Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of members' interests.

The purpose of the report is to make recommendations on the allocation of funding for the Voluntary & Community Sector in the grant year 2015/16.

RECOMMENDED that the Resources Portfolio Holder agrees the allocation of funding for 2015/2016 in appendices 1-3

(TAKE IN REPORT)

Mandy Lindley introduced the report and explained that its purpose is to make recommendations on the allocation of funding for the Voluntary & Community Sector in the grant year 2015/16.  The allocations had been thoroughly discussed as part of the budget setting process but were formalised through Resources portfolio.

She explained that due to budget savings grant funding has been reduced across the board over the past five years and that organisations were aware that funding was reducing.   Organisations are being encouraged to apply for alternative funding from other bodies such as the Hampshire Isle of Wight Community Foundation - especially where the amounts sought are lower than £2,000. Appendices 1,2 and 3 set out the proposed allocation of funding for 2015/16.

DECISION:

That the Resources Portfolio Holder agrees the allocation of funding for 2015/2016 in appendices 1-3 of the report.

(INFORMATION ONLY ITEM)

The purpose of the report is to inform the Cabinet Member and Opposition Spokespersons of:

·         The forecast revenue expenditure for the year compared with the cash

limited budget.

·         The forecast capital expenditure against the revised capital programme

for the Resources portfolio.

RECOMMENDED that the content of this report be noted.

( TAKE IN REPORT and Appendices A and B)

Sue Page, Finance Manager, introduced the report which informs the Cabinet Member and Opposition Spokespersons of the forecast revenue expenditure for the year (Appendix A) compared with the cash limited budget and the forecast capital expenditure (Appendix B) against the revised capital programme for the Resources portfolio.

The Finance Manager explained that some remedial action had been required to deal with overspends. Paragraph 6.3 sets out the contributions of £313,000 to the reserve and 6.4 details the approvals against this reserve.  After taking these into account, the uncommitted balance remaining on the portfolio reserve is £319,800. However, £296,000 of the commitments in this reserve fall in the 2015/16 year.

Members were pleased to note that Legal services income has continued to improve.

The information in the report was noted by the Cabinet Member.

That in view of the contents of item 6 on the agenda the Committee is RECOMMENDED to adopt the following motion:

“That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act, 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act, 1985, the press and public be excluded for the consideration of the following items on the grounds that the reports contain information defined as exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972”.

The public interest in maintaining the exemption must outweigh the public interest in disclosing the information.

Under the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) England Regulations 2012, regulation 5, the reasons for exemption of the listed item is shown below.

Members of the public may make representation as to why the item should be held in open session.  A statement of the Council’s response to representations received will be given at the meeting so that this can be taken into account when members decide whether or not to deal with the item under exempt business.

(NB     The exempt/confidential committee papers on the agenda will contain information which is commercially, legally or personally sensitive and should not be divulged to third parties.  Members are reminded of standing order restrictions on the disclosure of exempt information and are invited to return their exempt documentation to the Senior Local Democracy Officer at the conclusion of the meeting for shredding.)

1.         Information relating to any individual

2.         Information that is likely to reveal the identity of an individual

3.         Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

It was proposed by Councillor Lee Mason seconded by Councillor Hugh Mason that in view of the contents of the appendix to the following item on the agenda the meeting moves into exempt session.  This was agreed.

RESOLVED that under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded for the consideration of the following items on the grounds that the reports contain information defined as exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972

(INFORMATION ONLY)

The purpose of this report is

(1)  to provide the Resources Portfolio Holder and Opposition Spokespersons with an update on the review of support provided to elected members.  This was requested following the earlier report presented to the 4 December 2014 Resources Decision Meeting.

(2)   to request that changes to the roles of Members Services Staff be noted and communicated to each Political Group.

RECOMMENDED that the Resources Portfolio Holder notes the report

(TAKE IN REPORT and exempt appendix)

Louise Wilders, Head of Customer, Community and Democratic Services (CCDS), introduced the report which updated members on the consultation and review that had been undertaken on the support provided to elected members.  The consultation and review indicated that the work required by the Members' support team had decreased as members became more proficient with available technology.  Work undertaken by an analyst is detailed in exempt Appendix 1.

The formal process for reducing staff in Members' Services is set out in paragraph 3.1 of the report.

3.2.2 of the report sets out  proposals that from the start of the 2015 Municipal Year,

·         Any elected members requiring diary management from the Members' Support Team will allow their diaries to be managed via the Outlook calendar system

·         With the exception of Full Council papers and Cabinet, printing and copying requests will be by exception.

During discussion the following matters were raised

·         Members felt it would be useful to have a directory of who to contact in relation to types of query received from constituents.

·         It was confirmed that all elected members are automatically set up with PCC email addresses

·         Members said it was useful to be able to look up postcodes and wanted this facility to continue to be available to them in one form or another.

·          Issues on IT should be addressed in the first instance to the Head of CCDS.

It was proposed by Councillor Lee Mason seconded by Councillor Hugh Mason that the meeting continue in open session and this was agreed.

Changes to the roles of Members' Services staff (and that these would be communicated to each political group) were noted by the Cabinet Member..