Agenda and minutes

The Chair made several brief housekeeping announcements.

Councillors Sue Ellington, Sally Ann Hart, and Judith Rippeth sent apologies as Committee members. Councillor Heather Williams attended remotely as substitute for Councillor Ellington,

Apologies were also received from Councillors Bill Handley (Lead Cabinet Member for Communities) and Bridget Smith (Leader of the Council).

Councillor Richard Stobart declared an interest as a Director of both the South Cambridgeshire Investment Partnership and South Cambridgeshire Project.

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2022 as a correct record.

The Committee authorised the Chair to sign, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2022 subject as follows

1.    To add Councillor John Williams (Lead Cabinet Member for Resources) as having been present in the Chamber.

2.    Minute 6 (2022-23 Quarter Two Performance Report)

Replace the paragraph

“KPIs PN510 to PN512 related to Development Management. Councillor Peter Fane said that a differentiation should be made between those planning applications determined within the period set by statutory targets and those determined within a timescale set by an Extension of Time Agreement. Councillor Fane asked that the percentage of appeals against major planning permission refusals allowed should specify the proportion allowed in respect of appeals against non-determination. The Committee noted that the number of Extension of Time Agreements and refusals made in order to meet determination targets was unrelated to the time taken to validate applications.”

with the following expanded text

“KPIs PN510 to PN512 related to Development Management.

Councillor Peter Fane said that a differentiation should be made

between those planning applications determined within the period set

by statutory targets and those determined within a timescale set by an

Extension of Time Agreement. Councillor Fane asked that the

percentage of appeals against major planning permission refusals allowed should specify the proportion allowed in respect of appeals against non-determination. The Committee noted that the number of Extension of Time Agreements and refusals made in order to meet determination targets was unrelated to the time taken to validate applications.

In response, the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development said that only a small number of appeals were against non-determination, and this would not affect the standards being measured. He offered to provide clarity in writing.

While he was unsure how many small applications had been determined within statutory timescale, he confirmed that average time was now recorded for applications. Members noted a chart showing the number of days taken to determine current applications compared with lower and upper quartile performance. A reduction in the backlog of applications had resulted in a progressive reduction in determination timescales for all applications. Further analysis would show those applications falling outside the timescale. The Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development undertook to give further details at the next Scrutiny and Overview Committee meeting.

Councillor Heather Williams said that for some time now there had been concerns about the extent to which the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service relied on extensions of time agreements. to which the response had been that a system would be put in place. The Chair undertook to pursue this matter with the Lead Cabinet Member for Planning and the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

The Committee noted that the number of Extension of Time Agreements and refusals made in order to meet determination targets was unrelated to the time taken to validate applications.

The Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development informed Members that KPI PN519 (Average time to determine validated householder planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

If you would like to ask a question or make a statement, then please refer to the

Document called Public Speaking Scheme (Physical Meetings)

and contact the Scrutiny and Governance Adviser in Democratic Services by no later than 11.59pm on Friday 9 December 2022.

There were no public questions. The Chair had received one request from a member of the public to make a statement but this was refused because it had been submitted after thr specified deadline.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee is asked to review the draft report presented to Cabinet on 12 December 2022 together with draft appendices A and B. Relevant comments from Cabinet will be reported to the Committee. A final version of the MTFS will be presented to Cabinet in February 2023.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee considered a draft Cabinet report updating the Medium Term Financial Strategy to the financial year 2027-2028 and the medium term financial plan following the outcome of a mid-year review of financial forecasts. Members noted that some of the assumptions used in the report might need adjusting as the budget developed and further information became available, such as through the provisional 2023-2024 Local Government Finance Settlement. However, the Head of Finance assured Councillor Anna Bradnam that he was confident that the assumption that the Council would borrow at 5% was robust.

In response to Councillor Graham Cone, the Head of Finance confirmed that the Council had significant funds invested upon which it could draw at short notice.

Councillor James Hobro asked about the ability of the assumptions made to deal with the anticipated volatility in inflation and interest rates during the next two years. The Head of Finance acknowledged the degree of uncertainty involved in predicting future events but said that the scenarios set out in the report reflected the circumstances thought most likely by officers.

Councillor Richard Stobart asked how various risks faced by the Council related to the scenarios set out in the report, and at what stage those scenarios would be triggered. In reply, Councillor John Williams assured the Committee that the situation was under constant review and that he was notified straightaway about any issues causing concern. The Head of Finance added that the corporate Risk Register considered every six months by the Audit & Corporate Governance Committee included those risks referred to by Councillor Stobart. The Head of Finance explained that the making of savings was the best way to address the challenge posed by the Fair Funding Review, which represented the biggest risk to South Cambridgeshire District Council. When further savings could not realistically be made then the Council would need to focus on income generation instead.

For Councillor Tom Bygott, it was important to understand the implications for this Council of forthcoming changes to the allocation of retained Business Rates. Following an explanation of the possible outcome of these changes, Councillor John Williams concluded that upper-tier Authorities such as Cambridgeshire County Council would benefit at the expense of district councils. Councillor John Williams assured the Committee that the diversity of Council investments and the adoption of new working practices were helping to protect the Council against potential future uncertainty about funding, which included changes to the way in which the Public Works Loan Board operated. The Head of Finance said that South Cambridgeshire District Council was in a remarkably strong position financially.

Appreciating that the MTFS was subject to change prior to a final version being considered by Full Council in February 2023, Members discussed what role the Scrutiny and Overview Committee m8ght play in managing any risk posed by financial volatility during the next two months. The Chair said it would be a matter of judgment as to whether circumstances should trigger a further review by the Scrutiny and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee noted its work programme attached to the agenda.

As Chair of the Young People Task & Finish Group, Councillor Richard Stobart updated the Committee on the Group’s work.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee noted that its next meeting had been moved from Tuesday 10 January 2023 to Thursday 12 January 2023 starting at 5.20pm.