny Committee made no comments regarding the forward plan but requested the Strategic Director (Operations and Customer Focus) attend the next Scrutiny committee meeting to answer any questions with regard to the District Executive report about the Somerset Waste Partnership – Recycle more project.