Agenda and minutes

Finance & Performance Scrutiny - Monday, 7 November 2022 6.30 pm

Venue: De Montfort Suite, Hinckley Hub. View directions

Contact: Rebecca Valentine-Wilkinson, Democratic Services Officer, tel 01455 255834 

Items
No. Item

190.

Apologies and substitutions

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors, Hollick, Sheppard-Bools and Webber-Jones.

191.

Minutes of previous meeting pdf icon PDF 116 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2022.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor P Williams, seconded by Councillor Morrell and

 

                        RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 25 July be

                        confirmed and signed by the chairman.

192.

Declarations of interest

To receive verbally from members any disclosures which they are required to make in accordance with the Council’s code of conduct or in pursuance of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. This is in addition to the need for such disclosure to be also given when the relevant matter is reached on the agenda.

Minutes:

No additional interests were declared at this meeting.

193.

Planning Frontline Service review pdf icon PDF 436 KB

To update members on the performance of the planning service

Minutes:

Members were provided with an update on the performance of the planning service which had gone through a restructure and moved over to the Community Services Department. The report included the work areas development management, planning enforcement, regeneration/economic development, conservation/heritage and planning policy and the key activities carried out by the service and how they were performing against defined indicators and the current budget position. 

 

Councillor Collett joined the meeting at 18.35.

 

A question was asked regarding the speed of determining planning applications and how close the team were to government intervention.  It was confirmed that the speed measure was monitored on a quarterly basis for a rolling two year period from October 2020 to September 2022 so this period had now ended.

 

Members thanked the officers that were in post for their hard work as although performance dropped from January 2021 and continued to drop until March of this year, the indicators now appeared to be moving in the right direction.

 

After a question from members regarding the rising legal costs and the overspend indicated in the report, it was confirmed that the vast majority of the overspend was appeals costs and the number of public enquiries that incurred significant legal costs.

 

Members thanked the team for a comprehensive report.

 

Members noted the report.

194.

Financial Outturn Quarter 1 June 2022 pdf icon PDF 410 KB

To present to members the financial outturn position as at June 2022

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members were updated on the financial outturn position as at June 2022.

 

It was highlighted that the financial reports attached to this report were based on the original budget taken to Council in February 2022 and had taken into account the budget movements for the first three months.

 

Members noted the unprecedented pressures on the budget and the significant rise in utility costs.

 

Members noted the report.

195.

Treasury Management Quarter 2 - 2022-23 pdf icon PDF 407 KB

To inform members of the Council’s treasury management activity in the second quarter of 2022/23.

Minutes:

Council approved the Treasury Management policy at its meeting on 22 February 2022 and delegated the execution of the policy to this committee.

 

Members were therefore updated on the treasury management activity in the second quarter of 2022/23 to show that activity was in line with the limits set out in the policy.

 

Members noted the report.

196.

Sundry Debts Quarter 2 - 2022-2023 pdf icon PDF 561 KB

To inform members of the position on sundry debts as at 30 September 2022

Minutes:

Members were informed of the position on sundry debts as at 30 September 2022.

 

Members noted the current aged debt position for sundry debts and that a report would follow at the next meeting on the action being taken on recovery of estates debt.

 

Members noted the report.

197.

Finance & Performance Scrutiny Work Programme pdf icon PDF 141 KB

To update members on the work programme

Minutes:

Members noted the work programme and all items listed for December 2022 would now be reported to the next meeting being held on 16 January 2023.