Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

Apologies were received from Councillor Brar, Councillor Harman, and Councillor Spoor. Councillor Beardsmore attended as Councillor Harman’s substitute, and Councillor Bateson attended as Councillor Spoor’s substitute.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2022 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2022 were agreed as a correct record.

To receive any disclosures of interest from councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

There were none.

The Committee is asked to:

1.    Note and agree the updates to the existing Procurement Policies and Procedures

2.    Review and agree the four new Procurement procedures

3.    Note that it is currently not possible to implement a requested action to increase the threshold for all local procurements to £10k and agree that this will be considered at the next review of contract standing orders.

The Committee considered a report from the Interim Corporate Procurement Manager which provided an update on revisions made to existing procurement policies and procedures. Four additional procurement procedures had been drafted to provide officers with further guidance. The Committee’s request for an increase to the threshold for local procurement would be considered during the next review of contract standing orders.

The Committee resolved to

1)    Note and agree the updates to the existing Procurement Policies and Procedures

2)    Review and agree the four new Procurement procedures

3)    Note that it is currently not possible to implement a requested action to increase the threshold for all local procurements to £10k and agree that this will be considered at the next review of contract standing orders.

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

19:10 – Councillor Gething arrived at the meeting.

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

The Chief Accountant highlighted changes to net expenditure. Major changes related to staffing and removal of budgets related to Covid-19. He confirmed that future records would be tidied and clarified.

The Chief Accountant presented 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.

The Chief Accountant presented the savings bids. These related to budgets that had no expenditure over the past three years and resulted in £400k in savings.

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 Paralegal post would not meet these 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 the role had been previously been filled on a five year temporary contract and had allowed senior lawyers in the team to focus on case management rather than administrative work. If the role was not filled, there was a risk that work would need to be outsourced, possibly at a higher cost. The Committee acknowledged that the legal department  supported the whole of the Council through their work.

The Committee resolved that the Chief Accountant requests that cost centre’s under the remit of the Administrative Committee look for further savings to meet the cost of the Paralegal growth bid.

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

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 transparency. The Committee were asked to identify changes they wished to see in the process and to feedback recommendations through the Chairman.

To consider the appointment of three representative trustees to Laleham Charities – Village Hall and Recreation Grounds.

The Committee considered nominations for representative trustees to Laleham Charities Village Hall and Recreation Grounds. Six nominations were presented to the Committee.

It was proposed by Councillor Bateson and seconded by Councillor Mitchell that Bob Parry, Ken Williams and Kevin Rowell be appointed as representative trustees to Laleham Charities Village Hall and Recreation Grounds.

The Committee raised that a councillor had previously been elected as a representative trustee and suggested that an additional councillor trustee be appointed. The Monitoring Officer advised that this was prevented by the Charity’s constitution as the number of trustees was limited to six. The Committee requested that the history of councillor appointments to the charity be reviewed.

The Committee resolved to appoint Bob Parry, Ken Williams and Kevin Rowell as representative trustees to Laleham Charities Village Hall and Recreation Grounds.

To consider the Forward Plan for committee business.

The Committee considered the Forward Plan for future Committee business.

The Committee resolved to note the Forward Plan with the additional item on charity appointments raised at the meeting.