(a) Corporate Services (to include finance and public value and digital transformation)
Interim Chief Executive to report.
(b) Service Delivery for Climate Change, Environment and Transport: In-Year Briefing
Briefing Paper by the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/73), attached
(c) Communities and Prosperity
Director of Public Health to report.
Minutes:
(a) Corporate Services
The Interim Chief Executive reported the in-year position and the very challenging budget position for the next financial year and the work of the Senior Leadership Team with the Cabinet in developing a Financial Sustainability Programme to mitigate the impact on corporate and front line services and staff with collaboration across all services and disciplines. Late notification by Government of the settlement now expected in early January also created a very difficult timeline for the budget setting process for 2023/24.
The Director of Finance and Public Value reported on the underlying budget pressures in the current and next financial years relating to inflationary, work force and demand lead service pressures and management actions to minimise projected overspends, particularly in adult and children’s services to achieve a balanced budget.
Additional information of the latest position for 202324 would be circulated to all members when available and prior to the Scrutiny round of budget meetings in January 2023.
The Director of Legal and Democratic Services also reported on budgetary pressures relating to legal services in child care and in particular the high external agency costs; and issues relating to recruitment and retention of in-house solicitors for example.
(b) Service Delivery for Climate Change, Environment and Transport: In-Year Briefing
(Councillors S Hughes and A Davis attended under Standing Order 25 and spoke to his item with the consent of the Committee in regard to their respective portfolios).
(Councillor F Letch attended in accordance with Standing Order 25 and spoke to this item in regard to Road Casualty figures and fatality rates which was available on the County Council’s website and which would the subject of a presentation to the next meeting of the Mid Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee, as well as the other Hatocs).
The Committee considered a Paper by the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/22/73) on an in-year briefing on service delivery within Climate Change, Environment and Transport. This covered
the Planning Team, Highways and Traffic Management (not previously reported via the Highways Dashboard), Infrastructure Development
Infrastructure delivery; Waste Management, Transport Co-ordination, and the Environment Group.
Members’ questions and discussion points with the Director included:
· any correlation between the reduced road casualty figures and 20 mph speed limits on which further information would be provided to Members;
· the planned establishment of a Local Nature Recovery Strategy which was in its early stages of development, and which could be the subject of a future Masterclass or item at a Standing Overview Group meeting;
· work to reduce litter and fly tipping and additional information on enforcement actions/levels of fixed penalty notices issues by District Councils would be circulated to Members;
· confirmation that works carried by Statutory Undertakers on the highways were subject to inspection and remedial action where necessary;
· the outcome of a recently announced Traffic Commissioners’ ruling in relation to service complaints against Stagecoach, Devon (details were available at: Decision for Stagecoach Devon Ltd t/a Stagecoach South West - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk);
· Scrutiny response in relation to the Devon Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy - Have Your Say and where it was agreed the Chair and Vice Chair, Councillors Asvachin and Trail would discuss a draft response with Officers on behalf of this Committee;
· disposal and use of portable BBQs and policy on which further information would be provided by the Director and her Waste Management Team;
· confirmation that major residential development planning applications were subject to statutory consultation by Local Planning authorities with the County Council as the Highway Authority and local County Council Member input was included as part of the process; and
· reference to textiles within the County Council’s developing Waste Strategy available here: Waste management strategy for Devon - Waste and Recycling
(c) Communities and Prosperity Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity
(Councillor R Croad and R Gilbert attended under Standing Order 25 and spoke to this item with the consent of the Committee in regard to their respective portfolios).
The Committee considered a Briefing paper by the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity on the mid-year update in regard to Public Health and health protection, Communities, and Prosperity. The Public Health service had been covered by the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee at its last meeting. The Paper in addition to public health covered Communities which included: Food and Fuel Insecurity, Migration and Resettlement Programme, Community Safety, and also Economy, Enterprise and Skills which included: Trading Standards, Future Farm Resilience Programme, Exeter Science Park, Devolution Pilot, Active Devon, Devon Libraries, Youth Service, Skills and Employment, Careers South West; and Learn Devon.
Members’ questions and discussion points with the Director of Public Health, Communities and Prosperity, the Head of Economy, Enterprise and Skills; and Head of Communities included:
· the national 16 Days of Activism – Activism to end violence against women which the County Council supported as part of a multi-agency working and learning to challenge gender based violence and on which more information would be sent to Members;
· the inclusion of the cost of living index in the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and data base; and a One Devon summit and advice and support from the County Council and work to address the increasing number of scams and fraud;
· the level of EU funding via the Prosperity Fund for District Councils and additional funding for the Council (3m over three years) on which more information wold be provided to members;
· support for the rural economy and on which more information would be sent to Members in regard to Agri-tech, green skills and opportunities; and the future farms resilience programme; and the share of funding for the County Council following exit from the EU; and
· concerns from a member about a lack of response in regard to the ‘space’ youth service the details of which the Cabinet Member agreed to receive for his attention.
The Chair thanks the Officers for their report and response to members’ questions.
Supporting documents: