Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Govind and Councillor Grant.

Councillor Newcombe had also submitted his apologies. Councillor Cleaver was his substitute for the meeting.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

No declarations of interest were made.

The Chair made no announcements.

The minutes of the meeting of the Overview Select Committee held on 14 December 2017 are attached and the Committee will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

AGREED:

that the minutes of the meeting of the Overview Select Committee held 14 December 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Chair explained that a report on the Homeless Strategy had been considered at the Housing Scrutiny Commission, but because of its wide ranging implications, it had been agreed that it would also be considered at the Overview Select Committee. The Chair added that the issue of homelessness was a strong concern amongst Members.

The City Mayor responded that the problems experienced by the homeless, such as rough sleepers were very complex. He had recently been involved in meetings in Washington, U.S.A. where the problems of homelessness had been discussed.  Central Government agencies there were looking to provide a roof over their heads, but many of the Mayors there, believed as he did that it was also necessary to work closely with the relevant partners to address mental health problems. The City Mayor added that the issues around homelessness that Leicester were experiencing also applied in many cities around the world.

The Monitoring Officer to report on any questions, representations or statements of case received.   

The Monitoring Officer reported that there were no questions, representations or statements of case.

The Monitoring Officer to report on any petitions received.

The Monitoring Officer reported that there were no petitions.

The Monitoring Officer submits a report that updates Members on the monitoring of outstanding petitions. The Committee is asked to note the current outstanding petitions and agree to remove those petitions marked ‘Petitions Process Complete’ from the report.

AGREED:

that the report be noted and petitions referenced 27/09/2017, 14/07/2017/1, 28/09/2017 marked ‘petitions process complete’ be removed from the monitoring report.

The City Mayor will answer questions raised by members of the Overview Select Committee on issues not covered elsewhere on the agenda.

Government Funding for Adult Social Care

Councillor Cleaver asked the City Mayor if he would give his support to a letter that was going to be sent to the Secretary of State with responsibility for funding Adult Social Care. A recent report had stated that approximately 150 Directors for Adult Social Care had expressed strong concerns as to how Adult Social Care budgets could be managed with the level of funding provided.

The City Mayor responded that he would be pleased to read the letter and while he would need to see more detail, he anticipated that he would be able to give his support. Directors across the Country, from the different political persuasions were expressing their strong concerns as to the level of funding for Adult Social Care.  The City Mayor added that the City Council’s budget for this service was increasing despite the reduction in the overall Government Grant. The demand for support from the Adult Social Care Service was growing; there was an ageing population as well as a growing number of people of working age with complex issues who needed support.

Council Policy relating to suitability for Children at Leicester Theatres

Councillor Dr Moore asked the City Mayor if there was a general policy regarding the admittance of babies and young children to certain types of performances at Curve or De Montfort Hall. Not all performances were suitable for young children.

Councillor Dr Moore was advised that a response to this query would be sought from Curve and De Montfort Hall.

Funding Grant to a business in the Cultural Quarter

Councillor Porter stated that a significant grant had been given to a business in the Cultural Quarter, and subsequently it became know that the business involved a relation of the City Mayor. He questioned whether the grant should be given back to the council. The City Mayor responded that the grant had been approved by Councillor Waddington; he understood that the funding had been given to a third party. He added that it would be wrong of him to interfere with either the giving or negating of the funding grant and it was appropriate that he should not get involved in such decisions.

Leicester City Council’s use of outsourcing

Councillor Cutkelvin referred to the current situation with Capita and Carillion and asked the City Mayor as to the extent that Leicester City Council used outsourcing companies.

The City Mayor responded that in general he preferred the council to provide services in house, though at times it was more appropriate to bring in specialist services or consultants. The Director of Finance stated that there were some contracts with Capita which were part of their core business.     The Director added that procurement was managed carefully and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

Members will be asked to comment on the draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2018/19 to 2020/21, which will be considered at the meeting of Council on 21 February 2018.

The draft budget has been considered by the different Scrutiny Commissions and a draft minute extract from the meeting of the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Scrutiny Commission is attached.  Because of the timetable of Scrutiny Commission meetings, further minute extracts will be circulated after the agenda has been published.

Draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2018/19 to 2020/21 (Appendix C)

Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport draft minute extract (Appendix C1)

Second Despatch:

Draft Minute Extracts from the discussions held at the meetings of the following Scrutiny Commissions are now attached:

Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission (Appendix C2)

Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Commission (Appendix C3)

Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Commission (Appendix C4)

The Director of Finance submitted the Draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2018/19 to 2020/21. Members were asked to comment on the budget prior to its consideration at the meeting of Council on 21 February 2018.  The budget had been considered by different Scrutiny Commissions and minute extracts of those meetings had also been presented to the Committee for consideration.

