Contact Officer: Mathew Metcalfe, Democratic and Electoral Services Officer

Tel: (01865) 252214, email: mmetcalfe@oxford.gov.uk

The Head of Law and Governance submitted a paper (previously circulated, now appended) which detailed recommendations made from the Value and Performance Scrutiny Committee and its Panels to the City Executive Board, between June and September 2012 and where available the responses received.

The Committee was informed of the responses from the City Executive Board to recommendations made from:

(i)         The Value and Performance Scrutiny Committee held on 25^th June 2012;

Treasury Management Annual Report 2011/12 and Revised Treasury Management Strategy 2012/13

Recommendation: To request the City Executive Board to keep under review the effects of “Right-to-Buy” within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan, with particular regard to income streams, and our ability to be flexible within the funding of the capital programme so as to allow the Council to use all of the capital receipts from any sales.

City Executive Board Response:

(1)       Note the Treasury Management Annual Report for 2011/12 as set out in sections 1 - 48 of the report;

(2)       RECOMMEND Council to agree the changes to the Treasury Investment Strategy as referred to in sections 49-51 of the report;

(3)       To keep under review the effects of right to buy on the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan and to ask the Executive Director, Organisational Development and Corporate Services to report in the Autumn in the context of the Medium Term Financial Strategy review on the effects on the HRA Business Plan of right to buy take-up.

Financial out-turn for the year ending 31^st March 2012

Recommendations:

(a)       That all carry forward requests are supported taking into account that the Committee had noted that in some service areas, had the money been spent as planned in year, it would have placed them in a position of overspend.  The most significant of these being the Museum request from Policy Culture and Communications and brings into sharper relief the under achievement of income in the Town Hall. 

(b)       To request that the £0.5m surplice be placed in reserves and its use considered during the up and coming budgetary process rather than earmarking it at this stage for capital;

(c)        To request Board Members and Senior Officer consider the effects of delays in recruitment on services and plans and to allow for any “catch-up” required within future planning.

City Executive Board response:

(1)       Note the financial outturn for 2011-12 of £25.3 million which was £0.5 million favourable compared to the approved budget for 2011/12;

(2)       Approve the transfer of the £0.5m surplus to Earmarked Reserve for funding Capital subject to further discussion in the Autumn in the context of the review of the Medium Term Financial Strategy;

(3)       Approve transfers to the General Fund and HRA Working Balances of £0.8 million and £0.6 million respectively;

(4)       Approve the carry forward requests as detailed in Appendix B to the report;

(5)       Note partnership payments to staff as detailed in paragraphs 37-40 of the report;

(6)       To note advise given by the Executive Director, Organisational Development and Corporate Services on recruitment (paragraph 7 of the Scrutiny report refers) and to ask Executive Directors to consider the effects of delays in recruitment on services and plans in terms of planning work programme delivery.

(ii)        Asset Panel held on 24^th September 2012

            Paper from the Asset Panel appended to these minutes.

Response – The City Executive Board note the Scrutiny comments and agreed to recommend the Asset Management Plan 2011-14 to Council for adoption.

(iii)       Finance and Performance Panel held on 28^th August 2012

            Changes to Business Rate

Recommendation: The Finance and Performance Panel of the Value and Performance Scrutiny Committee felt that the levy being 82% was too high and noted that this would form part of the City Councils response to current Government consultation.

City Executive Board response: Accepted the Scrutiny recommendations and agreed to adopt the report recommendations.

April to June 2012/13 - Quarter 1 Corporate Plan Performance report

Recommendation: To request that the indicators for a Vibrant and Sustainable economy be reviewed as the Panel felt that it was clear if the Councils policies were sufficient enough to fully capture a vibrant and sustainable economy as it felt that only having 3 indicators was not sufficient.

City Executive Board response: Accepted the Scrutiny recommendations and agreed the report recommendations.

(iv)       Youth Ambition Panel held on 10^th September 2012

Recommendation 1 - That a clear outcome framework for this programme is set now.  This should include long term aims and short term measures and targets towards those aims.  This framework should provide for links to each investment made through both expectations for the individuals involved and overall.

Recommendation 2 - That the steering arrangements for the project are concluded as a matter of urgency to allow for clear focus.  

Recommendation 3 - A minimum of a three year programme is set that has a mixture of sustainable provision and space for one off activities linked to clear need and outcomes.  These principles should be pass ported into the consideration of all matched or grant funded activities that are commissioned.

Recommendation 4 - To have robust and clear commissioning processes that ensure programme providers share our ambitions, have the skills to deliver and can demonstrate they have the pathways and trust of the communities and individuals we want them to work with.

Recommendation 5 - To identify at the earliest opportunity isolated groups of young people outside of the target areas and bring forward suggestions of how support can be provided to these in a cost effective way.

City Executive Board response: Accepted the Scrutiny recommendations and agreed the report recommendations.