Agenda item

The Committee will receive the report of the Finance Task Group which met on 30 August 2018 to consider the following finance reports.

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance Task Group held 30 August 2018 (Appendix C)

Revenue Budget Monitoring Period 3 2018 / 19 (Appendix C1)

Capital Budget Monitoring Period 3 2018/19 (Appendix C2)

The Chair introduced the Report of the Finance Task Group and referred Members to the minutes of the meeting held 30 August 2018, which had been included in the agenda pack.

Councillor Porter referred to the figures in the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report (Period 3) for Neighbourhood and Environmental Services and said that numerous complaints had been received relating to the lack of grass cutting and the number of weeds on paths. He said that it appeared there were insufficient staff to carry out the work and asked how many people in the Parks Service had been made redundant and by how much had the salaries budget been cut.

The City Mayor responded that those figures would be sent to Councillor Porter, but because of the very significant savings they were having to make between 2010 and 2020, there were now considerably less staff.  Grass cutting was now taking place in a way that was beneficial to the environment and wildlife was being encouraged by leaving some of the grass uncut. Birds such as kestrels and raptors were now being seen in the city because they could find prey.

The Chair confirmed that he too had expressed concerns about the level of grass cutting.

Members agreed to note the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report, Period 3 2018/19.

In respect of the Capital Budget Monitoring Report (Period 3), the Chair congratulated officers on the way the report was presented and he thought that the Red Amber Green (RAG) ratings were helpful. He believed that the Capital Budget warranted scrutiny and he hoped that Scrutiny Chairs would continue to carry out that scrutiny in their own commissions.

Councillor Porter referred to the St George’s Churchyard scheme and said that there had been very considerable opposition to proposals to fell the trees, including that from Heritage England. He asked whether the scheme would be abandoned or whether the trees could remain and be properly managed. The City Mayor responded that he did not know as he had no involvement in that area, but he would forward the query onto the Deputy City Mayor for the Environment, Health and Health Integration.

Councillor Cutkelvin asked whether some on-going issues with the building of the new Waterside School would impact on primary school places. The City Mayor said that the new Waterside School would replace Fosse and Slater Schools; a delay in building the new school would add pressures to primary school places but the council would be able to cope with the delay. He was currently awaiting a report on the issue.

Members agreed to note the Capital Budget Monitoring Report Period 3 2018/19.

AGREED:

that the Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Reports Period 3, 2018/19 and the Report of the Finance Task Group be noted.

Councillor Cleaver left the meeting during the consideration of the Report of the Finance Task Group.