Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Space, Block 1, Floor 2, County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF

Contact: Rebecca Greally 

Items
No. Item

1.

MEMBERSHIP

Minutes:

The Chairman noted that at the Council meeting on 3 November 2021, Councillor Ezhichelvan had been appointed to the Committee in place of Councillor Carr.  He welcomed Councillor Ezhichelvan to the Committee.  

 

RESOLVED that it was noted that Councillor P Ezhilchelvan had replaced Councillor D Carr on the Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 

 

2.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor M. Robinson. 

3.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 238 KB

Minutes of the meetings of the Corporate Services and Economic Growth OSC held on 11th October 2021, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman. 

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on?11 October 2021, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.? 

4.

DISCLOSURE OF MEMBERS' INTERESTS

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required to disclose any personal interest (which includes any disclosable pecuniary interest) they may have in any of the items included on the agenda for the meeting in accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council on 4 July 2012, and are reminded that if they have any personal interests of a prejudicial nature (as defined under paragraph 17 of the Code Conduct) they must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter. 

 

NB Any member needing clarification must contact the Monitoring Officer at monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk.  Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this Agenda letter. 

 

Minutes:

Councillor D Bawn disclosed an interest in item 6 as he was a director of an organisation that was listed as a potential beneficiary of the Northumberland Lottery.

5.

FORWARD PLAN OF CABINET DECISIONS pdf icon PDF 286 KB

To note the latest Forward Plan of key decisions.? Any further changes made to the Forward Plan will be reported to the Committee.? (Schedule enclosed as?Appendix A). 

Minutes:

The Forward Plan of forthcoming Key Cabinet decisions was reported to the Committee.  (Report enclosed with the signed minutes as Appendix A). 

 

RESOLVED that the Forward Plan of key decisions be noted  

 

6.

GREEN HOMES GRANT, LOCAL AUTHORITY DELIVERY PHASE 2 (LAD2) - GRANT FUNDING pdf icon PDF 330 KB

To seek authorisation for the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Round 2  of £2.2m grant funding – for both receipt and spend of capital funding, and  subsequent inclusion in the Council’s Capital Programme. (Report enclosed as Appendix D)

 

Councillor Glen Sanderson, Leader of the Council is required to attend for this item. 

 

Minutes:

Glen Sanderson, Leader of the Council?presented this?report to the Committee supported by Mark Roberts, Senior Climate Change and Sustainability Manager.? 

?  

The Committee welcomed the report?and were assured that the funding would be prioritised to the most deprived wards and?in areas?where take up was?more densely requested. Communications had been done to publicise the funding and?Councillors of those wards had been briefed on how to access the grant. 

 

It was anticipated that the grant would help around 200 homes and the maximum funding for each household was to be £10,000. 

RESOLVED?that Cabinet?be advised that the Committee supported the recommendations in the report, subject to consideration?of the issues raised above.? 

 

7.

CORPORATE PLAN REFRESH 2021-24 pdf icon PDF 191 KB

The report presents the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2021-2024. The Plan for 2021-24 builds on the progress form the previous Corporate Plan and presents a refreshed vision, aims and priorities. This refresh takes account of the changing social and economic context as a result of the Covid Pandemic and the Council’s priorities for leading recovery across the County in the coming months and years. The priorities in the Corporate Plan will be delivered through the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan, Service Planning and Performance Frameworks. (Report enclosed as Appendix E)

 

Councillor Glen Sanderson, Leader of the Council is required to attend for this item. 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Glen Sanderson,?Leader of the Council?presented this?report to the Committee supported by?Phil Hunter, Senior Service Director.?The Corporate Plan Refresh was to renew the plan and pick out areas where further progress was needed. There were two key visions within the Corporate Plan; supporting industry and supporting people.  

The Committee welcomed this report and thanked Phil Hunter and his staff for their efforts in putting the Plan together.? Members agreed that helping the most vulnerable residents in the county and local community initiatives in that area should be among the Council’s priorities.? 

RESOLVED?the Committee agreed to advise the Cabinet?that it supported the recommendations in the report, subject to consideration?of the issues raised above.

 

8.

BUDGET 2022/23 AND MEDIUM TERM FINANCIAL PLAN 22/26 pdf icon PDF 441 KB

This report provides an update on?the development of the 2022-23?Budget and the  Medium-Term Financial Plan?(MTFP)?covering the period 2022?to 2026. This  report?also?details budget proposals for 2022-23?to meet the budget gap, as a basis  for budget consultation, prior to the receipt of the Local Government Finance  Settlement 2022-23?in December 2021.  (Report enclosed as Appendix B)

 

Councillor Richard Wearmouth, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services is required to attend for this item

 

Minutes:

Richard Wearmouth, Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Deputy?Leader of the Council?presented this?report to the Committee supported by?Jan Willis, Interim?Executive Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer.? 

Following the presentation, the Committee sought clarification on the following issues:? 

  • Members were assured that uncertainties regarding inflation increases would not have an impact on short term budgetary planning, however it was unclear what the effect would be in the longer term if inflation figures continued to increase;? 

  • with regard to Local Services,?members were advised about income proposals in respect of car parking charges in tourist areas (not Town centres); charges for bulky and garden waste, and income from excess energy generated from waste sites.? In response to a question about gully cleaning and neighbourhood services as a whole, the Leader confirmed that there were no plans to make staff cuts in those areas.? 

  • there was concern regarding the impact on rising fuel costs on Council establishments, particularly schools.? Members were advised that there was an in-year contingency fund available to absorb such rises in the short term;? 

 

  • it was also highlighted that the Council were aiming to de-risk themselves further from fuel by becoming a net zero Council in the future. 

  • the cost impact of the transfer of NHS staff to the Council was not yet known, although it was expected that details would be included in the final budget proposals;? 

  • the Deputy Leader referred to the construction of the British Volt facility at East?Sleekburn?and expressed his optimism regarding the positive economic impact on the county particularly in respect of job creation;? 

 

  • predicting business rates was difficult as discount and relief schemes were often announced at short notice. The Council would take a prudent approach to business growth to combat this.  

RESOLVED?that Cabinet?be advised that the Committee supported the recommendations in the report, subject to consideration?of the issues raised above.? 

 

9.

NORTHUMBERLAND LOTTERY pdf icon PDF 220 KB

This report provides the annual update on the performance of the Northumberland Lottery which was launched on 25 April 2020 following approval by Cabinet on 6 August 2019. The lottery is open to members of the public and supports local community groups. (Report enclosed as Appendix C)

 

Councillor Richard Wearmouth, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services is required to attend for this item. 

 

Minutes:

Richard Wearmouth, Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Deputy?Leader of the Council?presented this?report to the Committee supported by?Jan Willis, Interim?Executive Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer and Pam?Hindhaugh, Acting Head of Procurement.? 

The Committee acknowledged that gambling could be a problem for some individuals but were content that the necessary mitigation measures had been put in place.? 

 

It was confirmed that there were criteria that organisations needed to meet to be eligible to access lottery grants and the Council had a number of policies in place to ensure applications were appropriately considered.  

 

The administration fee was considered acceptable however Officers could review the fee if it was felt necessary.  

RESOLVED that the Cabinet?be advised that the Committee supported the recommendations in the report, subject to consideration?of the issues raised above.? 

 

10.

WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 547 KB

The Committee is asked to review and note the Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme and Monitoring Report for the 2021/22 council year.  (Report enclosed as Appendix F). 

Minutes:

The Committee received an update on its Work Programme for the 2021/22 council year. 

 

RESOLVED that this information was noted.