Agenda and minutes

An Apology for Absence had been received from Councillor Stanley.

Members and Officers are invited to make any declaration of pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial interests that they may have in relation to items on this agenda, and are reminded that they should re-declare their interest before consideration of the items or as soon as the interest becomes apparent.

Members and Officers should make their declaration by stating:

a)             the item they have the interest in

b)             whether it is a pecuniary/personal interest and/or prejudicial interest

c)             the nature of the interest

          There were no Declarations of Interest made.

The Committee will be asked to approve as a correct record the Minutes of the  Policy and Finance Committee held on 11 December 2024, as attached.

The minutes from the last meeting of the committee held on 11 December 2024 were approved as a correct record and were signed by the Chair at the conclusion of the meeting.

          The Chair confirmed that there were no urgent items for the committee to consider.

To receive questions from the public (for a period of up to 15 minutes)

The Chair confirmed that one question had been submitted for this meeting in line with constitutional requirements.  The question was from Mr Jan Cosgrove and in his absence was read out on his behalf by the Committee Services Manager. The question related to Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation. 

The Chair responded to the question. The question and the response provided  would be uploaded to the committee’s web page within 10 working days of the meeting.

The Chair then drew Public Question Time to a close.

This report provides an update on the Littlehampton seafront project.

The committee received a report from the Principal Landscape and Project Officer providing a further update on the Littlehampton Seafront Project. The report contained a recommendation for the committee to consider proposing that future committee reports would only be brought forward when a formal decision was required as regular project updates were provided via the Members’ newsletter and other means.

The Principal Landscape and Project Officer then presented the key highlights of the report relating to surface water drainage; how the construction phase was progressing in terms of the West Green car park; the toilet block; the foreshore building; the activity area in terms of the water play storage tank, which was now in position; and that the bases for the four concession kiosks had been laid.

The update provided confirmed that a lot was happening with different parts of the scheme and Members were encouraged to visit the site to see the progress that had been made. Returning to the new toilet block, the committee was advised that a gas pipe feeding the Windmill Theatre had been identified which had not been confirmed on the network supplier records. This would conflict with the new building and needed to be diverted. A legal agreement would need to be in place before a date could be set for the diversion. The contractor was phasing the building work to minimise impact on the project programme.

It was highlighted that regular news releases were published on the project webpage and on social media channels to stakeholders which would continue during the construction phase. An information point had also been installed on the seafront to   inform people about the scheme which also provided a link to the project website.

          The Chair requested a proposer and seconder for the recommendation which was then proposed by Councillor Cooper and seconded by Councillor Birch.

The Chair then invited debate. A question was asked about the project programme and if the completion of the project was still planned for this summer. The Principal Landscape and Projects Officer confirmed that she was confident that the project would be completed by July 2025, however, the dates were subject to change as unforeseen events could occur at any time during the construction phase. In response to the update provided about the gas pipe and required rerouting works, would this incur additional costs and if so, could an estimate be provided. It was confirmed that this would incur additional costs but at this time the amount could not be confirmed as the issue was being reviewed by the project management team.

Finally, in congratulating the Principal Landscape and Project Officer for her and her team’s work in delivering this substantial project, the Committee

RESOLVED

That it be agreed that future committee reports will be brought forward only when a formal decision is required. This is proposed due to the regular project updates issued via the Members’ Newsletter and circulated publicly.

This report seeks to review the council’s membership of the Greater Brighton Economic Board (GBEB) following a request from members at the Policy & Finance Committee on the 24 October 2024.

The Director of Growth introduced his report which was requesting the committee to review the council’s membership of the Greater Brighton Economic Board (GBEB) having received a request from members of this committee at its meeting held on 24 October 2024.

The report provided background as to how and why the GBEB had been formed, who was involved, and it provided background to Arun’s involvement as well as how the GBEB would inform future decisions regarding devolution and local government reorganisation.

Before inviting debate, the Chair specifically requested Councillors to pay particular attention to paragraphs 4.5, 4.7, and paragraphs 4.10 to 4.14 as these outlined the opportunities available to the council.     

