To review the committee’s work programme.

The Committee considered its work programme.

The following additions and amendments were proposed:

·        the Action Plan accompanying the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy be reviewed in March.

·        That a task and finish group be established to examine why the council had previously not been able to meet project deadlines for council projects, the reasons for delays, what measures needed to be put in place including arrangements with LEP partners, governance, and processes to ensure projects could be delivered on time, budgeted and to the appropriate quality.

·        It was noted that it had also been proposed that the Committee should establish a task and finish group to look at contract management, given considerable spend on these contracts.

The Chief Finance Officer agreed to submit a report to the Committee in January to assist it in deciding how best to proceed in considering the proposed topics on project and contract management. 

·        It was highlighted that an executive decision on the extension of the current contract with Balfour Beatty Living places was pending.

·        An additional meeting should be scheduled for 26 April.  It was proposed that this should consider the response to Covid 19 and progress on the Executive’s responses to the task and finish group reports on the Waste Management Strategic Review and the Climate Emergency.

·        In relation to the forthcoming consideration of the budget it was suggested that a checklist of questions would help the Committee to fulfil its role in scrutinising the budget.  The Chief Finance Officer agreed to consider this request.  He noted that a training session for all councillors was being scheduled.

·        In considering the Hereford Transport Package review on 9 November the Committee had recommended (recommendation (b)): that the cabinet consider ‘weighting of the preferred outcomes’ to help determine the preferred package to take forward.  It was requested that the Executive be asked to provide a fuller explanation of its response to this recommendation as set out in the schedule of recommendations made and responses at appendix 2 to the work programme report.

·        It was requested that the County’s MPs be invited to attend the Committee’s meeting to consider the budget to provide them with a better understanding of the impact of COVID and flooding on the budget and the choices facing the council, as a result of lack of support and funding shortages from central government.  It would also provide an opportunity to hear how they were working for the county  to secure funds.

RESOLVED: 

That      (a)    the draft work programme as set out at appendix 1 to the report be approved, subject to the amendments identified above;

              (b)     a report be made to the next meeting on the options for scrutinising project management and contract management;

              (c)     the County’s MPs be invited to attend the Committee’s meeting to consider the budget; and

              (d)     the executive be requested to provide a fuller explanation of its response to the Committee’s recommendation (b) in its consideration of the Hereford Transport Package review on 9 November that the cabinet consider ‘weighting of the preferred outcomes’ to help determine the preferred package to take forward’.