Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Abdul Kadir.

There were no declarations of interest.

RECOMMENDED that the minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2023 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2023 were confirmed and signed as an accurate record.

The panel will receive updates on progress made in the respect of implementing the recommendations of the below reviews:

·     Housing & Social Care Scrutiny Panel - Review of Provision of breaks / respite for carers (recommendations agreed by Cabinet on 27 June 2023); and

·     Economic Development, Culture & Leisure Scrutiny Panel - Review of Engagement with Culture and Leisure (recommendations agreed by Cabinet on 27 June 2023)

Verbal updates will be provided by the relevant cabinet members, with the update on the Review of Engagement with Culture and Leisure supplemented by the attached written report.

The panel received a verbal update from the Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, Health & Care in respect of progress against the recommendations contained within the review undertaken by the Housing & Social Care Scrutiny Panel into the provision of breaks / respite for carers.

The panel raised no concerns or questions in respect of the update.

The panel considered a written update from the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Culture and Leisure in respect of progress against the recommendations contained within the review undertaken by the Economic Development, Culture & Leisure Scrutiny Panel - Review of Engagement with Culture and Leisure.

In response to questions, the cabinet member explained that 'The Base' development in the Guildhall was an important development being undertaken by The Guildhall Trust in partnership with Arts Council England and Portsmouth City Council.  The initiative would bring young people together in a space that they helped to design and operate to learn technical skills around the performing arts. In addition, skills in the broader sense would also be developed.  The operation of The Base going forwards would be covered as part of the existing annual revenue grant that the council awarded to The Guildhall Trust.

In respect of the leisure card, there was a very broad criteria for eligibility which he believed would make it unviable to pinpoint an exact number of eligible people from which to judge take-up.

The Chair thanked the cabinet members for their updates, along with the panels for undertaking the scrutiny reviews and all those who had been involved.

(Information only Item)

An overview of the budget will be provided by Mr Chris Ward, s151 Officer.

An opportunity will be given to the panel to ask questions.

The panel may also put forward for consideration at Cabinet any collective comments.

Members are advised that the budget papers will be included in the agenda for the 6 February 2024 Cabinet meeting and are expected to be published on 29 January 2024 when they will be available to view on the Council's website via the following link:

Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday, 6th February, 2024, 2.30 pm Portsmouth City Council

(TAKE IN A PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET)

The S.151 Officer introduced the item and explained that the meeting was an opportunity for members of the panel to ask questions on the proposals in the budget prior to it being considered by Cabinet and recommended to Council for approval.  A copy of the presentation is included as an appendix to these minutes.

In response to questions raised by the panel the S.151 Officer explained:

• That the Household Support Fund money was from central government and all funds would be spent this year.  There were no plans to hand money back to the government and the Spring Statement was keenly awaited to see if there would be an extension to the scheme;
• Portsmouth City Council was a low tax collection authority, due to the number of lower Council Tax band properties when compared to statistical neighbours and the national average. Therefore, the revenue raised by increasing Council Tax would generate less revenue than an area with a greater number of higher band properties;
• The finance around Portsmouth Port, which paid a fixed dividend of around £6m each year to the Council.  This provided an impetus for the port to make money, which in turn would be reinvested in the port.  If the port wanted to borrow for capital investment, there would be an increased dividend paid to the council to cover the council's borrowing costs;
• That the Asset Management Survey was an important piece of work to evaluate the best way forward for the council's assets.  It was likely to realise more in savings than the £250k cost of the survey;
• In respect of the spend to save reserves, the £3m for the Bransbury Park Leisure Centre was expected to pay for itself over six years and after then make a profit for council.  In response to a concern about the actual build costs the Leader confirmed that the planning application would be submitted during the coming four weeks and that the leisure centre would be built to the stated costs; and
• That in respect of the £14.5m pressure on social care, the deficit recovery plan for adult social care was very detailed.  The service was meeting its savings targets, but the pressure of demand due to the increasingly complex care needs of service users resulted in increased costs. Placements in children's social care had significantly increased, which was a national issue. The service had a strong governance process, which was the best way to keep on top of costs.

Having sought the views of the panel, the Chair put forward the following requests to Cabinet:

(i)             The Scrutiny Management Panel asks for assurance from Cabinet that the current proposals for the funding of the Bransbury Park Leisure Centre represent value for money and an acceptable level of financial risk; and

(ii)            The Scrutiny Management asks for assurance from Cabinet that the Council's Capital Assets will continue to be managed in a responsible way so as to reduce the future cost pressures.

RECOMMENDED that the panel considers and approves the report from the Task & Finish Group and submits it to Cabinet for consideration.

The panel thanked the officers, partner organisations and members who sat on the task and finish group for their work in supporting the review.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Management Panel APPROVED the report and recommendations in respect of the 'Review into Systems Thinking within Portsmouth City Council'