Agenda and minutes

It was confirmed that all items on the agenda would be considered in public.

Agreed as an accurate record, subject to the inclusion of the problem of the disposal of silver canisters of nitrous oxide within the Borough, in the list of areas and ideas of potential review topics and updates, for the Committee to consider in its work programme.

The Council's Principal Access Officer attended the meeting and provided the Committee with a summary on the Draft Revised Accessible Hillingdon Supplementary Planning Document.

Members were informed that the suggested changes would be over and above the accessible guidelines detailed in building regulations and housing standards. Accessibility should be an important factor in all developments and the SPD would ensure developers gave greater consideration to utilising space to enable better accessibility for wheelchair users, the elderly and children.

RESOLVED –

1. That the Committee welcomed the content of the Draft Revised Accessible Hillingdon Supplementary Planning Document, before its submission to Cabinet.

The Operational Finance Manager attended the meeting and informed Members that this report provided the Committee with two opportunities to give consideration to the development of budget planning.

Members were informed that the budget report which had been reported to Council in February 2017 had identified £22.2m savings requirement for 2018/19. This comprised of £5m planned drawdown from balances and £1.1m previously developed & approved savings.

Reference was made to the announcement of £2.9m additional Social Care funding through the Improved Better Care Fund and the additional £1.6m released from the Council's Collection Fund. This reduced the gap to be managed to £11.6m.

The Committee was informed that the Council had a good track record of coming in or under budget each years and reference was made to balances of £38.7m which would help smooth the impact of Government funding reductions.

Reference was made to the following five broad themes where   savings would be developed:

• Service Transformation - delivered through the existing Business Improvement Delivery programme.
• Effective Procurement - through review of existing contracts and reviewing models of delivery.
• Income Generation & Commercialisation - reviewing fees & charges whilst maintaining charges at 90% of neighbouring authorities, alongside initiatives to ensure the Council's commercial offer delivered value for money.
• Preventing Demand - initiatives such as the Supporting Living Programme where investment in early intervention and other support could prevent more costly intervention at a later date.
• Zero Based Reviews - range of projects to realign budgets to reflect current spend.

A summary was provided of the key financial issues within Residents Services. Savings had been identified which totalled £6m. At month 2, £824,000 of these savings had been "banked", with £3,482k on track and £1,766k still at early stages.

The Committee was informed that 2017/18 efficiency savings included a review of discretionary budgets across the group, plus a number of BID Reviews including Highways/Street Lighting, ICT and Admin & Business Support.

Residents Services issues which would be closely tracked through the process included:

·         Waste Disposal Levy & Associated Contracts - Waste tonnages were continuing to grow in line with population growth, increases in Land Fill Tax and market conditions for recycling materials.

·         HS2 and Heathrow Expansion Challenge Funds - with £100,000 set aside for HS2 and £200,000 set aside for the Heathrow expansion.

·         Fees & Charges - Where applicable, levels of residents and non-residents fees and charges would be kept under review.

RESOLVED –

1. That the financial context in which the 2018/18 budget setting process would take place in advance of detailed savings proposals being developed and approved at Cabinet in December 2017, be noted.

To follow.

This item was withdrawn.

To follow.

At the Committee's last meeting held on 27 June 2017, a number of areas of interest were raised by Members in relation to possible review topics. Officers were asked to provide information on the requests to enable Members to agree on the major review for the year. 

The Committee was provided with background information to the suggestions put forward.

Discussion took place on the suggestions and it was agreed that the Committee should undertake a review on Air Quality in the Borough and for the next meeting of the Committee a draft scoping report be presented for Member discussion.  

RESOLVED –

1.That officers be asked to provide a draft scoping report to the next meeting of the Committee on a review into Air Quality in the Borough.

Noted.

It was agreed that information update items be added to the work programme at the next meeting of the Committee.

Noted.