Agenda and minutes

1.  Apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Y Clements and Councillor A Hodgson.

No declarations of interest were received.

No questions or deputations were received.

To consider for approval the draft Minutes arising from the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board meeting held on 6^th September 2022.

The Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board:

RESOLVED:

(i)  To agree the Minutes arising from the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board meeting held on 5^th September 2022 to be an accurate record.

The Scrutiny Board has asked to receive a report on a review of the Council’s financial position, including the impact of financial pressures in Children’s Services.

The report before the Scrutiny Board arose from a request the Scrutiny Board made to receive a report which provided a review of the Council’s financial position, including the impact of financial pressures in Children’s Services.

The Head of Financial Operations informed the Scrutiny Board that a report detailing the Council’s financial position had been scheduled for submission to the Full Cabinet meeting on 8^th September 2022 detailing the Council’s financial position as at Period 4 (July).  A further report would be submitted to a future meeting of Cabinet addressing Period 6. 

Members attention was drawn to Section 3.2 of the report, which provided background for the next iteration of the MTFS from 2023/24 – 2025/26, specifically providing an early indication of the matters being dealt with .The report before the Scrutiny Board provided summaries of both the local and national challenges the Council faces; for example, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, cost of living impacts and energy supplier prices, all of which impact on the MTFS projections. Further pressures identified included growing demand placed on Children’s Services and adult social care reforms planned from 2023 and in future years.  Members were advised that all Cabinet Portfolio areas were facing their own specific cost pressures.

Members were advised of a technical issue relating to the auditors’ sign-off of the Council’s Statement of Accounts for 2021/22.  The technical issue affected all local authorities and meant that the statutory sign-off date for the accounts might not be achieved.

Members were informed that in terms of the revenue forecast outturn for 2022/23, there was an adverse variance on the Core Council of £2.619M in relation to the Children and Education portfolio and an in year adverse variance of £3.585M for the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

The DSG deficit was a potential significant financial risk for the Council with effect from 2023/24 if the statutory override arrangements currently in place are not continued beyond the current year.  The Council responded on 18^th August 2022 to a Department for Education (DfE) consultation across all councils asking for the statutory override arrangements to be continued.

The Scrutiny Board was informed that some UKC re-phasing of Capital funding was likely, which would be reported in further detail to Full Cabinet in December 2022.

It was reported that 93% of projected savings were rated as green.

Having received the introduction to the report from the Head of Financial Operations, Members of the Scrutiny Board raised several questions related to the report, which in summary included the following matters:

Councillor Holt queried what solution was foreseen to the prospective ending of the statutory instrument in respect of the DSG.  The Scrutiny Board was advised that it was hoped that the statutory override arrangements would be continued. If the statutory override arrangement did end, it would be very significant for all local authorities.  For Solihull, the scenario of ending the statutory override arrangement would entail ring-fencing nearly £16.8M of reserves, which would have a serious impact on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The report before the Scrutiny Board provided an update for Members on the SMBC and SCH Digital Strategy 2022-2027. The Assistant Director, Business Systems introduced the report.

Members were informed that the Council’s Digital Strategy was reviewed annually, with a major refresh/re-write being undertaken every 5 years.  The Digital Strategy established the Council’s digital vision as well as detailing its support for and relationship with other Council strategies.  The Digital Strategy adopted a high-level view leading to a Digital Strategy road map for the duration of the five-year Strategy.  The input and comments received from the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board in 2021 had been considered and reflected in the current Strategy before the Scrutiny Board.

The current Digital Strategy placed emphasis towards the Council’s staff and skills programmes, leading to a wider embrace and use of digital technology available to employees. The Council’s Digital Strategy also aligned with national Best Practice.

The new Digital Strategy had led to an improved integration between digital standards and governance arrangements across the Council. Future plans for the Digital Strategy included placing an emphasis on the key themes of supporting improved data capture and management and the use of performance information leading to improved Council services.  Improved collaboration with partners had also been identified as an area to explore further, for example with SCH and NHS partners.  The Digital Strategy was seen as the means to deliver improved operational efficiencies, facilitating skills and training programmes, supporting inclusive social and public engagement with customers, the general public, businesses and residents. It was also recognised that digital provision / use was improving choices for people, rather than being presented as the only channel available to the Council’s customers.

Having received the report introduction from the Assistant Director, Business Systems, Members of the Scrutiny Board raised several questions related to the report, which in summary included the following matters:

Councillor Gibbins queried whether digital security for residents could be reflected within the Digital Strategy e.g. in respect of on-line/digital frauds and scamming targeting the general public and residents. 

The Assistant Director, Business Systems confirmed that further emphasis could be added to the Digital Strategy in terms of what activities were already taking place to counter cyber fraud; for example, the joint working taking place between the Council and Trading Standards.

Councillor Parker noted that with the Council’s hybrid working arrangements now established, continuous employee training and greater degrees of accessibility to IT support was required to support the on-going development of the Council’s employee skills sets.  Councillor Parker sought confirmation that such a programme would be put in place. 

The Assistant Director, Business Systems agreed that through hybrid working arrangements and increased working from home, the volume of help desk calls had increased. The introduction of the Smarter Ways of Working (SWoW) Programme had witnessed more ICT Support Officers assigned to the Council IT Help Desk.

In terms of supporting the acquisition of digital skill sets, Members were advised that there was an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The meeting is not open to the public during discussion of the following item because the report contains exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

The meeting was not open to the public during discussion of the following item because the report contained exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider for approval the draft Private Minutes arising from the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board meeting held on 6^th September 2022.

Councillor Moses clarified for the draft Minutes that his professional designation was ‘Programme and Project Manager’.

The Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board:

RESOLVED:

i)  Subject to the above amendment, to agree that the Private Minutes arising from the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board meeting held on 5^th September 2022 to be a true record.

The Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board meeting

closed at 7:02 p.m.