Issue - meetings

Recommendation:

That the Committee review the Executive’s current programme of Key Decisions to enable the identification of appropriate matters for the overview and scrutiny work programme and the overview of specific decisions proposed to be taken over the period of the plan.

Article 6 (Overview and Scrutiny) of the Constitution requires that the Committee review the Executive’s programme of Key Decisions (the Cabinet Forward Plan) at each meeting, to enable the identification of appropriate matters for the overview and scrutiny work programme and to provide an opportunity for the overview of specific decisions proposed to be taken over the period of the plan.

The Constitution (Article 14 (Decision Making)) defines a Key Decision as an executive decision which:

(a)       involves expenditure or savings of £250,000 or above which are currently within budget and policy;

(b)       involves expenditure or savings of £100,000 or above which are NOT currently within budget and policy;

(c)       is likely to be significant in terms of its effect on communities living or working in an area comprising two or more wards;

(d)       raises new issues of policy;

(e)       increases financial commitments (i.e. revenue and/or capital) in future years over and above existing budgetary approval;

(f)        comprises and includes the publication of draft or final schemes which may require, either directly or in relation to objections to, the approval of a Government Minister; or

(g)       involves the promotion of local legislation.

Wherever possible, Portfolio Holders will attend the Committee to present forthcoming key decisions, to answer questions on the forward plan and to indicate where appropriate work could be carried out by overview and scrutiny on behalf of the Cabinet.

The Executive’s current programme of Key Decisions of 1 October 2021 is attached as an Appendix to this report.

Cabinet’s Key Decision List (KDL) updated to the 1 October 2021 was scrutinised by the Committee and the following points were raised.

(a)          Finance, Qualis Client and Economic Development

Updated Medium Term Financial Plan 2022/23 to 2026/27 – it was recommended that the webcast of the Cabinet meeting on 11 October 2021 be viewed as this detailed in full the medium term issues and difficulties.

(b)          Environmental and Technical Services Portfolio

Waste contract – N Dawe reported that work was ongoing around recommendations to either extend the contract with Biffa or go elsewhere. It was noted that the strategic options and exact timings were being discussed currently.

Review of current EFDC off street parking tariffs and recommend tariff for EFDC off-street car parks for implementation in 2022 – it was reported this would be reviewed by Stronger Place Select Committee at an extra meeting in November 2021.

(c)          Housing Services Portfolio

New Fees and Charges – Councillor H Whitbread, Housing Services Portfolio Holder, had not seen the report yet but would follow this up with D Fenton, Director (Housing and Property), and confirmed that this would be pre-scrutinised by the Stronger Communities Select Committee.

Draft tree policy – was there any progress on this being completed as the Committee had scrutinised it in June 2021? Councillor H Whitbread, Portfolio Holder, advised that she would follow this up as she had not seen the final policy.

(d)          Community and Regulatory Portfolio

Establish a new Markets Policy for the District – Councillor A Patel advised that the new Markets Policy would be pre-scrutinised.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee reviewed the Executive’s current programme of Key Decisions of 1 October 2021;