Agenda and minutes

Because of the absence ofCouncillor Martin E Thacker MBE JP at the start of the meeting, a nomination for Councillor Steve Clough to Chair the meeting was moved by Councillor Ross Shipman and seconded by Councillor Pat Kerry.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Steve Clough be appointed Chair of the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors W Armitage and N Barker. 

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

Members were requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest, not already on their register of interest, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

No Declarations of Interest were received for the meeting.  

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee held on 29 June 2022.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee held on 29 June 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.   

The Assistant Director of Planning presented a report updating the Committee on the process of collecting and spending money gathered through Section 106 Agreements attached to planning applications. The report also included proposed improvements to the monitoring and collection processes (3.4 and 3.5 of the report).

Members discussed the content of the report. They asked a number of questions about spending Section 106 money at particular sites and Parishes. The Assistant Director of Planning explained that Planning kept a spreadsheet detailing all Section 106 agreements, and this would be circulated to Members.

The Assistant Director of Planning explained some of the areas the spreadsheet mapped out, including information on developments that had set up management companies. Members were concerned about these examples, believing that residents were having to pay these companies. They were informed that management companies were only set up on land that the Council did not own, meaning that the Council could not do anything to discourage it.

Members discussed including instructions to developers in the Local Plan. The Assistant Director of Planning explained that developers asked the Council to carry out planning applications, and the Council would noir be able to put a policy in place asking them to include specific aspects like open space.

Members asked what the Council did to chase Section 106 money. The Assistant Director of Planning explained that an invoice was sent to the developer.

RESOLVED – That

1. The Committee noted the report.
2. The procedural improvements already initiated and outlined in 3.4 and 3.5 were supported.

Councillor Martin E Thacker MBE JP was appointed Chair of the meeting.

The Information, Engagement and Performance Manager presented a report on the Quarter 1 outturns for the Council Plan 2019-2023 targets.

The report explained that out of the 77 targets:

• 49 (63%) were on track

• 27 (35%) achieved previously

• 1 (1%) were recommended for withdrawal and replacement

The target proposed to be replaced was ENV 17, so “Measure %age of cases of waste crime (Duty of Care and fly-tipping) where sufficient evidence to prosecute has been identified, are progressed to legal services, with a prosecution file, within 60 days” would be replaced with “To deliver one high profile print and social media campaign per quarter on an Environmental Enforcement topic with the aim of influencing behavioural change.”

Members agreed that they would like a target for ENV 17 that would directly target and measure waste crime reduction. The Information, Engagement and Performance Manager explained that for the proposed target, the intention once it was in place was to provide a range of information within the quarterly update to help Members measure its effectiveness.

Members referred to the targets that were marked as “previously achieved” and asked which processes were in place to keep an eye on them. The Information, Engagement and Performance Manager explained that all targets were part of the Council Plan and would not be removed from the target update table until the Council Plan was updated.

Members unanimously agreed to support the proposed ENV 17 target, but with the caveats that the original target be kept, and a new target be included to measure reducing fly-tipping. The Information, Engagement & Performance Manager advised that the comments of the Scrutiny Committee would be conveyed to Cabinet on 4August 2022.

RESOLVED – That

1. The quarterly outturns against the Council Plan 2019-2023 targets were noted.
2. The Committee supported the proposed ENV 17 target, but with the caveats that the original target be kept, and a new target be included to measure reducing fly-tipping.

The Managing Director presented a report updating Members on the review of the current Risk Management Strategy, including proposed endorsement of the Council’s new/reviewed Risk Management Strategy and Action Plan.

Members asked who the Strategy was being targeted towards. The Managing Director explained that it would be an internal document for Members and officers.

RESOLVED – That Audit and Corporate Governance Committee endorsed the new/reviewed Risk Management Strategy and Action Plan.

The Director of Finance and Resources & Section 151 Officer presented a report with a summary of the corporate debt position at 30 June 2022.

RESOLVED – That the Committee noted the report concerning the Council’s corporate debt position as at 30 June 2022. 

The Director of Finance and Resources & Section 151 Officer presented a report with a summary of the budget position for the first quarter of 2022/23 which would be presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 4 August 2022.

Members enquired what the percentage rise had been for contract costs. The Director of Finance and Resources & Section 151 Officer estimated that the rise was between 15% and 30%, and the Council was currently finding that frameworks which were priced before the inflationary increases were presenting better value for money than open tenders.

Members felt that having an ‘Efficiencies Plan’ detailed in Appendix 3 was poor timing considering the financial difficulties people were having.

RESOLVED – That the Committee noted the report concerning the Council’s budget monitoring report for Quarter 1.

The Committee considered the Work Programme for 2022-23.

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes and approves the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Work Programme for the remainder of the 2022/2023 municipal year as set out in the attached Appendix 1. 

To consider the Forward Plan of Executive Decisions. The most up-to-date

Forward Plan of Executive Decisions can be accessed via the following link:

https://democracy.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk/mgListPlans.aspx?RPId=1137&RD=0&bcr=1

RESOLVED – That the Forward Plan of Executive Decisions be noted. 

There were no urgent items to be discussed at the meeting. 

The next meeting of the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committtee is scheduled to take place on 28 September 2022.

The next meeting of the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee will be 28 September 2022 at 3.00 pm.