To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committeemeeting held on 5 October 2023.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Extraordinary Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committeemeeting held on 1 November 2023.

The minutes of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 5 October and the Extraordinary Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 1 November 2023 were approved as a correct record.

To receive additional items that the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972. To agree any relevant briefing notes submitted to the Committee.

There were no urgent items of business.

No interests were declared.

This item will be deferred to the next meeting.

The report presented set out the estimated forecast revenue outturn position for 2023/24 for the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account (HRA), Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and Public Health Grant.

The following points were raised.

·       Member questioned when the financial accounts for 2020/21 would be completed and what the severity for the council would be on these not yet being completed.

·       Member questioned the HR, OD and Transformation overspend of £0.928m.

·       Member questioned the Children’s Services placement overspend of £2.153m.

·       Member questioned the Counter Fraud & Enforcement overspend of £0.064m.

·       Member referred to the Housing Revenue Account, Housing Development, and questioned why the forecast variation had doubled the current budget.

·       Member referred to the direction of travel and raised concern on the high number that were red, going downward, although tight controls were in place.

·       Member referred to the Housing General Fund and raised concern on the down direction of travel and questioned whether enough was being done from Government grants.

·       Member referred to revised reduced forecast for income from Thameside and stated Thameside needed the chance to operate fairly on a level playing field and that this was not a fair overspend.

·       Member requested a breakdown of the Transformation Budget and include in a briefing note. (see action point 26)

·       Member questioned the final balance of the capitalisation that would be sought from Government this year.

·       Member sought clarification from officers on the direction of travel on the Housing Revenue Account.

·       Member referred to Place, Economic Development Service and stated the council were inhibiting revenue to be created. (see action point 27)

·       Member referred to the Lower Thames Crossing overspend of £0.317m and questioned whether charges being made for work being carried was being monitored sufficiently. (see action point 28)

·       Member referred to the Slippage on Capital Programme, by Project, and questioned how at risk were these programmes.

·       Member questioned why on Appendix 2 the Item 10393; Redevelopment of Council Offices for Residential Accommodation was still being shown. (see action point 29)

·       Member asked for clarification on external funding for Youth Zone. (see action point 30)

·       Member asked for clarification on borrowing costs.

·       Member requested an update on the progress on the work being undertaken by PWC.

At 7.34pm the meeting went into exempt session.

At 7.39pm the meeting resumed into public session.

The chair thanked members for their contributions this evening.

ACTIONS

26.      Steven Mair to provide a breakdown of the Transformation Budget in the form of a briefing note.

27.      Steven Mair agreed to take back to service colleagues for an update on the operations of the Thameside theatre and provide briefing note.

28.      Steven Mair agreed to take back to service colleagues to ensure charging was being monitored and would provide an update at the February meeting.

29.      Steven Mair agreed to take back to service colleagues for further detail on why on Appendix 2 the Item 10393, Redevelopment of Council Offices for Residential Accommodation was still being shown. 

30.      Steven Mair agreed to take back to service  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

The work programme was discussed and members agreed to invite Councillor Snell to the 1 February 2024 meeting to provide an update on the Investment Advisory Panel.

The recording of the meeting can be viewed from the following link:

Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 7 December 2023, 7:00pm - Thurrock Council committee meeting webcasts (public-i.tv)