To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

Councillor JP Blundell and Cllr R Shaw declared a personal interest in Agenda item 4.

To receive for approval the minutes of 18/06/2018.

RESOLVED:                That the Minutes of a meeting of the 18 June 2018, be approved as a true and accurate record.

The Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer submitted a report in order to present Committee with:-

a)            the items due to be considered at the Committee’s next meeting to be held on 26 September 2018 and seek confirmation of the information required for the subsequent scheduled meeting to be held on 6 November 2018;

b)            a list of responses to comments, recommendations and requests for additional information from the previous meeting of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

c)            a list of potential Forward Work Programme items for formal prioritisation and allocation to each of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

Attached to the report at Appendix A, was feedback from the last meeting of the Committee, whilst Appendix B detailed the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme outlining the agenda for the next two meetings.

The Scrutiny Officer then referred to Appendix C to the report which contained the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committees (SOSC’s) FWP, which included the topics prioritised and agreed by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the next set of SOSC’s in Table 1, as well as a list of proposed future topics at Table 2.

Following debate that ensued on the content of the report, the Committee confirmed the following items for Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme:

26 September 2018                Digital Transformation

6 November 2018                   Procurement and Contracts

Members asked that the report detail:

·         Information on homecare and employment contracts

·         An update on the consideration to implement the Code of Practice - Ethical Employment in Supply Chains

·         Information on how the Council ensures fair employment practices within supplychains

·         An update on the outcomes of the Procurement business review

·         What the Council do to promote ethical procurement -  to possibly include a copy of BCBC’s Procurement strategy

The Committee confirmed the following items for the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme:

5 September 2018                  SOSC1                       Home to School Transport

6 September 2018                  SOSC 2                      Advocacy

17 September 2018                SOSC 3                      Waste Services

16 October 2018                     SOSC 1                      ALN Reform

18 October 2018                     SOSC 2                      TBC

22 October 2018                     SOSC3                       Revised CAT Process

RESOLVED:                    That the report be noted subject to the above proposals being implemented.

Invitees

Councillor HJ David - Leader

Councillor HM Williams - Deputy Leader

Darren Mepham, Chief Executive

Gill Lewis, Interim Head of Finance

Cllr Andrew Morgan, Chair of Cardiff Capital Region City Deal

The Chief Executive submitted a report outlining aspects of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, specifically with regard to information on the following:-

·         An overview of the City Deal & what will Bridgend gain from it ?

·         What is Bridgend getting from the City Deal ? (what are we getting as the percentage of financial input ?)

·         Is there a business plan that members can see ?

·         What projects have been identified so far ?

He then gave an introduction to the report, following which Members and Invitees went into a question and answer session.

A Member referred to paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6 of the report, and noted that there were a lot of different components comprising the project, which included possibly 10 different visions (from the different organisations involved in the scheme) led on by 10 different Chief Executives. He wondered due to this, if there would be a loss of vision on key initiatives moving forward.

The Leader advised that there was only one vision with regard to the aspirations of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal (CCRCD), ie that which was contained in the Business Plan supporting the scheme. This vision had been supported unanimously by the authorities involved in the City Deal, which was a long term project covering 20 years, that had been signed by all 10 participating organisations with the UK and Welsh Governments. The City Deal was financially supported by £375m, and would deliver employment, regeneration opportunities and improved transport links throughout the region covered by the project.

A Member enquired how much in the way of costs, ie of an administration and commissioning etc, had been incurred with regard to supporting the City Deal.

The Chief Executive advised, that certain support requirements put in place regarding the above were mandatory and these largely related to governance issues, for example the scheme would be subject to being scrutinised through one source, as opposed to each participating Authority scrutinising separately by way of 10 different methods. A Project team had also been put in place to support the CCRCD he added. Compared with other City Deals in operation throughout the UK support mechanisms such as the Project team were ‘lean’ the Chief Executive further added. The CCRCD also needed to be audited which came at a further extra cost he explained. He advised the Member that he could give an approximate cost of the total for the likes of the above, outside of the meeting.

The Chair of the CCRCD added that the cost for the above and certain other mandatory elements of the City Deal amounted to a centralised cost of £1m between each of the participating authorities.

A Member asked, of the £1m cost in terms of the support and monitoring of the CCRCD, did this include the cost of the project being audited, to which the Leader replied that it did.

A Member asked if the CCRCD was being supported by private sector or public sector employees/staff.

The Chair of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

Invitees

All Members of Cabinet and the Corporate Management Board

The Interim Head of Finance submitted a report, the purpose of which, was to provide the Committee with an update on the Council’s financial performance for the year ended 31 March 2018.

The Chief Executive referred Members to the Council’s net revenue budget and final outturn for 2017-18 as was detailed in Table 1 in the report, which reflected the comparison of budget against actual outturn as at the above date.

The report then included in paragraph 4.1.6 at Table 2, certain virements and technical adjustments processed during Quarter 4.

The next section of the report then expanded upon the monitoring of Budget Reduction Proposals, giving an explanatory note with regard to budget reductions for 2017-18 and a comparison of the same, for the previous period of 2016-17.

Paragraph 4.2.4 of the report then identified the most significant  budget reduction proposals that hadn’t been achieved as part of the RAG status, ie red, amber, green.

Appendix 2 to the report identified the actual amount of savings against the above mentioned proposals, and action to be taken by the appropriate Directorates to mitigate shortfalls going forward. The savings identified not met in full, would continue to be monitored during 2018-19. The Social Services and Wellbeing Directorate had developed a Future Service Delivery Plan presented to Committee previously, and this outlined the Directorate’s response to the financial challenge facing it, not least setting out the planned actions to be undertaken in order to make the required MTFS savings and maximise income opportunities by March 2019. This would be monitored continuously throughout 2081-19.

The next section of the report then gave a commentary on the financial position for each main service area comprising the different Directorates of the Council, whilst Appendix 3 to the report expanded upon this, as well as both commenting on the most significant variances.

The report then referred to the Capital Programme Outturn for 2017-18, with it advising that the original budget approved by Council on 1 March 2017, had been further revised and approved by Council during the year to incorporate budgets brought forward from 2016-17, together with any new schemes and grant approvals. This information also included details of schemes where slippage is required, and the reasons for such slippage.

Table 6 in the report, gave details regarding Movement on Earmarked Reserves to 31 March 2018, whilst Table 7 following this, outlined Net Appropriations to/from Earmarked Reserves during Quarter 4. A full breakdown of the total movement on earmarked reserves for the period stated was provided at Appendix 5 to the report.

Members asked a number of questions of the Invitees, following which they left the meeting. These questions related to Home to School Transport, and concerns in respect of this regarding a review of Safe Routes to Schools. Members also asked questions in relation to a Volunteer Driver Service being provided.

In respect of the Social Services and Wellbeing Directorate, Members sought reassurance that the Directorates projected overspend would in time be met, notwithstanding the fact  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.

The Chief Executive submitted a report, that provided the Committee with an overview of the Council’s performance in 2017-18, against its 2017-18 commitments to delivering the improvement priorities identified through its Corporate Plan 2016-20, as reviewed for 2017-18.

The report outlined certain background information, following which it then covered the following work areas:-

• Commitments;
• Corporate Performance Indicators
• Corporate Plan Indicators
• National Performance Indicators
• SSWB Performance Measurement Framework Indicators
• Budget
• Budget Reductions

RESOLVED:                  (1) That the Committee noted the year end performance for 2017-18 against the Corporate Plan.

                                       (2)  That Members recommended that only the performance indicators that have not been met, be presented in future such reports.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None.