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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED – That the work programme as attached at Appendix 2 to the report COGC/46/25 be agreed, subject to the aforementioned changes.
AGREED - That the Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee was satisfied with the monitoring arrangements for the 2024/25 financial year and the actions taken to address variations from the budgeted position.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Bryan Apsley, William Baldwin, Tina Mannering and Paul Pemberton. Apologies were also submitted on behalf of Councillor Mark Pritchard, Lead Member Finance and Performance.
AGREED – To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 15 May 2025.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – That the work programme as attached at Appendix 2 to the report COGC/46/25 be agreed, subject to the aforementioned changes.
The Chief Officer Governance and Customer submitted a report COGC/46/25 which allowed Members to consider the work programme of the Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee attached at Appendix 2. The Scrutiny Facilitator referred the Committee to the changes that had been made to the work programme since the last meeting. The following proposals were put forward and subsequently agreed: · Workforce Monitoring Report – to be rescheduled for the July 2025 meeting. · ICT & Digital Strategy – to be deferred from July 2025 to a future meeting to accommodate the Workforce Monitoring Report · Workforce Monitoring – Data sharing workshop – to be held in July 2025. · Scrutiny Topic Selection Form (attached at appendix 1 to the report) – ‘Grow our own’ trainee scheme– to be included as part of the interim six monthly Workforce Monitoring Report scheduled for December 2025. · Hybrid Working Policy - Members of the Committee expressed their disappointment with the response of the Executive Board to the recommendation from the Committee for the Executive Board to reconsider the decision regarding the Council’s Hybrid Working Policy. It was agreed that the Chair of the Committee write to the Leader and the Lead Member for Corporate and Customer Services in this respect. AGREED – That the work programme as attached at Appendix 2 to the report COGC/46/25 be agreed, subject to the aforementioned changes.
Decision as recorded
AGREED - That the Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee was satisfied with the monitoring arrangements for the 2024/25 financial year and the actions taken to address variations from the budgeted position.
The Lead Member for Finance and Performance submitted a report COFI/03/25 which presented Members with the final revenue outturn position for 2024/25. The Chief Officer Finance and ICT presented apologies on behalf of the Lead Member for Finance and Performance and presented the report on his behalf. He responded to a number of questions thereafter. During the ensuing debate a number of issues were noted, including: · Acknowledgment that the final outturn had been consistent with forecasts. · The overall outcome had been positive, particularly when looking at the number of financial risks that were identified when the budget was set. · The need to examine some of the terminology used in the outturn reports, particularly in relation to budget pressures. It was suggested that some of these pressures were overspends. · The Chief Officer advised that budget pressures often reflected the areas that were most largely impacted by demand, such as school transport and social care etc and as this is reason for the vast majority of variances, ‘pressure’ was the most appropriate and consistent term · The Local Authority worked closely with schools, using a detailed framework to manage their budget position. The challenge of working within a balanced budget was recognised given the current financial climate. · Recognition that forecasts were projecting using a range of different assumptions. The framework for these forecasts had been strengthened with more detailed information at service level. · A primary reason for the positive movement at year-end was due to grant funding, and this had been recognised in earlier forecasts. · Officers advised that the revenue outturn reported within the corporate line included an additional in-year pay and pressures grant funding received from Welsh Government . · The Chief Officer gave a breakdown of the additional school transport pressures which included ALN provision and variations to contracts and emergency arrangements. · Residential and domiciliary care costs were attributed to relevant service lines reported across social care. However, the Disability service line also includes external supported living which, based on current service demand, has resulted in a budget pressure. A further written breakdown will be provided · Impacts affecting the workforce were being carefully monitored by line managers who have a range of HR processes available to them to assess and support the needs of the workforce. AGREED - That the Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee was satisfied with the monitoring arrangements for the 2024/25 financial year and the actions taken to address variations from the budgeted position.
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