Agenda and decisions

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from the following_

·         Councillor Henry Hobhouse (no substitute)

·         Councillor Andy Soughton (substituted by Cllr Dawn Johnson)

·         Councillor Diogo Rodrigues (substituted by Cllr Mandy Chilcott)

·         Councillor Lucy Trimnell (substituted by Cllr Rosemary Woods) and

·         Councillor Brian Smedley (substituted by Cllr Leigh Redman).

Councillor Philip Ham joined the meeting remotely.

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 )

There were no declarations of interest received.

To approve the minutes from the previous meeting held on 28 August 2024.

Having been proposed by Cllr Filmer and seconded by Cllr Redman, it was resolved that the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee - Corporate and Resources held on 28 August 2024 be confirmed as a correct record, subject to the following amendment being made to Minute 43 – Recommendation 4:

Minute 43 - Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Policy

Recommendation 4 – amended to read – “The Committee requested that officers incorporate the feedback provided is incorporated as part of the report going forward, including potentially tightening of some of the language before it is approved”.

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’.

There were no members of the public registered to speak. 

To receive the 2024/25 General Fund Revenue Budget Monitoring Report – Month 4.

The Committee noted the report and recommendations for Executive:-

a) Noted the underspend of £1.8m (0.3%) for the 2023/24 financial year which will be added to the General Fund balance.

b) Approves the draws and contributions to earmarked reserves set out in appendix11.

c) Approves to release £0.7m of available earmarked reserves funding to the General Fund balance.

d) Agrees to continue to receive monthly budget monitoring reports in 2024/25 which sets out the forecast outturn for the year with details of any mitigations and actions being taken to address any forecast variances.

e) To note that the Collection Fund outturn position is still being finalised. Any over/underspend will be funded from/contributed to reserves. Any material changes to the reserve position will be noted in a future report.

f) Approve the amendment to the Flexible Capital Receipts Strategy to include the Adult Social Care transformation programme, My Life, My Future (section 34/Appendix 12).

To receive the 2023/24 General Fund Revenue Budget Monitoring Report – Outturn.

The Committee noted the report and recommendations for Executive:-

a) Notes the capital outturn position for the financial year 2023/24 of £117.8m.

b) Approves the slippage of £196.890m from 2023/24 into 2024/25 and beyond whilst a further review of the capital programme takes places during 2024/25.

c) Approves the removal of the underspend.

d) Approves the changes to the capital programme approvals, as detailed in Section 26 of this report.

To receive the 2023/24 General Fund Capital Budget Monitoring Report – Outturn.

The Committee noted the report and recommendations for Executive:-

a) Notes the capital outturn position for the financial year 2023/24 of £117.8m.

b) Approves the slippage of £196.890m from 2023/24 into 2024/25 and beyond whilst a further review of the capital programme takes places during 2024/25.

c) Approves the removal of the underspend.

d) Approves the changes to the capital programme approvals, as detailed in Section 26 of this report.

To receive the 2023/24 Housing Revenue Account Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring Report – Outturn.

The Committee noted the report and recommendations for Executive:-

a) Note the reported Housing Revenue Account Budget underspend of £810k in 2023/24 to be transferred to Unearmarked Reserves.

b) Note the reported HRA Unearmarked Reserves Balance of £12.859m as at 31 March 2024.

c) Note the Capital Outturn position.

d) Approve a virement of £1m to provide match funding for energy efficiency works from net capital budget returns.

e) Approve the proposed reductions to the Capital Programme of net £0.171m for underspends on schemes where budget is no longer required, and the continuation of £57.317m approved budget rolled forward for the 2024/25 Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme (as per Appendix B).

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

Somerset Council Forward Plans

The Committee discussed and noted the Committee’s forward work plan for future meetings.