Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors A. Wallace and R. Wearmouth.

Minutes of the meetings of the Corporate Services and Economic Growth OSC held on 12^thDecember 2022, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 10 October 2022, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman. 

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required where a matter arises at a meeting;

1. Which directly relates to Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (‘DPI’) as set out in Appendix B, Table 1 of the Code of Conduct, to disclose the interest, not participate in any discussion or vote and not to remain in room. Where members have a DPI or if the matter concerns an executive function and is being considered by a Cabinet Member with a DPI they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with the matter. 

2. Which directly relates to the financial interest or well being of a Other Registrable Interest as set out in Appendix B, Table 2 of the Code of Conduct to disclose the interest and only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak at the meeting but otherwise must not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain the room.

3. Which directly relates to their financial interest or well-being (and is not DPI) or the financial well being of a relative or close associate, to declare the interest and members may only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak. Otherwise, the member must not take part in discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room.

4. Which affects the financial well-being of the member, a relative or close associate or a body included under the Other Registrable Interests column in Table 2, to disclose the interest and apply the test set out at paragraph 9 of Appendix B before deciding whether they may remain in the meeting.

5. Where Members have or a Cabinet Member has an Other Registerable Interest or Non Registerable Interest in a matter being considered in exercise of their executive function, they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with it.

NB Any member needing clarification must contact monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk. Members are referred to the Code of Conduct which contains the matters above in full. Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter.

Councillor M. Murphy declared she was on the board for Advance therefore she would not comment on item 9.

To note the latest Forward Plan of key decisions.? Any further changes made to the Forward Plan will be reported to the Committee.? 

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.

1.    To present to Cabinet the Strategic Business Case which sets out opportunities for service improvement, the proposed programme of work and potential financial benefit. 

2.     To present the objectives of service transformation set out in the Business Case, the timescales, and anticipated benefits (financial and non-financial) 

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

Councillor Glen Sanderson, Leader of the Council, introduced the report to Committee. Local Government was facing an unprecedented series of challenges over a sustained period. Against a background of severe financial constraint, customer demands were increasing and advances in technology had led customers to expect that their local Council would interact with them in very different ways. In addition, the Council faced increasing pressure on services from an ageing population.   

The strategic change programme had set out to redesign the way the Council delivered local public services within the context of the ongoing challenges. The Council could no longer afford to do all the things it had done in the way it currently did them. The aim of the programme was to transform public services so that they were delivered in a more cost-effective and sustainable way. This included how services were delivered to customers, the way the Council was run, and how the Council utilised resources, technology, assets, and people.  

This business case set out a package of step changes that would deliver significant financial savings, whilst making the Council more modern, efficient, and fit for purpose.  This was not about cutting services, but about transforming the way services were delivered and how the Council operated to achieve the best outcomes for customers and residents.    

The business case had set defined seven workstreams as follows:  

·  Best Services to Customers  

·  Best Value for Money  

·  Best in Class Commissioning  

·  Best Use of Resources  

·  Best use of Assets  

·  Best Use of Technology  

·  Best Talent and Opportunities  

The Programme and the business case would support the Council to deliver its three priorities of economic growth, addressing inequalities, and value for money.   If the business case was approved, a further report would be brought to Cabinet outlining the authority’s approach to the management of change and the proposed governance arrangements for the programme.  

Jan Willis, Executive Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer and Kelly Gardner, Senior Service Director: Improvement and Innovation Service were in attendance to assist with queries from members. The following comments were made in response to members questions:- 

• the Programme was not just about saving money, but also about improving services whilst providing value for money;? 
• engagement was key to the success of the initiative through consultations with the public, elected members and staff, and in particular, front-line staff who actually deliver services and can best identify what the Council is doing right and where it can be better, and? 
• the Council would continually look to how it could be more innovative in dealing with problem issues and how data could be used to best effect to inform that process.? 
• Members were assured appropriate consideration had been taken towards the plan. The need for change was identified over 12 months ago and careful and measured approach had been taken. The work was a programme and would therefore be phased.   
• Outside partners were involved in the process to bring specialism within the team and to add additional capacity. Transformation programmes had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

The Committee is asked to review and note the Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme for the 2022/23 council year.

The Committee received an update on its Work Programme for the 2022/23 council year.   

? 

RESOLVED that this information was noted.

The Committee is invited to consider passing the following resolution:

(a)    That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the Agenda as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the 1972 Act, and

(b)    That the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure for the following reasons:-

Agenda Items          Paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A

9                     3 - Contains information relating to business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)  

AND               The public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure because disclosure could adversely affect the business reputation or confidence in the person/ organisation and could adversely affect commercial revenue.

RESOLVED that?? 

?? 

(a)      under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the?following item on the?Agenda?as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the 1972 Act, and? 

????? 

(b)      the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure for the following?reasons:-?? 

The purpose of the report is to ensure that the Cabinet is informed of the current financial position of its trading companies and of any relevant issues arising.

Councillor Seymour, Deputy Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services, introduced the report to Committee. Jan Willis, Executive Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer was in attendance to assist with queries from members. The following comments were made in response to member queries:- 

• The holding company had been made dormant rather that dissolved as there was still a potential need for a company in the future therefore, it was more beneficial to retain the company then start a new company. 
• As the company was dormant there was no activity or costs recorded.  
• Members acknowledged that the there had been an improvement in the commercial position at Manor Walks since the pandemic. 

RESOLVED that this information was noted.