Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors  Greenwood, Heginbotham, Kelly and L Khan.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29^th November 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To determine during which items, if any, the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

That the public be excluded from the meeting before discussion takes place on the items relating to Minute 57 since in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, if the public were present there would be a disclosure to them of exempt information within the meaning of Part VA of the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider the Key Decisions to be taken for the period January to May 2018.

IT WAS RESOLVED

That the Notice of Key Decisions and Private Meetings be noted.

To consider the latest review of the Strategic Plan.  

IT WAS RESOLVED

That the updates to the Plan be noted.

To consider the Council’s Food (Official Controls) Delivery Plan, updated for 2017/18.

Members considered the report which set out the plans for future delivery of Food safety Services.  This Plan is a requirement of the Food Standards Agency and sets out:

·                     An outline of the key services and work activity delivered

·                     The Council's statement on food safety and the links with corporate

priorities and objectives

·                     A profile of the Borough including the political and managerial

arrangements

·                     The demands on the service

·                     Summary of service activity in relation to premises inspection, complaints investigation, advice, sampling, infectious diseases, food safety incidents, liaison arrangements and promotional activities

·                     The resources deployed to meet these demands

·                     Quality assessment procedures and performance indicators

Key services and work activity delivered by the Food Safety Team include:-

·                     Carrying out routine, programmed inspections of 931 local food businesses

·                     Responding to Service requests including food complaints and hygiene of premises complaints

·                     Investigating notifications of infectious diseases and local outbreaks, which may be associated with food

·                     Promoting food safety and best practice by working closely with local

businesses

·                     Working with the Food Standards Agency to run and maintain the Food

Hygiene Rating Scheme

Members discussed the following:

·         Why some food businesses hadn’t displayed the Food Hygiene Safety Rating System score.  Although participation in the scheme was mandatory, displaying the score wasn’t.  It could be found on the internet.

·         Were food businesses reprimanded for low scores in the system?  More resources were targeted at businesses scoring 2 or less, to help them improve their practises.

·         What steps had been taken to prevent further outbreaks of infectious diseases?  Food Safety team worked closely with businesses on food hygiene, infection control and monitoring to ensure the risk of outbreaks was minimised, and the chance of an outbreak spreading was reduced.

IT WAS RESOLVED THAT

The Scrutiny Committee recommends to Full Council to approve the Food (Official Controls) Delivery Plan 2017/18. 

To consider a report on the Council’s Health & Safety Delivery Plan, updated for 2017/18.

Members considered the report setting out the Health & Safety Intervention Plan which has been produced to outline the health and safety regulation duties undertaken by Burnley Borough Council’s health and safety team.

The regulation of health and safety is split between local authority (LA) regulators and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the businesses we regulate as the LA are mostly in the service sector and include offices, shops, restaurants, care homes, hotels, tyre and exhaust fitters and warehouses. The HSE regulate health & safety in factories, hospitals, council run premises, schools, colleges, construction and agricultural premises.

IT WAS RESOLVED THAT

The Scrutiny Committee recommends to Full Council to approve the Health & Safety Intervention Plan 2017/18.

To receive the forecast outturn position for the year as at 31^st March 2018 based upon actual income and expenditure to 31^st December 2017.

Members considered the report which outlined the Quarter 3 Revenue Budget position as at 31^st December 2017, and the latest 2017/18 outturn position forecast at 31^st March 2018 forecasting an underspend of £98k.

IT WAS RESOLVED THAT

The report was noted.

To receive an update on the capital expenditure and resources position as at 31^st December 2017.

Members received a report outlining the latest Capital Budget position as at 31st December 2017, and a revised Capital Budget of £11,417,995.

IT WAS RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

To consider the Council’s proposed Revenue Budget for 2018/19.

Members considered a report which set out the proposed revenue budget for 2018/19.  The report proposed a revenue budget of £15.089million, which equated to a Council Tax rise of 2.99%.

Members discussed the following:

·         Following the Local Plan inspection was the cost of any revisions required included within the 2018/19 budget?  A report had been taken to Executive in January 2018 which requested a virement from within existing resources of £30k to meet the modifications required by the Inspector.  No further budget requirement had been identified.

IT WAS RESOLVED

That the Scrutiny Committee endorses the recommendation for the Executive to recommend the report for approval by Full Council.

To consider the Council’s proposed Capital Investment Budget for 2018/19 and the Capital Programme for 2018-21.

Members considered a report which set out the proposed capital budget for 2018/19, and the Capital Improvement Programme for 2018/19 – 2020/21.  The report proposed a capital budget of £10,140,512million.

Members discussed the following:

·         Ward Opportunities Funding no longer part of Capital Programme.  This had been a much appreciated scheme by residents.  The scheme had been significantly underspent year on year, and the Capital Programme was required to make savings.

IT WAS RESOLVED

That the Scrutiny Committee endorses the recommendation for the Executive to recommend the report for approval by Full Council.

To consider the longer term financial outlook within the context of a Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Members considered a report which outlined the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2019/2020 – 2021/22.  Additional information received showed the England average spending power increase (p143) had been increased to 1.9% with the announcement of £200million additional social care funding.  This was compared to Burnley’s reduction in spending power of 3.5%

IT WAS RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

To consider a report which sets out the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy 2018/19; sets out prudential indicators for 2018-21, and seeks approval for the Council’s Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement.

Members considered the Council’s Treasury management Strategy for 2018/19.

IT WAS RRESOLVED

That the report be noted.

To receive an update on the work of any active Scrutiny Review Groups.

Dementia Services

Rob Dobson updated Members on the progress of the Dementia Review Group.  He outlined that the group had identified three areas for focus, and Officers would take these forward with partners, and hold a further meeting of the group in May or June.

Members discussed the following:

·         Singing for the Brain Choir had been struggling to access funding.  Were there any streams available?  One of the requests had been for funding raised locally at the Memory Walk to be made available to support local groups.  Rob Dobson would investigate how that funding was being allocated.

To consider any additions to the draft Work Plan for 2017/18 and to consider the Work Plan for 2018/19.

Alison McEwan outlined the items on the Agenda to date for the March meeting, and asked Members to note the meeting date had changed to 19^th March following a change in the date of the Executive meeting.

Work had also begun on the 2018/19 Work Programme, and an update would be brought to the March meeting.

To consider a report outlining a revised structure as part of the Council’s need to reshape itself to meet future challenges, in the context of reducing budgets.

Members considered a report which outlined a revised structure as part of the Council’s need to reshape itself to meet future challenges, in the context of reducing budgets.

IT WAS RESOLVED

That the report be noted.