Agenda and minutes

The Chairman, County Councillor F De Molfetta welcomed Authority members and members of the press and public to the virtual committee meeting of the Resources Committee.  He advised that in response to the Covid-19 pandemic the Government had made regulations that enabled virtual meetings.  This meeting was accessible for Committee members via Microsoft Teams and for members of the press and public via a live webcast on YouTube.

The Committee Members individually confirmed their attendance at the start of the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillor Simon Blackburn.

Members are asked to consider any pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the agenda.

None received.

RESOLVED: - That the Minutes of the last meeting held on 25 November 2020 be confirmed as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

RESOLVED: - That the report be noted and endorsed.

The Director of Corporate Services presented the report.

Revenue Budget

The overall position as at the end of January showed an underspend of £0.6m, largely as a result of pay underspends as previously reported and detailed in the table in the report.  Since the last Resources Committee, discussions had been held with budget holders on what impact the pandemic had had on their planned spend and virements totalling £0.5m had been identified which had been reflected as transferring into earmarked reserves for use in the next financial year.  It was also proposed to transfer £0.1m of underspent Fleet Services budgets into the Covid fund, in relation to savings on vehicle running costs due to remote working during the pandemic.  The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) had been collating both spends and savings for the fire sector during the pandemic and reporting to the Home Office.

After allowing for this, the outturn position was currently expected to be an underspend of £0.4m as detailed in Appendix 1. It had previously been reported that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) would be carrying out the annual national non-domestic rates return (NNDR3) reconciliation, and be making payments where appropriate to Authorities before the end of March 2021, however MHCLG had now confirmed that there would be no levy account distributions in 2020/21.

The year to date and forecast positions within individual departments were set out in the report with major variances relating to non-pay spends and variances on the pay budget being shown separately in the table below: -

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee has been agreed for 10:00 hours on 7 July 2021 – venue to be agreed.

Further meetings are:    scheduled for 29 September 2021 and 1 December 2021

                                           proposed for 30 March 2022

The next meeting of the Committee would be held on Wednesday, 7 July 2021 at 1000 hours in – venue to be agreed.

Further meeting dates were noted for 29 September 2021 and 1 December 2021 and agreed for 30 March 2022.

The Committee is asked to consider whether, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, they consider that the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, indicated under the heading to the item.

RESOLVED: - That the press and members of the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, indicated under the heading to the item.

(Paragraphs 3 and 4)

The Director of People and Development updated Members on the current position in respect of fire service pension schemes. 

RESOLVED: - That the Committee noted the recommendation as outlined in the report.

(Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3)

Members considered additional information in relation sick pay arrangements agreed at the last meeting.

RESOLVED: - That the Committee determined to reaffirm the decision made at the last meeting to retain the current guidance as outlined in the report.

(Paragraph 3)

Members considered a report that provided an update on all contracts for one-off purchases valued in excess of £100,000 and high value procurement projects in excess of £100,000 including: new contract awards, progress of ongoing projects and details of new projects.

RESOLVED:  That the Committee noted the report.