Agenda and draft minutes

The Executive, at the discretion of the Chairperson, will hear up to four people, each of whom must be a resident or a business ratepayer or an elector, who wish to address it in accordance with the Executive Standing Orders, on matters that affect the area or its residents and over which the Executive has powers and duties. The Chairperson will select the order of the matters to be heard. Each person will be limited to a period of three minutes and this part of the meeting must not exceed fifteen minutes.

Requests to speak must be submitted in writing to the Monitoring Officer, or the officer mentioned at the top of this agenda letter, by noon on the day before the meeting and the request must detail the subject matter of the address. 

Martin Slade addressed the meeting on the subject of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).  He noted his concerns on the impact that joining the combined authority with a regional mayor would have on local democracy and the powers which North Somerset residents may give up.  He asked members to consider the disadvantages of having a regional mayor, what powers local residents would lose and whether the council would hold a referendum on joining WECA and having a mayor.

Councillor Bell thanked Mr Slade for his address and said he would respond to the points made.

A Member must declare any disclosable pecuniary interest where it relates to any matter being considered at the meeting. A declaration of a disclosable pecuniary interest should indicate the interest and the agenda item to which it relates. A Member is not permitted to participate in this agenda item by law and should immediately leave the meeting before the start of any debate.

If the Member leaves the meeting in respect of a declaration, he or she should ensure that the Chairperson is aware of this before he or she leaves to enable their exit from the meeting to be recorded in the minutes in accordance with Standing Order 37.

None declared.

17 July 2024, to approve as a correct record

Resolved: that the minutes of 17 July 2024 be approved as a correct record

Non-Executive Councillors wishing to address the Executive are required to notify the contact officer mentioned at the top of this summons letter by noon on the day before the meeting. A total of fifteen minutes will be allocated to hear all addresses.

None.

Report of Councillor Bell (attached)

Councillor Bell explained the background to the report and that local authorities without a devolution deal were required to submit a response on a proforma to express interest in accessing future devolution arrangements.  The report’s recommendation was in line with current administration’s established policy which was to seek admission in the combined authority.  He noted that it was not the only option on the table and the partnership administration had explored other opportunities.  He added that the proposal was an expression of interest only at this stage.

Members asked questions on the mayoral model with Councillor Bell confirming that the response did not entail adopting a mayoral model for North Somerset but was around adopting the current model within the combined authority.

Resolved: that the Executive approved the response to the government’s request around North Somerset’s approach to devolution as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

Reasons for the decision:

As set out in the report and discussed above.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

As set out in the report and discussed above

Report of Councillor Bell (attached)

Councillor Bell introduced the report and brought members’ attention to the report’s recommendations which included recommendations around the capital programme and Household Support Fund and proposals to review the council’s development sites and land disposals.

He highlighted the forecast overspend of £24m by year end largely driven by costs around adult and children’s social care.  He noted the work already undertaken by officers to bring the overspend under control including considering all savings options and implementing spend control panels. Further work would be undertaken to progress transformation work across directorates to deliver savings and efficiencies and maximise income.  Assets and commissioning strategies would also be reviewed to deliver savings.

He added that the council had never forecasted the level of overspend this early in the financial year with the council having little control over the factors driving the in year pressures which were the cost of providing care and the demand levels.

A report would be considered by Council later that day and would highlight the changes that members and residents may expect to see in the level of services provided by the council.

Councillor Bell invited the Director of Corporate Services to comment on the report.  She noted that the council found itself in a precarious financial situation and as the council’s Section 151 officer she had a duty to raise her concerns over the level of risk facing the council.  Unless the council could control and reduce spending to control its budget, consideration would need to be given to issuing a Section 114 notice in February 2025.  All available mitigation measures would be explored to avoid intervention or the issue of a notice.

Resolved: that the Executive

1)    Noted the revenue and capital budget forecasts for the current financial year,

2)    Noted the actions that are being taken to allow the council to balance the budget by the end of the financial year,

3)    Approved the changes to the revenue and capital budgets as detailed within Appendices 1 and 7 to the report

4)    Noted that the Household Support Fund will be extended for a further 6 months covering the period October to March 2025,

5)    Delegated authority to the Executive Member for Placemaking and Economy to review options and where appropriate to approve the sale, disposal, development or transfer of council-owned land at the locations listed in paragraph 3.8 (i) and (iii) and at Grange Farm in Hutton,

6)    Retrospectively authorised the Section 151 Officer to agree a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) confirming the council’s acceptance of funding from the Local Authority Housing Fund as listed in paragraph 3.7.2 of the report, and to authorise the Assistant Director of Placemaking and Growth to enter into funding agreements with Registered Providers of Affordable Housing for delivery of the homes and transfer of the grant, in line with the funding conditions outlined in the MOU,

7)    Delegated authority for the Leader of the Council and the Director of Corporate Services to approve and implement a new Household  ...  view the full minutes text for item EXE 147

Report of Councillor Bell (attached)

Councillor Bell presented the report and noted that the pressures being felt in the current financial year would also be present in the new one.  The budget gap had grown since the budget had been set initially in February 2024.  The 3-year gap was now £29m and the anticipated shortfall for 2025-26 had grown to £15m.  The council, its members, officers and were facing increasing challenges to be sustainable in the longer term.  Members and officers were working through options to address the budget challenge for future years.  Councillor Bell called for clarity from government on the future funding landscape and asked for support from the government for councils across the country including North Somerset.

Resolved: that the Executive noted

1. The updated range of budget projections for inclusion within the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) as detailed within the report,

2. The process, next steps, engagement plans and timescales associated with finalising the MTFP for the period 2025-2028, and also for setting the revenue budget for the 2025/26 financial year.

Reasons for the decision:

As set out in the report and discussed above.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

As set out in the report and discussed above.

(attached)

Resolved: that the Forward Plan be noted.

Executive Councillors might report orally on matters in progress. Such reports will be for information only and no material decisions can be made arising from them.

None.

For a matter to be considered as an urgent item, the following question must be addressed: “What harm to the public interest would flow from leaving it until the next meeting?” If harm can be demonstrated, then it is open to the Chairperson to rule that it be considered as urgent. Otherwise the matter cannot be considered urgent within the statutory provisions.

None.