Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Simon Jeal and Councillor Mark Smith.  Councillor Chris Price and Councillor Alison Stammers attended as their respective substitutes.

Councillor Mark Brock declared that he held shares in a smoking cessation company.  Councillor Brock had been advised that the level of the shares did not meet the requirements for a disclosable pecuniary interest and as such he would be taking part in the debate.

Councillor Stammers declared that her son was in the Armed Forces.

Councillor Gabbert declared that she was a patient at the Dysart Surgery.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, members of the public may submit one question each on matters relating to the work of the Committee. Questions must have been received in writing 10 working days before the date of the meeting.

Questions seeking clarification of the details of a report on the agenda may be accepted within two working days of the normal publication date of the agenda – by 5pm on Tuesday 14 May 2024.

No questions were received.

The minutes of the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee meeting held on 25 March 2024 (excluding exempt information), were agreed and signed as a correct record.

Report CSD24063

The report dealt with the Committee’s business management including matters outstanding from previous meetings and the proposed work plan for the remainder of the year.

The Committee noted that a further update on Biggin Hill Airport would be received in September 2024 and representatives from Biggin Hill Airport Limited and Flightpath Watch would be invited to that meeting.

Members requested that an update on the Transformation Programme be added to the Work Programme for October 2024 when the Chief Executive was next scheduled to attend a meeting.

In relation to the budget, the Chairman highlighted the need to be focused on the budget and identifying savings where possible.  Issues around temporary accommodation and housing should be referred to the Renewal, Recreation and Housing PDS Committee for scrutiny with a detailed update on the budget position being included in the first quarter budget monitoring report.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

The Committee noted the Forward Plan of Key Decisions covering the period May 2024 to July 2024.

Members of the Committee are requested to bring their copy of the agenda for the Executive meeting on 22 May 2024.

The Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee will be looking at all the items on the Executive Agenda.

The Committee considered the following reports on the Part 1 agenda for the meeting of the Executive on 22 May 2024:

The report considered the 2023/24 provisional outturn at portfolio level and Council-wide as well as the potential implications for the Council’s financial position in 2024/25. The purpose of the report was to give a broad overview of the financial outturn. Details of the carry forward requests and a summary of the Council’s capital programme were considered in the report and more detailed reports would be submitted to individual PDS Committees.

The 2023/24 provisional outturn enabled the General Fund balance to remain at £20m, subject to the recommendations in the report being agreed.

The Director of Finance introduced the report highlighting that there were significant pressures within Housing and Children’s Services but that mitigations had been put in place to address any overspends in 2024/2025.  Whilst there were some underspends in the contingency there was limited flexibility.  The first budget monitoring report would focus on cost pressures and there would be a need to review growth pressures.  Going forward it would be important for PDS Committees to thoroughly scrutinise any proposals for growth, budget monitoring overspends and any mitigation that could be put in place.  In relation to lobbying government, the Director of Finance highlighted the importance of understanding the impact of any new burdens and giving due consideration to what services could not be provided if more government funding was not forthcoming.

In response to a question from the Chairman, the Director of Finance confirmed that all aspects of income generation would be addressed in the October report and that  any new invest-to-save initiatives would come through the Transformation Programme.

RESOLVED: That the recommendations in the report be supported.

The report provided an update on the CRM replacement capital programme including a scheme closure report on the completed software implementation and the completed redesign of the Council’s public facing website.

The report also sought Members’ approval to progress the complementary scheme to enhance the My Account features of the website including the personalisation and single sign on initiatives outlined in the report.

The Committee requested that details of the projected number of users be circulated following the meeting.

In noting that there was no statutory requirement to spend the funds that had been allocated for the upgrade, a Member questioned whether the proposals in the report that were designed to improve the customer experience represented a good use of the underspend. In response to a question from the Chairman, the Assistant Director for Customer Services confirmed that Option 2A outlined in the report provided the technology for the single sign on whilst option 2B provided enhanced features.  In discussion, Members indicated that they were yet to be convinced that options 1 and 2 (A&B) outlined in the report would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report HPR2024/017

The report summarised the progress on the work that had taken place to date under the Armed Forces Covenant since its renewal and the ongoing work underway to further support Bromley’s Armed Forces Community.

The Committee noted that the Council would have to complete the process to demonstrate that it qualified for the Silver Employer Certificate.

In response to a question, the Head of Culture confirmed that opportunities for Looked After Children to be involved in the Cadets would form part of the second priority of the action plan-:strengthening our links with the armed forces community

RESOLVED: That

1.  The progress and work underway to meet the pledges set out in the renewal of the Armed Forces Covenant which was re-affirmed in June 2023 be noted.

2.  The award of the Bronze Employer Certificate in national recognition of the Council’s commitment to the Armed Forces Community be noted.

3.  The Portfolio Holder for Resources Commissioning and Contracts Management be recommended to adopt the refreshed Action Plan which sets out how the Council will deliver the Armed Forces Covenant in Bromley and measure progress.

Report FSD24032

The report provided Members of the Executive, Resources and Contracts Policy, Development and Scrutiny Committee with the net ‘High’ (Red) risks extracted from the Corporate Services, Finance and the Human Resources and Customer Services Risk Registers.

A Member sought and received confirmation that Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Strategies were in place across the property portfolio.  .

Officers confirmed that the fire strategies across the Council’s portfolio were in the process of being reviewed. 

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

RESOLVED that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business referred to below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

The following summaries

refer to matters involving exempt information

The Part 2 (exempt) minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2024 were agreed, and signed as a correct record.

The Committee considered the following reports on the Part 2 agenda for the meeting of the Executive on 22 May 2024:

The Committee noted the Part 2 information.

The Committee noted the report and supported the recommendations.

The report presented May 2024’s Corporate Contracts Register for consideration.

Detailed scrutiny of individual contracts was the responsibility of the six PDS Committees but ER&C PDS took an overview of the Council’s larger value (£200k+) contracts to ensure that commissioning and procurement activity was progressed in a consistent manner.  This report provided both the Council-wide £200k+ register together with the £50k+ register specific to the ER&C Portfolio.

A full report was provided twice a year (May and November) including a detailed Part 2 report which included a Procurement RAG Rating and commentary on each relevant contract to inform Members of any issues or developments.  Otherwise, a Part 1 Register only would be provided as a For Information item with an accompanying Part 2 report only for any contracts RAG rated Red by the Corporate Procurement Team.

The Contracts Register full report presented in ‘Part 2’ of this agenda included a commentary on each contract to inform Members of any issues or developments.

In response to a question concerning the impact of inflation on energy services, the Assistant Director of Governance and Contracts confirmed that the Energy Commissioning Strategy had been agreed around three years previously and enabled the Council to select services from a framework in order to achieve the most competitive price.  It was noted that a longer-term commissioning strategy would be presented to Members in due course.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.