Decision details

The Panel considered its future Work Programme.

The Panel noted the following proposal made by Cllr D Harrison at the Council meeting on 26 February 2018:

“That this Authority, when sending out Council Tax bills, includes an invitation to residents living in Band H properties to pay a voluntary additional sum of £100, £250 or £500 which the Council will use to support programmes that maintain and improve public services, especially those that have most impact on the poorest, most vulnerable members of our community.”

The Deputy Leader of the Council had suggested that the matter be considered by a Task and Finish Group.  Some members opposed the suggestion, and queried the costs of sending out a leaflet to residents about this issue.  After discussion, it was agreed that the matter be considered by the Council Tax Reduction Scheme Task and Finish Group when it met later in the year.

It was noted that the annual report on the provisional budget out-turn and annual performance would be submitted to the June Panel meeting.

It was agreed that the ICT Strategy, the People Strategy and the Procurement Strategy be rescheduled to the June meeting.

The Panel requested that the item concerning ‘Access to alternative funding sources for voluntary organisations and parish/town councils’ be clarified at the June meeting.

An update on Universal Credit was requested at the September meeting.

A brief update was given on progress on the Customer Services Strategy.  A great deal of work was being undertaken in the background on changes to ICT systems to improve the customer experience which would result in efficiencies and produce cost savings.  It was recognised that these were dependent on work currently being undertaken to the ICT infrastructure, and that much of this work including work on the Council’s website, was interlinked.   A procurement exercise was being undertaken, the results of which would be brought to the Task and Finish Group in May. 

It was confirmed that other local government websites had been research and best practice identified, whilst integrating with the Council’s back office systems.  Members recognised that, whilst the delay had not been ideal, as much progress as possible was being made within the current constraints.   They requested an update at the June Panel meeting.

Members also requested an update on Democratic Engagement Task and Finish Group work at the June Panel meeting.

It was commented that, when task and finish groups were set up, there should be a clear start and finish date for each of the projects.  The Chairman agreed that this should be done wherever possible.

The Chairman raised the topic of employee-owned services (the John Lewis model) and reported on an informal discussion with Cllrs Rickman and M R Harris and the Chief Executive on the matter.  He sought members’ views on the issue.  Members requested that specific examples of the model being used in other authorities be sent to them, and, subject to members’ views, draft terms of reference be circulated to the Panel for agreement at the June meeting.

Given the amount of work due to come before the Panel at the June meeting, it was agreed that the Broadband in the New Forest item be deferred to September.

Members noted that an Economic Development Strategy was nearing completion and the Executive Management Team had suggested that a task and finish group be set up to provide feedback to the Economic Development Manager with a view to sharpening the document’s focus, prior to its submission to the Panel.  Cllrs O’Sullivan, Mrs McEvoy and Steele volunteered to serve on the task and finish group with Cllrs M Harris and Rickman attending.  A further three members would be sought from an open invitation to the whole Council, and Cllrs Steele and Harris would finalise the membership of the group, which would meet once or twice as necessary to complete the work.

The Panel considered suggested amendments to the terms of reference of the Property Investment Task & Finish Group. 

RESOLVED:

(a)        That the terms of reference of the Property Investment Task and Finish Group be amended to read as follows:

“To monitor work undertaken under the Commercial Property Investment Strategy and the Residential Property Investment Strategy.”; and

(b)        That the Council Tax Reduction Scheme Task and Finish Group consider the following proposal by Cllr Harrison when it meets later in the year:

“That this Authority, when sending out Council Tax bills, includes an invitation to residents living in Band H properties to pay a voluntary additional sum of £100, £250 or £500 which the Council will use to support programmes that maintain and improve public services, especially those that have most impact on the poorest, most vulnerable members of our community.”