Issue - meetings

PART I – ITEMS RESOLVED BY CABINET

There were no speakers on the items resolved by Cabinet at its meeting on 7 August 2024.

PART II – RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL

Item 4 – Annual Performance and Provisional Budget Outturn 2023/24

The Leader introduced the item and moved the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting.  Cllr S Davies seconded the motion.

RESOLVED:

That Council approve the establishment of a new Corporate Priorities Reserve, with an initial contribution of £1.5 million in 2023/24 and note the transfer of £262,000 in 2023/24 to enhance the Treasury Management Reserve.

Item 5 – Transformation Business Case – Customer and Digital Services (Including Organisational Design) and Appletree Court

The Leader introduced the item and moved the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting.  Cllr S Davies seconded the motion.

One Member suggested that the general trend of staff working from home could be considered the biggest change the Council had ever seen, with it starting before the pandemic and accelerating through this period.  The Member considered that whilst  there were advantages of this, some risks including isolation, and the impact on collaboration and team ethic needed to be very carefully considered.  It was requested that this be given very close attention, particularly if more radical change such as office closures took place.  In connection with hybrid working, a further Member highlighted the importance of being able to offer this as an employee benefit, in a challenging recruitment space.  This aided the Council’s work as an employer of choice, and to retain talented staff, if the right balance could be found.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate agreed that the management of the risk of staff isolation was crucial.  Senior officers monitored this closely.  This was assisted by a hybrid balance of three days in the office, with two working from home.  The environmental benefits of reducing five days worth of staff commuting was also noted.  The Portfolio Holder took the opportunity to remind Members that there were no plans to close Appletree Court, and committed to maintaining a council presence across the District.

One Member spoke specifically on the potential future of Lymington Town Hall and the impact that this might have not only on NFDC residents, but to those partner organisations using the facilities at the site.

The Leader responded to the debate, highlighting the support for the balance of hybrid working expressed through the recent staff survey results.  Team days were also highlighted which involved all staff from a particular service area attending to collaborate with colleagues.  Hybrid working was seen as an important part of the Council being able to strive towards and maintain its position as an employer of choice.

RESOLVED:

That Council approve:-

1.     the allocation of £2.709m on an invest-to-save basis to deliver the necessary technology and organisational changes to deliver the preferred future organisational design option; and

2.     the allocation of up to £1.75m for improvements to the East wing of ATC on an invest-to-save basis, to facilitate the third party  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23