Minutes:
Members received the Minutes of a Joint Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees held on 16 January 2019.
The Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee wished to thank Simon Davey and fellow officers for their valuable input into the meeting.
RESOLVED (1) that the following recommendations be taken into account with the related report (Minute 150):
Minute 3 Draft Revenue and Capital Budgets 2019/20
SCRUTINY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED to Cabinet:
1. To recommend to Council that the Council Tax for 2019/20 be increased by £5 a year;
2. To recommend to Council that the Draft Service Plans for 2019/20 be adopted with addition of:
a. The Planning Service Plan includes overage monitoring;
b. The Regeneration and Economic Service Plan ensures that business development opportunities are based on clear evidence of need; and includes developing a strategy for commercial unit delivery;
c. The Growth Point Team Service Plan includes more detail on the delivery of Cranbrook key facilities with timescales; and plans for inward investment;
d. The Environmental Health and Car Parks Service Plan includes a business case to consider extra resource to increase community engagement;
e. The Governance and Licensing Service Plan to specify what the local democracy activities currently are and what further activities could be undertaken;
f. The Finance Service Plan to make it clear that the Transformation Strategy to be completed by September 2019;
g. The Countryside Service Plan to revise the wording around ‘inactive’ in the second objective;
h. Any amendments to make objectives more SMART following a review by Strategic Lead – Organisational Development and Transformation together with the Chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees
i. Review all service plans to include reference to Brexit as required.
3. To recommend to Council that the Draft Revenue Budget for 2019/20 be adopted; and
4. To recommend to Council that the Draft Capital Budget for 2019/20 be adopted.
OVERVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED to Cabinet:
1. To recommend to Council that the Council Tax for 2019/20 be increased by £5 a year;
2. To recommend to Council that the Draft Service Plans for 2019/20 be adopted with addition of:
a. The Planning Service Plan includes overage monitoring;
b. The Regeneration and Economic Service Plan ensures that business development opportunities are based on clear evidence of need; and includes developing a strategy for commercial unit delivery;
c. The Growth Point Team Service Plan includes more detail on the delivery of Cranbrook key facilities with timescales; and plans for inward investment;
d. The Environmental Health and Car Parks Service Plan includes a business case to consider extra resource to increase community engagement;
e. The Governance and Licensing Service Plan to specify what the local democracy activities currently are and what further activities could be undertaken;
f. The Finance Service Plan to make it clear that the Transformation Strategy to be completed by September 2019;
g. The Countryside Service Plan to revise the wording around ‘inactive’ in the second objective;
h. Any amendments to make objectives more SMART following a review by Strategic Lead – Organisational Development and Transformation together with the Chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees;
i. Review all service plans to include reference to Brexit as required.
3. To recommend to Council that the Draft Revenue Budget for 2019/20 be adopted and include an additional £25k for staffing for Economic Development;
4. To recommend to Council that the Draft Capital Budget for 2019/20 be adopted.