Agenda and minutes

Councillor Shori declared a personal interest that his partner is an employee of Bury Council.

A period of thirty minutes was allocated for any members of the public present at the meeting to ask questions about the work or performance of the Council or Council services.  

No questions were asked.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2016.

Delegated decision:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2016 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

The Cabinet Member (Children and Families) submitted a report presenting an action plan following the Ofsted inspection of Bury Council’s Children’s Services relating to children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers and a review of the Local Safeguarding Board. The inspection took place between 22 February and 17 March 2016 and determined that children and young people in Bury are safe.

The proposed action plan incorporates the recommendations from Ofsted inspection and will assist the Council in ensuring all services to children and young people are good or outstanding.

The plan identifies funding from reserves in 2016/17 for the provision of additional short term posts (6 months). The total request of resources from reserves for the action plan is £195K in 2016/17.

Delegated decision:

1.    That approval be given to the action plan which has been written in response to the Ofsted report on Bury Council’s Children’s Services.

2.   That approval be given to the allocation of £195K from reserves to fund the work identified in the action plan in 2016/2017.

Reason for the decision:

The Council is required to submit an action plan to Ofsted within 70 working days of the publication of the report on Children’s Services. The deadline for the response is 23 August 2016.

Other options considered and rejected:

To reject the action plan in whole or in part. The Council would then be unable to comply with Ofsted requirements.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member (Business Engagement and Regeneration) submittedthe 2015/16 Quarter 4 performance report for Vision, Purpose and Values (VPV). The report marked the end of the first year of the VPV and highlighted the key performance of the Council across the six corporate priorities and provided an update on future development of performance management within the organisation.

Delegated decision:

1.   That the report be noted.

2.   That the performance update in relation to the Vision, Purpose and Values for 2015/16 be noted.

Reason for the decision:

A robust performance management framework is essential if the Council is to measure the effectiveness and value for money of the services it delivers.

Other options considered and rejected:

To reject the recommendation.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member (Member for Finance for Finance and Housing) submitted a report providing details of:

·                    The capital outturn figures in respect of the last financial year 2015/16;

·                    Major variances between the Revised Estimate and the Outturn;

·                    The financing of the Capital Programme in 2015/16;

·                    Re-profile of budgets/allocations and slippage of funding into   2016/17;

·                    Details of the capital receipts realised during the year.

Delegated decisions:

1. That the final capital outturn for 2015/2016, and explanations for major variances (as detailed in Appendix A of the report submitted) be noted.

2. That the financing of the Capital Programme in 2015/16 (as detailed in paragraph 3.5 of the report) be noted.

3. That approval be given to requests for re-profiling (£1.321m) and slippage (£15.694m) into 2016/17, along with the associated funding (as detailed in Appendix A).

Reason for the decision:

The presentation of an annual report on the Capital Outturn is a requirement of the Council’s Financial Regulations, as part of the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules.

Other option considered and rejected:

To reject or amend the recommendations.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member (Member for Finance for Finance and Housing) submitted a report providing details of:

·           The revenue outturn figures in respect of the last financial year (2015/2016);

·           Major variances between the revised estimate and the outturn;

·           The level of school balances;

·           Housing Revenue Account outturn for the year;

·           The minimum level of balances in the light of risk Assessments.

The figures provided in the report submitted were consistent with the figures included within the Statement of Accounts approved by the Responsible Finance Officer on 27 May 2016 and Audit Committee on 19 July 2016.

Delegated decisions:

1.   That the final outturn for 2015/2016, and explanations for major variances (as detailed in Appendices A, B and C of the report submitted) be noted.

2. That the recommendations of the Interim Executive Director of Resources and Regulation for the minimum level of balances in light of the review of the corporate risk assessments and departmental risk assessments (Section 4 of the report) be endorsed.

3. That the final Revenue Outturn and Housing Revenue Account outturn for 2015/16 be noted along with explanations for major variances.

4. That the level of the General Fund balances be noted.

5.   That the minimum level of the General Fund balance calculated at £4.250m for 2016/2017 be subject to regular review as part of the budget monitoring process.

Reason for the decision:

The presentation of an annual report on the Revenue and HRA Outturn is a requirement of the Council’s Financial Regulations, as part of Council’s Financial Procedure Rules.

Other option considered and rejected:

To reject or amend the recommendations.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member (Member for Finance for Finance and Housing) submitted a report reviewing the Council’s Treasury Management activities during 2015/2016.

Delegated decision:

That the Treasury Management Annual report 2015/2016 be noted.

Reason for the decision:

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Code of Practice on Treasury Management requires that the Council receives an annual review report of the previous year by 30 September.

Other option considered and rejected:

To amend or reject the recommendations.

Delegated decision:

That in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as detailed in the conditions of category 3.

The Cabinet Member (Cabinet Member for Strategic Housing and Support Services) submitted a report seeking approval to capital funding in order for the Council to deliver a new extra care scheme at Haworth Close, Bury.        

Delegated decisions:

1.  That approval be given to capital funding as detailed in the report submitted.

2.  That approval be given for the Council to enter into an agreement with the Homes and Communities Agency under the Affordable Homes Programme 15-18 and to apply to the Homes and Communities Agency to transfer grant funds from Six town Housing to the Council.

3.  That approval be given for the Council to enter into a contract, as detailed in the report, in respect of the works contract.

Reason for the decision:

The Council can deliver this significant scheme, with more robust management and mitigation of risks and with the added advantage of the asset being held within the Council.

Other option considered and rejected:

To reject or amend the recommendations.