Agenda and decisions

To receive any apologies for absence.

To receive and note any declarations of interests in respect of any matters included on the agenda for consideration at this meeting.

(The other registrable interests of Councillors of Somerset Council, arising from membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes: City, Town & Parish Twin Hatters - Somerset Councillors 2023 )

To approve the minutes from the previous meeting held on 24 July 2024.

The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.

For those members of the public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note, a three minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.

We are now live webcasting most of our committee meetings and you are welcome to view and listen to the discussion. The link to each webcast will be available on the meeting webpage, please see details under ‘click here to join online meeting’.

To consider the Forward Plans for Scrutiny Corporate and Resources and the Executive and to invite members to put forward any items/areas for consideration by this committee.

Somerset Council Forward Plans

Somerset Council Executive Forward Plan

To consider the report on the 2024/25 General Fund Revenue Budget Monitoring – Month 3

To receive the 2024/25 General Fund Capital Budget Monitoring Report for Quarter 1

To receive the 2024/25 Housing Revenue Account Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report for Qtr 1.

The committee are asked to consider and respond to the CTR Scheme consultation questions regarding the proposed changes to the scheme.

The Committee resolved the following:

• Part 1 – reducing the level of discount provided to a maximum of 75% - recommended that this change is not implemented and that the maximum level of support remains at 100% (Votes: 7 in favour, 1 against, 1 abstention)

• Part 2 – introducing non-dependent deductions of £10 per week – recommended that this change be adopted (Votes: 8 in favour, 1 abstention)

• Part 3 – restricting support to band D Council Tax levels – recommended that this change be adopted (Votes: 6 in favour, 3 abstentions)

• Part 4 – reducing the time we can backdate claims to 1 month – recommended that this change be adopted (Votes: 8 in favour, 1 abstention)

To consider and comment on the proposed new Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Policy for Somerset Council.

The Committee resolved the following:

·       To approve recommendations 1,2 and 3.

·       Not to approve recommendation 4 – to recommend to Executive Committee to re-adopt the RIPA Policy for Somerset Council - and made recommendations on various amendments and updates to the Policy.

·       To approve recommendation 5 but with the addition to include that the Scrutiny Corporate & Resources Committee review the policy annually, prior to the Executive annual review.

To consider the Target Operating Model of the Improvement and Transformation Programme.