The Chair requested a proposer and seconder for the recommendation, which was then proposed by Councillor Nash and seconded by Councillor Lury.

The Chair then invited debate. The first councillor to speak confirmed that he wished a recorded vote on the recommendation to be undertaken. He added that he could not think of a single example, project wise, that Arun had benefitted from. Although many nice sounding projects had been set out within the report highlighting attempts at collaborative working, the cost of the membership of the Board could not be justified. In response to the comments that the Director of Growth had made regarding the Devolution White Paper and local government reorganisation, the report confirmed that the Government would be looking to develop partnerships such as the GBEB across the country providing universal coverage in England of strategic authorities. It was necessary to remember that the council would not be a strategic authority following reorganisation, nor would many of the Board’s other members. The Councillor questioned whether the council could therefore justify spending £23k a year over the next couple of years on membership when it would not exist in the future and the Board would serve no purpose since all other councils would be abolished.

A question was asked around the amount of funding that the Board held and whether in a couple of years when some of the constituent authorities would be abolished a share of this could be provided back to Arun if it chose to remain a member. The Director of Growth confirmed that this was difficult to confirm. The usual process in such instances was that any positive balance would need to be split between relevant parties, however, he could not tell what this would be as it would be a matter to negotiate if the council got to that point in time. The concern being raised was that if the decision was made to withdraw membership of the Board, that decision could result in the council forfeiting any amounts it could be due back if the Board was disbanded. The Director of Growth outlined that if the decision was made to withdraw from the Board to allow the council to make a saving on its annual membership fee, the council would not then benefit from any monies held by the Board as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 532.

This report is to update the Committee on the Q2 Performance Outturn for the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which make up the Corporate Plan, for the period 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024.

The Group Head of Organisational Excellence advised that the report detailed the performance results for the Quarter 2 Performance Outturn for the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) covering the period 1 April to 30 September 2024. She confirmed that as members were all familiar with the report she would take any questions on the performance indicators provided.

          As no questions were raised by the committee regarding any of the performance indicators, the Chief Executive explained that as the Quarter 2 report was being presented to this committee at the same time that Quarter 3 reports were being presented to other Committees (and at the start of the Quarter 4 period), efforts were being made for KPI reporting to be aligned more efficiently for the 2025/26 municipal year.  In response to a query raised about where to find the action points in the report, it was confirmed that these would be added to the commentary box in the appendix in the future.

This report is for the committee to consider and recommend its revenue and capital budgets for inclusion in the council’s 2025/26 budget. The agreed budgets will then form part of the overall revenue and capital budgets for 2025/26 to be considered at Agenda Item 10 for this meeting, so that recommendations can be made to a Special Meeting of the Council on 26 February 2025 regarding the budgets to be set and level of Council Tax for the District for 2025/26.

The Group Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer presented his report which was asking the committee to consider and approve its revenue budget for inclusion in the council’s overall 2025/26 revenue budget, which this committee would consider as a later item on this agenda.

It was reported that the 2025/26 revenue budget confirmed a net reduction of £275k year on year to £1.67m due to the deletion of two Group Head posts along with the transfer of posts from this budget to the Housing & Wellbeing Committee HRA and General Fund budgets. The other key change was a £60k growth item which was the budget for the Programme Management Office Project that was essential to deliver the workstreams set out in the Financial Strategy approved by this Committee and Full Council in January 2024. There had been no additional changes to what had already been reported to the committee in previous reports in relation to the Capital Programme. 

          Having had the recommendations proposed by Councillor Birch and seconded by Councillor Warr, the Chair invited debate. 

The Chair was asked what his contribution was to this budget. He confirmed that he and the Vice-Chair had discussed the budget in-depth with the Group Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer so that a budget that was sensible and would take less money from reserves, than had been the case in the past, could be presented for approval. The Chair was asked further questions asking if he could confirm if he had proposed any specific expenditure or savings. The Chair explained that last year the council had made savings and that for this year these were continuing in line with the expectations made and via ongoing conversations to produce the budget. Reference was made by the Vice-Chair to paragraph 4.4 of the report and the table illustrating the key budgetary changes. The Table at Appendix A set out the 2025/26 Revenue Budget.