The Chair referred to the significant reductions in government grant and stated that the considerable pressure arising from the numbers of older people requiring care and increases in looked after children meant that between 2010/11 and 2019/20 spending on all other services would fall from £192m to an estimated £85m. This was a cut of 62% in real terms. It would therefore be necessary to use some of the reserves and carry out a further round of spending reviews in order to balance the budget. 

The City Mayor reported that the level of cuts the Government had made in the Revenue Support Grant was unprecedented and had led to the Council having to make extremely difficult decisions.  The City Mayor added that there were four separate budgets:

1)    The Schools’ Budget, funded by grant, is paid to the Council and then paid out to schools.

2)    The Housing Revenue Account – this is funded from tenants’ rents and can only be used for their benefit.

3)    The Capital Budget that is spent on tangible projects. The majority of the capital budget will be spent on school places but also on projects around the city and on highways and transportation.

4)    The General Fund Revenue Budget which is spent on all other running costs of the Council.

The City Mayor stated that he would be recommending to Council that they adopted the maximum amount of Council Tax increase that was allowed, i.e.  6%.  He took no pleasure in making this recommendation but it was an increase that was necessary in order to lessen the impact of the cuts the Council needed to make. This increase would raise approximately £6m.   There was also a cost associated with the council workers’ pay award; but this was not yet settled and the Unions have recommended rejection of the offer made.  The City Mayor added that he was of the firm belief that the Government had a responsibility to ensure that local authorities could pay their workforce a living wage; and this was the point that Leicester and other authorities of different political persuasions would be making to the Government.

Councillor Dr Moore commented that the Children, Young People and Schools Scrutiny Commission had given careful attention to the budget and the Members felt that there were provisions there to protect children and vulnerable people. Many of Leicester’s population were deprived and there were over 600 looked after children and also over 600 children at risk, who needed care plans.  Councillor Dr Moore commented that she believed that this was a result of austerity and the significant pressure that parents were under when struggling to manage  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

The Director of Finance submits a report that proposes a strategy for managing the Council’s borrowing and cash balances during 2018/19 and for the remainder of 2017/18. (This is the treasury management strategy). The Overview Select Committee is asked to comment as it wishes.

The Director of Finance submitted a report that proposed a strategy for managing the Council’s borrowing and cash balances during 2018/19 and for the remainder of 2017/18. 

The Chair introduced the report and stated that Treasury Management Strategy was a well-established strategy which had proved to be robust and effective.

AGREED:

                   that the Treasury Management Strategy 2018/19 be noted

a)    To receive and endorse the following Scoping Document:-

Persistent Pupil Absence – causes, prevention and solutions (secondary school age) (Children, Young People and Schools Scrutiny Commission) (Appendix  E);

b)    To receive and endorse the following report of a review carried out by a Scrutiny Commission:-

Literacy Teaching at Key Stage 1 (with a focus on reading) (Children, Young People and Schools Scrutiny Commission) (Appendix E1 – E4)

The Chair of the Children, Young People and Schools Scrutiny Commission presented the scoping document for a review into Persistent Pupil Absence (secondary school pupils).

As part of the review, the Chair said that the task group would initially talk to head teachers and then focus groups to try to better understand why students at secondary school went absent.

AGREED:

that the Committee endorse the scoping document for a review into Persistent Pupil Absence.

The Chair of the Children, Young People and Schools Scrutiny Commission presented the review report into Literacy Teaching at Key Stage 1 and explained that the Commission had been concerned at the poor results of literacy and maths at Key Stage 1 and 2. The subject matter would have been too large for a task group review and it was agreed to narrow down the topic and focus on literacy at Key Stage 1. Members decided to look at five schools that were achieving very good results despite factors such as social deprivation and high numbers of children with English as a second language.  Members found a real commitment in those schools in teaching the written word and all were using phonics in the curriculum.

A Member thanked Councillor Dr Moore for the report and commented that as a parent of school age children, she had found the use of phonics really helpful.

AGREED:

that the Committee endorse the review into Literacy Teaching at Key Stage 1

A work programme for the Overview Select Committee is attached.  The Committee is asked to consider this and make comments and/or amendments as it considers necessary.

AGREED:

                   that the Overview Select Committee work programme be noted.

Members are asked to consider the Plan of Key Decisions and comment as they see fit.

The Chair asked Members to be mindful of any items on the Plan of Key Decisions that related to their own Commission’s work programme.

The meeting closed at 7.58 pm.