Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Swansley Room A and B - Ground Floor. View directions

Contact: Ian Senior  03450 450 500 Email: democratic.services@scambs.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

2.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 161 KB

The Portfolio Holder is asked to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2017 as a correct record.

Minutes:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder signed, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2017.

3.

Community Chest: Funding Applications pdf icon PDF 244 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder:

 

1.     made the following award:

 

Name of applicant

Type of project

Total cost of project (£)

Total award(£)

Oakington Vikings Youth Football Club

 

Purchase of portable floodlights

4,272.00

1,000.00

 

2.     approved the amendments to the Community Chest guidance and application form to:

 

(i)                   advise applicants that applications that are considered more appropriate for the Community Energy Grant Scheme will be automatically transferred to this scheme;

(ii)                 request charity number (if applicable); and

(iii)                ask for confirmation regarding if they have a bank account.

 

Minutes:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder considered an application for funding from the Community Chest grant funding scheme during 2017-18, and a proposal to amend the scheme’s guidance and application form

 

The sum of £3,178.84 remained unallocated.

 

In respect of the application from Oakington Vikings Youth Football Club, the Project Officer reported that Councillors Lynda Harford and Tim Wotherspoon (local Members) supported the application. The Portfolio Holder was also a local Member, and supported the application. He specifically asked Councillor Hazel Smith for her opinion, which was that the application should be approved.

 

There was a positive reaction to the proposed changes to the Guidance and application form.

 

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder approved

 

1.     the following award:

 

Name of applicant

Type of project

Total cost of project (£)

Total award(£)

Oakington Vikings Youth Football Club

 

Purchase of portable floodlights

4,272.00

1,000.00

 

2.     the amendments to the Community Chest guidance and application form to:

 

(i)                   advise applicants that applications that are considered more appropriate for the Community Energy Grant Scheme will be automatically transferred to this scheme;

 

(ii)                 request charity number (if applicable); and

 

(iii)                ask for confirmation regarding if they have a bank account.

4.

Revenues Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 3: October 2017 - January 2018 pdf icon PDF 215 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder received and noted a report on the current performance of the Revenues & Benefits Section.

 

Officers updated the report where necessary and provided further commentary to inform the Portfolio Holder.

 

Those present discussed several issues arising from the report, focussing on Discretionary Housing Payments. The Portfolio Holder welcomed the continued good performance and expressed an aspiration to remain within target throughout the year. Councillor Hazel Smith agreed that the performance report presented a very good statement of the Council’s position.

5.

Exclusion of Press and Public

Agenda items 6, 7 and 8 include Appendices which are restricted. The press and public are likely to be excluded from the meeting during consideration of such Appendices in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(a)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs (as relevant) of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Act):

 

·        Paragraph 1 – Information relating to any individual

·        Paragraph 2 – Information which is likely to reveal the indentity of an individual

·        Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Minutes:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder noted that Agenda items 6, 7 and 8 included Appendices which were restricted. He noted that, subject to the test of public interest, the press and public were likely to be excluded from the meeting during consideration of such Appendices in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(a)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs (as relevant) of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Act):

 

  • Paragraph 1 – Information relating to any individual
  • Paragraph 2 – Information which is likely to reveal the indentity of an individual
  • Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

6.

Treasury Management Quarterly Report pdf icon PDF 230 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder

 

1.     noted that South Cambridgeshire District Council was embarking on several direct investments that would require funding through external borrowing and that, as such, would be managing a more complex and diverse set of requirements in relation to the management of its cash balances, borrowing and investments; and

 

2.     endorsed the appointment of Treasury Management Advisers to be in place by the beginning of April 2018, noting that prospective advisers had been asked to demonstrate that they could recover at least the cost of their fees by improving the Council’s investment income  by virtue of their advice.

Minutes:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder considered a report on performance of the Treasury Management function.

 

He did not consider it necessary to exclude the press and public because the matter could be dealt with without specific reference to the restricted information in the Appendix.

 

The Accounts Assistant highlighted the fact that, where the Appendix referred to the ‘Total invested at 30 June 2017’, it should refer to the total invested at 31 December 2017.

 

Following discussion about the proposed appointment of Treasury Management Advisors, the Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder

 

1.     noted that South Cambridgeshire District Council was embarking on several direct investments that would require funding through external borrowing and that, as such, would be managing a more complex and diverse set of requirements in relation to the management of its cash balances, borrowing and investments; and

 

2.     endorsed the appointment of Treasury Management Advisers to be in place by the beginning of April 2018, noting that prospective advisers had been asked to demonstrate that they could recover at least the cost of their fees by improving the Council’s investment income  by virtue of their advice.

7.

Sickness Absence pdf icon PDF 227 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder received and noted a report, including restricted information, about sickness absence for the period 1 October 2017 to 31 December 2017.

 

The Head of People and Organisational Development outlined the processes being introduced to better address the situation, and the Portfolio Holder offered his full support to such initiatives and, in particular, measures designed to reduce the impact on physical and mental health.

 

The Portfolio Holder noted that good progress was being made.

8.

Retention and Turnover pdf icon PDF 226 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder received and noted a report containing an analysis of the turnover of staff between 1 October 2017 and 31 December 2017.

 

This report was part of a regular reporting process intended to highlight trends, inform recruitment decisions, and enable South Cambridgeshire District Council to tailor resource strategies for teams and service areas, thus ensuring achievement of the Council’s objectives.

 

The Portfolio Holder was satisfied that the statistics were consistent with the Authority being a competitive employer. Those present discussed several issues arising from the report.

9.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 249 KB

The Portfolio Holder will maintain, for agreement at each meeting, a Work Programme identifying all matters relevant to the Portfolio which it is believed are likely to be the subject of consideration and / or decision by the Portfolio Holder, or recommendation to, or referral by, the Portfolio Holder to Cabinet, Council, or any other constituent part of the Council.   The Programme will be updated as necessary.  The Portfolio Holder will be responsible for the content and accuracy of the Work Programme.

Minutes:

The Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder received and noted the Work Programme attached to the agenda.

 

The Head of People and Organisational Development agreed to programme the Organisational Development refresh for the meeting in November 2018.

10.

Date of Next Meeting

Tuesday 20 March 2018 (Grants)

Minutes:

The next Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder had been scheduled for Tuesday 20 March 2018 at 6.00pm. The purpose of the meeting would be to consider Community Chest grant applications and, if there was none (or the number of applications did not justify a meeting taking place) then the meeting would be cancelled.