Following further questioning,

          The Committee

                     RESOLVED – That

(1)  It agrees the 2025/26 Revenue Budget as set out in Appendix A;

(2)  It agrees the 2025/26 Capital Programme as set out in Appendix B; and

(3)  It agrees that the Revenue and Capital Budgets for this Committee be included in the Council’s overall 2025/26 Revenue and Capital budget.

The purpose of the report is for this committee to consider and make recommendations to Full Council on 26 February 2025 on setting the General Fund revenue budget, the level of Council Tax for the District, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget and HRA rent and service charge levels for 2025/26.

In addition, the Policy and Finance Committee is requested to consider the capital programme and make recommendations to Full Council on 26 February 2025 on the capital programme (HRA and General Fund) to be set for 2025/26.

The Chair confirmed that before inviting the Group Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer to present the budget report, he proposed to start with the recommendations that had been submitted for this committee to consider from each of the service committees.  Each of the recommendations had been set out in supplement pack two circulated to the meeting and uploaded to the web and emailed to Councillors on 11 February 2025.  The Chair confirmed that he proposed to take these recommendations on block. The recommendations were as set out below and were from the:

·      Economy Committee – 23 January 2025 – Minute 469 – Committee Revenue and Capital Budget 2025/26 - [Page 3 of the supplement pack].

·      Planning Policy Committee – 28 January 2025 – Minute 476 – Committee Revenue Budget 2025/26 [Page 4 of the supplement pack]

·       Environment Committee – 30 January 2025 – Minute 494 – Committee Revenue and Capital Budgets 2025/26 [Page 6 of the supplement pack]

·      Housing & Wellbeing Committee – 4 February 2025 – Minute 505 – Committee General Fund Revenue and Capital Budgets 2025/26 [Page 7 of the supplement pack] and Minute 506 – Housing Revenue Account budgets 2025/26 [Pages 8 and 9 of the supplement pack].

·       Corporate Support Committee – 6 February 2025 – Minute 518 – Committee Revenue and Capital Budgets 2025/26 [Page 11 of the supplement pack]

Having had these recommendations proposed by Councillor Birch and seconded by Councillor Nash, the Committee

          RESOLVED – That

(1)            The Revenue and Capital Budgets for this Committee [the Economy Committee] be included in the Council’s overall 2025/26 Revenue Budget;

(2)             The Revenue Budgets for this Committee [the Planning Policy Committee] be included in the Council’s overall 2025/26 Revenue Budget;  

(3)            The Revenue and Capital Budgets for this Committee [the Environment Committee] be included in the Council’s overall 2025/26 Revenue and Capital budget;

(4)            The Revenue and Capital Budgets for this Committee [the Housing & Wellbeing Committee] be included in the Council’s overall 2025/26 Revenue Budget;

(5)  The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budgets 2025/26 be included in the overall 2025/26 budget; and

(6)  The Revenue and Capital Budgets for this Committee (the Corporate Support Committee) be included in the Council’s overall 2025/26 Revenue and Capital Budget.

          The Chair confirmed that he would now focus on the whole budget for 2025/26. Before inviting the Group Head of Finance and Section 151 to present the budget to the Committee, he drew Members’ attention to the budget report which had been circulated separately to the agenda and emailed to Councillors and published as a supplement on 5 February 2025. The appendix 6 accompanying this report could be found in the main agenda pack.

          The Group Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer presented the key elements of his report.  Firstly, he confirmed that the Local Government Finance Settlement had been announced on 3 February 2025 coinciding with the publishing of this agenda. This meant that the figures set out in the report were slightly different to the final settlement, which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 535.

The Chair confirmed that there were recommendations for the committee to consider from the Housing & Wellbeing and Corporate Support Committees as detailed below.

The Committee will receive the minutes from the Special Meeting of the Housing & Wellbeing Committee held on 17 December 2024.

There is a recommendation for the Committee to consider at Minute 344 regarding the Warm Homes Bid. The officer’s report is attached – this is an Exempt report.

