To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dearnley, Councillor Aasim Rashid and Councillor Peter Williams.

Members are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary, personal or personal and prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests relating to items on this agenda and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.   

There were no declarations of interest.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business.

To determine any items on the agenda, if any, where the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

It was noted that the press and public would be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 12, Property Growth Fund Performance & Risk – Q4 2023/24.

Members are requested to approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on the 20^th May 2024

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 20^th May 2024 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Growth / Director of Corporate Services

The Committee considered a report that outlined the Adult’s Services financial position for 2023/24, detail of issues that are impacting on the directorate, and detail of the proposed recovery plan.

The report contained detail of:

·         2023/24 financial position;

·         Challenges affecting the Directorate;

·         2024/25 recovery plan;

The Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Wellbeing and Director of Health & Care Integration (DASS & Deputy Place Lead) were in attendance to present the report and respond to questions from Members of the Committee.

Resolved

That the outturn financial position for Adult Care Services for 2023/24, related service data and proposed recovery plans for 2024/25 be noted.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Growth / Director of Corporate Services

The Committee considered a report that outlined the Children’s Services current forecast 2023/24 financial position, detail of issues that are impacting on the directorate, and an update on the recovery plan.

The report contained detail of:

·         Q4 -2023/24 financial position;

·         2023/24 recovery plan;

·         Medium term recovery plan;

The Head of Finance - Adults & Children was in attendance to present the report and answer questions from Members of the Committee.

Resolved

That the financial position for Children’s Services for 2023/24 at Q4 and related service data and plans for the medium term be noted.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Growth / Director of Corporate Services

The Committee considered a report which provided details of the Council’s outturn 2023/24 Financial Position as at the end of March 2024.

·         The report contained information relating to:

·         The 2023/24 Revenue outturn position reporting a £179k in year saving, prior to the transfer of the balance to the Equalisation Reserve;

·         Capital expenditure in 2023/24 of £86,475k, after rephasing in the final quarter of £21,683k into future years and capital budget increases of £8,840k;

·         The 2023/24 Collection Fund position, being a surplus of £8,865k;

·         Quarter 4 updates on:

the Property Growth Fund position as detailed in section 5.8; and

the Treasury Management position, discussed in section 5.9, and Appendix C;

The Head of Finance (Adults & Children) and Senior Accountant (Corporate) were in attendance to present the report and to answer questions from Committee Members.

Resolved

That the 2023/24 Outturn Finance Report be noted.

To consider the Corporate Services Directorate Plan 2024-25: Quarter 1 Performance Update.

The Committee considered a report on the progress at the end of Quarter 1 (1st April – 30th June 2024) towards achievement of the targets contained in the Corporate Services Directorate Plan 2024-25.

In accordance with the Council’s performance management framework, progress toward targets contained within Directorate Plans are to be reported to relevant Overview & Scrutiny Committees at the end of each quarter.

The Assistant Director (Workforce, Communications & Policy) was in attendance to present the report and to answer questions from Committee Members.

In relation to COR2406 Constitution Review and Member Training, the Chair informed the Committee about a document he had received relating to Councillor Development Plans and that this could be a way of asking Members what their training and development needs were. Members of the Committee agreed that it should be circulated to Members.

Resolved

That the Quarter 1 report (1st April – 30th June 2024) which provided an update towards achievement of the targets contained in the Corporate Services Directorate Plan 2024-25 be noted.

To consider the Work Program 2024/2025.

The Committee considered the Work Program 2024/2025.

It was agreed that a Task and Finish Group be established to look at Income Generation to include how the Council performed in relation to other Councils.

It was agreed that the first visit to a Council Service would be to Environmental Management at Green Lane, Heywood, with further visits to the Contact Centre and University Centre at Hopwood Hall to be arranged in future.

Resolved

1.    That the Work Program 2024/2025 be noted;

2.    That a Task and Finish Group to look at Income Generation be established with the following Members – Councillor John Blundell (Chair), Councillor Atewologun, Councillor Dearnley and Councillor Kelly.

To consider that the press and public be excluded from the remaining part of the meeting pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that discussions may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the provisions of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

Resolved:

That the press and public be excluded from the remaining part of the meeting pursuant to Section 100(A) 4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that discussions may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the provisions of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

To consider a report of the Director of Economy and Place / Cabinet Member Regeneration and Housing

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on the performance of the Council’s property investments and to highlight any associated risks.

The Head of Commercial Finance was in attendance to present the report and to answer the questions from Members of the Committee.

Resolved

That the report be noted, including the assessment of risk with regard to the property portfolio included at paragraph 10, appendix two of the submitted report.