Agenda item

The Committee received the Report on the Council’s Corporate Plan Priorities, Finance and Performance for Q4 2016/17.

Members noted that this report had been prepared for the Finance and Performance Sub-Committee, which had since been abolished, and therefore it had been agreed that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would receive the report going forward. Unfortunately this meant that the data, on this occasion, was slightly out dated as it would have normally have been received in June.

The Committee considered the report.

Some areas were raised by Members; such as the future of the Drill Hall; the Committee was informed that this was an on going matter. Concerns about the cost to the Council for the repairs to the swimming pool at Billingshurst Leisure Centre and also the Debtors highlighted in the Budget Monitoring 2016/17 Outturn Report.

Members noted the length and detail of the report and asked for direction on which areas they should pay particular attention to and monitor, bearing in mind the limited time they had to consider the report at the meeting. The Committee was advised that two major areas in the report were Capital Projects and Income, and these should be carefully monitored.

The Director of Corporate Resources was asked to confirm the figure missing from page 27 of the agenda, in the Key Performance Indicators Report 2016/17 - DM22 Planning Appeals – adverse costs awarded for 2016/17.

Members highlighted their concerns regarding Freedom of Information Requests and the high costs incurred by the Council when answering them.

The Chairman asked the Committee whether it was satisfied with the format of the finance and performance report, going forward. It was agreed that the report was comprehensive and all Members had the opportunity to study the information provided in advance of the meeting. It was agreed that in future, any questions regarding any information in the report should to be submitted to the Lead Scrutiny Officer and the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny, by the end of the last Wednesday before the Committee, once the agenda has been published. In a similar way to the receipt of questions for the Cabinet Member. This would allow officers sufficient time to prepare comprehensive answers for the meeting.

The Committee would continue to monitor the information in its current format.

                        RESOLVED

That the Corporate Plan Priorities and Finance and Performance Report for Q4 be received.

REASON

Since the aboliton of the Finance and Performance Sub-Committee the report would be received by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.