Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2024 as an accurate record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2024 were agreed as an accurate record.

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and other registrable and non-registrable interests they may have in relation to any item(s) of business on today’s agenda.

There were no disclosures of interest made at the meeting.

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no items of urgent business for the consideration of the Scrutiny & Overview Committee at this meeting.

The Scrutiny & Overview Committee is presented with the Period 10 Financial Performance Monitoring report for its information. The Committee is asked to: -

1.       Review the information provided in the report on the 2023-24 Period 10 Financial Performance Report, and

2.       Consider its conclusions on the latest budget position for 2023-24

3.       Consider whether there are any recommendations to bring to the attention of the Mayor.

The Committee considered a report set out in the supplemental agenda that provided an overview of the latest budget position for 2023-24 up until the end of Period 10 (January 2024). This report was included on the agenda as part of the Committee’s ongoing scrutiny of the delivery of 2023-24 budget.

In attendance for this item were the following: -

• Cllr Jason Cummings – Cabinet Member for Finance
• Jane West – Corporate Director for Resources & Section 151 Officer
• Allister Bannin – Director of Finance & Deputy Section 151 Officer
• Debbie Jones – Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education
• Susmita Sen – Corporate Director for Housing
• Mark Billings – Housing Solutions Transformation Lead

During the introduction to the report, the following information was noted: -

• It was confirmed that the budget position as at period 10 (January 2024) continued to forecast an underspend, although this had been reduced from a £1.5m predicted underspend in period 9 to £1.3m.
• The previously forecasted overspend within the Children, Young People and Education directorate had been reduced from £4.1m to £2.1m following a deep dive into the staffing establishment across the directorate, which had provided a more accurate forecast.
• There was significant change in the Housing directorate which was now forecasting an overspend of £3.5m. This change could be attributed to risks related to repair costs in Croylease properties and the potential expense of fire safety concerns and the resulting void period at Sycamore House.

Following the introduction, the Committee proceeded to ask questions on the information provided, initially focusing on risks highlighted in the Council’s Risk Register. The first question asked about the potential financial cost of the requirement to convert the public switched telephone network from analogue to digital. It was explained that an external company had been contracted to undertake initial diagnostic work, with the findings due to be reported in November 2024. Once this work had been completed the Council would be in a better position to understand the likely cost of the project, which needed to be completed by December 2025.  It was likely that the cost would be met by a combination of General fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) funding.

An update was requested on the fortnightly conversations with representatives from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). It was confirmed that the Chief Executive and the Corporate Director of Resources attended these meetings. The recent focus had been on the closing of the 2019-20 accounts, the Council’s borrowing requirements from the Public Works Loan Board and other issues related to the Council Tax setting process. Going forward the focus would switch to the Medium Term Financial Strategy and the milestones to be met on the way to publication in October 2024. As well as DLUHC, similar conversations were happening with the Improvement & Assurance Panel (IAP), with the latest IAP update to the Secretary of State on the Council’s progress expected shortly.  In response to a follow up question about whether the IAP report was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32/24

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee is asked to: -

1.     Review the information provided in the Croydon Council’s relationship with the voluntary sector report.

2.     Consider whether there are any recommendations it wishes to make to the Executive Mayor.

The Committee considered a report set out in pages 25 to 36 of the agenda, which provided an overview of the Council’s current relationship with the community and voluntary sector for discussion. This report had been requested by the Committee to allow it to review the progress made in resetting the Council’s relationship with the sector, which had originally been discussed by the Scrutiny & Overview Committee at its meeting on 30 January 2023.

The Chair highlighted that prior to the meeting, the Committee had met with representatives from a number of different community and voluntary sector organisations in borough, with the feedback provided being used into inform the questions of the Committee. A summary of the feedback provided can be found appended to the agenda papers on the Council’s website.

In attendance for this item were the following: -

• Executive Mayor Jason Perry
• Jason Cummings – Cabinet Member for Finance
• Andy Stranack – Cabinet Member for Culture & Communities
• Jane West – Corporate Director for Resources & S151 Officer
• Marie Snelling – Interim Assistant Chief Executive
• Bianca Byrne – Director of Adults Social Care, Commissioning, Policy & Improvement
• Helen Reeves – Head of Strategy & Policy
• Chris Rowney – Head of Violence Reduction Network
• Carole Squires – Head of Employment, Skills & Economic Development
• Mark Billings – Housing Solutions Transformation Lead

During the introduction to the report by the Executive Mayor, it was noted that the Council was making progress in rebuilding its relationship with the community and voluntary sector (CVS), although there was still some way to go on the improvement journey. It was acknowledged that there was some frustration within the sector about the pace of change, but it was important to continue to have conversations about the direction of travel and how the Council can best support the sector. Areas of activity being progressed included ensuring that CVS organisations were informed of upcoming contract opportunities, working to ensure that social value opportunities were being effectively leveraged in larger council contract and providing support with training and capacity building.

Following the introduction, the first question from the Committee asked about the overarching approach taken by the Council in resetting its relationship with the CVS. In response it was advised that historically the Council’s primary focus was as a funder of the sector but given the well documented financial challenges this was no longer possible. The reset aimed to redefine the Council’s role towards more of an enabler and facilitator for the sector, working in partnership to deliver outcomes. As well as the Council changing its approach, it was explained that there was also an element of the sector needing to change and adapt as well.

Given the Executive Mayor had recently approved the Transformation Plan for the Council, it was questioned how this plan reflected its envisioned relationship with the sector. It was highlighted that the Transformation Plan included direct references to the sector. In particular, the sector would need to be engaged in the workstreams aimed at changing how the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33/24

The Scrutiny & Overview Committee is asked to

1.     Approve the recommendations made by its Sub-Committee’s for submission to the Executive Mayor for his consideration.

The Committee considered a report set out on pages 37 to 42 of the agenda which presented recommendations proposed by the scrutiny sub-committees for sign-off ahead of submission to the Executive Mayor.

Resolved: The Scrutiny & Overview Committee agreed to approve the recommendations made by its Sub-Committee’s for submission to the Executive Mayor for his consideration.

The Scrutiny & Overview Committee is asked to: -

1.     Note the work completed by the Committee and its Sub-Committee over the course of 2023-24.

2.     Agree the principles that will be used to underpin the development of the 2024-2025 Work Programme.

3.     Consider whether there are any items that should be considered for the 2024-25 work programme.

The Committee considered a report set out on pages 43 to 68 of the agenda which presented the completed 2023-24 work programme for the Scrutiny & Overview Committee and its Sub-Committees.

The Chair proposed to the Committee that the principles originally agreed to unpin the development of the 2023-24 work programme, namely the People’s Money, the People’s Services and the People’s Voice, would be used again to inform work programming for 2024-25. This was agreed.

Resolved: The Scrutiny & Overview Committee agreed to

1. Note the work completed by the Committee and its Sub-Committee over the course of 2023-24.
2. That the principles agreed in 2023-24 will be used to underpin the development of the 2024-2025 Work Programme.

The following motion is to be moved and seconded where it is proposed to exclude the press and public from the remainder of a meeting:

“That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”

This motion was not required.