Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

Apologies were received from Councillors Mitchell, Chandler, Barnard and Whitmore.

Councillor Gething was nominated to attend as Councillor Mitchell’s substitute, and Councillor Beecher substituted for Councillor Whitmore.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 06 October 2022 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 06 October 2022 were agreed as a correct record.

To receive any disclosures of interest from members in accordance with the Members Code of Conduct.

There were none.

The Chair, or their nominee, to answer any questions raised by members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 40.

At the time of publication of this agenda no questions were received.

There were none.

To consider any issues raised by ward councillors in accordance with Standing Order 34.2

At the time of publication of this agenda no ward issues were received.

There were none.

To review the budget, fees and charges, growth bids, savings bids and capital bids for the committee’s areas of responsibility.

The Chief Accountant presented the draft budget, fees and charges, growth bids, savings bids, and capital bids for the committee’s areas of responsibility.

The Chief Accountant apologised with regards to the late issuing of two documents due to an error with cost codes transposing some budget items for this committee to the Environment & Sustainability Committee.

The Chief Accountant introduced the Net Expenditure Budget and highlighted items where there were large differences between the current and previous year. The Committee requested clarification for some of the differences and were informed that due to changes in rules for IFRS 16 vehicle leases had been removed from the revenue budget and transferred to the capital budget.

The Chief Accountant presented the Detailed Budget and the Fees and Charges. Following instruction by the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee, fees had been increased by at least 5% with some increased to a higher level. Comparison exercises had been undertaken with neighbouring authorities to ensure fees were appropriate.

The Chief Accountant presented the Growth Bids and informed the Committee that there was a moratorium on full-time posts unless they were fully funded or a statutory post. The recommendation from the Finance Department was that the growth bid for the JET Administrator post would not meet those requirements. If the Committee wished to recommend the post for approval, savings would need to be found elsewhere in the budget.

Committee members debated the value the position provided to the Council and the risks of not recommending the growth bid for approval. The Committee were informed that while the position didn’t generate much income, the value was in the administrative support it provided to the JET Officers. The post focused on paperwork which allowed JET Officers to spend more time engaging with residents, conducting PACE interviews, and collating evidence for cases.

The Committee requested that the Group Head of Neighbourhood Services further review the budget and see if there were any other areas where savings could be made.

The Committee resolved to recommend to Corporate Policy and Resources Committee that the growth bid for the JET Administrator be approved.

The Committee resolved to recommend that Corporate Policy and Resources Committee approve the draft 23/24 budget.

To provide feedback on this year’s budget setting process.

The Committee were asked to provide feedback on the changes to the budget setting process.

The Chief Accountant identified changes that had been implemented following feedback on the budget process the previous municipal year.This included combined service plans and growth bids in order to give committees more oversight and more transparency. The committee were asked to identify what changes they would like to see in the process and to consider whether having the budget presented in December would be appropriate.

The Committee agreed that the process had been improved over previous years and would feedback, via the Chair, any suggestions for further improvement.

To consider the addition of a report on Street Cleansing to the Forward Plan

The Committee considered whether there was a need to add a report on Road Street Sweeping to the Forward Plan.

The Group Head of Neighbourhood Services informed the Committee that a committee member had requested a report be produced looking at the frequency of road street sweeping within the borough. The Committee were informed that future parking suspensions to aid road street sweeping would fall under Surrey County Council’s jurisdiction and would be subject to costs based on the need for SCC to arrange parking suspensions with the new SCC parking contractor.

The committee discussed the terms of the report and suggested it should include the leafing schedule, identification of roads with high levels of parking, and any additional costs associated with additional road street sweeping.

The Committee resolved to add a report on road street sweeping to the forward plan.

To consider the Forward Plan for committee business.

The Committee received the forward plan for future committee business.

The Committee resolved to note the forward plan.

To consider an urgent item on a Grant Application to reduce Fly Tipping.

The Chairman has authorised this for the following reason:

“Due to the cycle of committee meetings this item needs to be discussed and approved at tonight’s meeting in order to meet the submission date of 31 January 2023.”

The Chair agreed to the consideration of this item, in accordance with paragraph (4)(b) of section 100B of the Local Government Act 1972 for the following reason:

“Due to the cycle of committee meetings this item needs to be discussed and approved at tonight’s meeting in order to meet the submission date of 31 January 2023”.

The Committee considered a verbal report from the Group Head of Neighbourhood Services who stated that the grant was being administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on behalf of Defra. The scheme would provide capital funding for projects at known fly-tipping hot-spots and would include advertising, new cameras, and support enforcement activity. The approximate value of the application would be £35,000.

The Committee resolved to support the application to the Fly-Tipping Intervention Grant Scheme 2022-23.