Agenda and minutes
Venue: Room C1, 1st Floor, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG
Contact: Angus Taylor, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 4333 E-mail: angus.taylor@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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COUNCILLOR MOTIN UZ-ZAMAN IN THE CHAIR
INTRODUCTIONS The Chair opened the meeting and asked members to note the revised budgetary papers which were tabled at the meeting. These were:
Proposals for additional Police Officers in each Ward and an additional council tax discount |
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for lateness were received on behalf of Councillor Amy Whitelock-Gibbs.
Councillor Alibor Choudhury submitted an apology for absence on behalf of Mayor Rahman.
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DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTEREST PDF 56 KB To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992. See attached note from the Interim Monitoring Officer.
Minutes: No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made
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SCRUTINY SPOTLIGHT - MAYOR To receive an oral presentation from Mayor Lutfur Rahman focussing on the challenges and opportunities for delivery of improved quality of life for local people in the context of the forthcoming budgetary challenges that the Council will face.
Minutes: The Chair noted the Mayor’s apology for absence and informed the Committee requested that it be noted that he was disappointed that the Mayor had not attended to fulfil the invitation to share his plans and priorities with Committee in the context of the forthcoming budget.
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UNRESTRICTED REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION |
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To consider and comment on the budgetary report presented at Cabinet on 5th February 2014 and the Mayor in Cabinet’s decision arising from the report. (Documents tabled at Cabinet to follow) Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered the report titled ‘General Fund Capital and Revenue Budgets and Medium Term Financial Plan 2014-2017’ that had been presented to Cabinet on 5 February 2014 and also the two amendments proposed at this meeting. Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, Chris Holme (Acting Corporate Director, Resources) and Robin Beattie (Service Head, Strategy & Resource, CLC) answered questions from the Committee.
The Cabinet Member provided a summary presentation to the Committee; he reported that the revisions concerned funds identified for:
The Chair invited Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members to discuss the revised proposals.
The Committee explored in depth the proposal GRO/CLC/01 raising the following issues to which The Cabinet Member for Resources and relevant officer gave the following responses: · Impact on the level of reserves: The Committee noted that these growth bids would require a reduction in reserves to the minimum level set by Council of £20million. They asked the S151 Officer to comment on this. It was explained that the minimum level of reserves had been set by Council in 2013 when they agreed the Budget – under that Budget, reserves would be reduced to £20milion in 2015/16. Under this proposal, reserves would be kept at £20million into 2016/17.
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ANY OTHER UNRESTRICTED BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS TO BE URGENT To consider any other unrestricted business that the Chair considers to be urgent.
Minutes: 1.1 Arising from examination of the Corporate Grants Board minutes that were circulated to the Committee, the Chair queried the grounds for the exempt classification of these documents and was advised that the Head of Legal Services would provide a written response at the next committee meeting. Noting that the contents of the documents did not appear to contain sensitive information, the Chair advised that his wish was that where ever possible information should be publicly accessible.
5.2 The Chair reported a comment made by the Mayor at a Cabinet meeting that he had no confidence in Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) and wished it to be recorded that he was disappointed in the Mayor's comments and felt these were inappropriate. He then invited the Committee to give their views on this matter and the following comments were made:
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EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC In view of the contents of the remaining items on the agenda the Committee is recommended to adopt the following motion:
“That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of the Section Two business on the grounds that it contains information defined as Exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.”
EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL SECTION (Pink Papers)
The exempt committee papers in the agenda will contain information, which is commercially, legally or personally sensitive and should not be divulged to third parties. If you do not wish to retain these papers after the meeting, please hand them to the Committee Officer present. Minutes: The Chair Moved and it was: -
Resolved:
That in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of the Section Two business on the grounds that it contained information defined as exempt or confidential in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government, Act 1972.
No resolution to exclude press and public was passed
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ANY OTHER EXEMPT/ CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS THAT THE CHAIR CONSIDERS URGENT To consider any other exempt/ confidential business that the Chair considers to be urgent.
Minutes: Nil items. |