The committee received the minutes from the meeting of the Special Housing & Wellbeing Committee held on 17 December 2024, which had been circulated separately to the agenda. The Chair drew Members’ attention to a recommendation at Minute 344 regarding the Warm Homes Bid and he alerted Members to the Officer Report that had been provided accompanying the minutes.

The Chair confirmed that, as per section 3.2.1 of the Constitution, the approval of a virement of £2.2m from the Housing Improvements and Efficiencies budget over the period 2025/26 to 2027/28.

          Prior to commencing debate on this item, Councillor Birch proposed the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Nash.

          The Committee

                     RESOLVED

That as per section 3.2.1 of the Constitution, a virement of £2.2m be approved from the Housing Improvements and Efficiencies budget over the period 2025/26 to 2027/28.

The committee will receive the minutes from the meeting of the Corporate Support Committee held on 6 February 2025, which will be circulated separately to this agenda.

Subject to approval at that meeting, there will be a recommendation for this committee to consider regarding the (Payroll/HR system). The Officer’s report is attached together with an Exempt appendix.

The committee received the minutes from the meeting of the Corporate Support Committee held on 6 February 2024, which had been circulated separately to the agenda and emailed to Councillors and uploaded to the website on 11 February 2025. The Officer’s report had been provided in the main agenda pack at pages 81 to 97 and the Chair confirmed that this included an exempt business case containing commercially sensitive information.  Should the Committee wish to discuss the content of that business case, then it would be necessary to move into exempt business.

          The Chair confirmed that there were recommendations for the Committee to consider at Minute 519 (Procurement of Human Resources and Payroll System). In formally proposing the recommendations, Councillor Lury confirmed that a small amendment needed to be made to the second recommendation to correct an error in the officer’s job title from the Group Head of Organisational Development to the Group Head of Organisational Excellence. Councillor Lury proposed this amendment in formally proposing both recommendations which were then seconded by Councillor Nash.

          In inviting debate, a request was made to move into exempt business so that some of the commercially sensitive figures contained with the business case could be discussed.

          Councillor Gunner then formally proposed to move into Exempt Business, and this was seconded by Councillor Cooper.

          The Committee

                     RESOLVED

That under Section 100a (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and accredited representatives of newspapers be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act by virtue of the paragraph specified against the item.

          A range of questions were then asked covering:

·       Reasons for the procurement

·       The benefits of implementing the new system

·       Business options and other alternatives

·       Timescales and costs

·       Internal resources

The various questions raised were responded to at the meeting with Members being reminded that the current HR and Payroll system would reach ‘end of life’ by December 2026 as the supplier was withdrawing it from the market which meant there was no possibility of extending the contract. To be able to continue to pay staff and member allowances and other salaries the council needed a new system in place well in advance of this and it was officer intention to go live with a new system in April 2026.

It was explained that there were comments detailed at section 3.2 and 6 in the covering report explaining alternatives to procuring the council’s own system at this stage, given the Local Government Reorganisation.  Members were reassured that Officers had carried out research into other Local Authorities and had concluded that there would be no advantage in trying to share a HR and Payroll system at this time, but consideration needed to be given to the length of contract. In addition to the current system coming to ‘end of life’ it also used a number of older technologies and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 538.

The Chair will provide a verbal update following his attendance at a meeting of the Greater Brighton Econmic Board held on 28 January 2025.

The Chair provided a verbal update to the Committee following his attendance at a meeting of the Greater Brighton Economic Board held on 28 January 2025 confirming that the following matters had been discussed:

·       Devolution and local government reorganisation

·       Collaborative working to drive economic growth

·       The visit in November by the Department of Trade and Industry

·       Overseas investors

·       Discussions with the new member of the Board – NHS England

·       The Sussex Energy project

·       Plans for a visit by the Department of Energy

·       Decarbonisation plan for Shoreham Airport

·       The Sussex Bay project

·       Rail links between Brighton and Cambridge

The committee’s work programme for the remainder of the municipal year is attached for the committee to note.

In receiving and noting the Committee’s Work Programme for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2024/25, the Chair informed the Committee that for future meetings it would receive a rolling work programme as this had been requested by Members.  All Committees would also provide this rolling work programme starting from the next cycle of meetings.