Agenda item

Report of the Leader of the Council

Councillor David Mellen, Leader of the Council, presented the report proposing the approval of the Nottingham City Council Recovery and Improvement Plan, in response to the findings of the Non Statutory Review of the Council that had recently been undertaken by a team appointed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.  He highlighted that the Plan demonstrated a commitment by the Council to address the issues raised in the Non Statutory Review and give confidence to stakeholders, including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, that the Council has a robust plan of action for dealing with them.  The report was seconded by Councillor Sally Longford.

 

Councillor Andrew Rule, seconded by Councillor Roger Steel, proposed an amendment to the Recovery and Improvement Plan, as set out below.

 

Page 14 – Section title: ‘Risk Monitoring’

Insert new paragraph after paragraph 3: “In order to increase members’ oversight of any risks identified by the Programme Management Office all risks identified will be incorporated into the Council’s Risk Register and reported to the Audit Committee.”

 

Insert new paragraph after final paragraph: “By incorporating all risks identified by the Programme Management Office into the Council’s Risk Register an additional level of oversight by the Audit Committee will be added to provide assurance to elected members that risks are not being considered in isolation to the wider risks to which the Council is already subject to and have been identified in the Risk Register.”

 

Page 23

Insert new action to Theme 1:’Three Years MTFS and Transformation Programme’, ‘Work Stream’ subheading heading, section ‘Review’ insert new action after “Develop long term affordable envelope for core services...”  “Develop long-term plan for reducing Council debt levels to mitigate likelihood and subsequent impact of any Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) imposed borrowing cap.”

 

Page 29

Insert new action to ‘Work Stream’ subheading ‘Review’ insert new action after “Review community assets to identify potential properties for disposal...”  “Lead Councillor and Lead Officer to engage with ward councillors in relation to any community assets identified for disposal or that result in change of current occupier – From April 2021.”

 

Page 32

Insert new action to ‘Work Stream’ subheading section ‘Council Owned Companies Review’ insert new action after action: “Complete internal desktop review.”  “Desktop review and CIPFA analysis to be presented to Audit Committee for recommendations – February 2021.”

 

Page 33

Amend action to ‘Work Stream’ subheading section ‘Council Owned Companies Review’ amend existing action: ‘Plan taken to March 2020 Executive Board” to “Plan taken to March 2021 Executive Board.”

 

Page 35 – Subheading Key Objectives

Insert new paragraph after “To create revised capital strategy.”  “To ensure effective ongoing monitoring of approved capital schemes to highlight and manage unforeseen circumstances in relation to them.”

 

Page 35 – Subheading Key Deliverables

Insert new paragraph after “Strengthened Governance and Control Framework.”  “Establishment of Capital Board to approve all new capital schemes and monitor ongoing schemes.”

 

Page 36

Insert action to ‘Work Stream’ subheading section ‘Programme Controls’ insert new action after “Capital Board meets monthly to provide steer and oversight of the programme.”  “Capital Board to provide quarterly report to Audit Committee detailing any material impacts on capital programme.  Materiality to be defined in the Capital Board’s Terms of Reference.”

 

Page 59

Amend action in ‘Work Stream’ subheading section “Review and refine existing policy framework and Council Plan” and amend existing action “A public consultation on the draft plan could be conducted to allow Nottingham people….” to “A public consultation on the draft plan must be conducted to allow Nottingham people, businesses and other key stakeholders to set out their view on what Nottingham City Council should prioritise from the intentions in the previous Council Plan.”

 

Councillors voted on the proposed amendment.

 

Resolved to reject the amendment proposed by Councillor Rule.

 

Councillor David Mellen, seconded by Councillor Sally Longford, proposed an amendment to the Recovery and Improvement Plan, as set out below.

 

Page 14 – Section title: ‘Risk Monitoring’

Insert new paragraph after paragraph 3: “In order to increase members’ oversight of any risks identified by the Programme Management Office all risks identified will be incorporated into the Council’s Risk Register and reported to the Audit Committee.”

 

Insert new paragraph after final paragraph: “By incorporating all risks identified by the Programme Management Office into the Council’s Risk Register an additional level of oversight by the Audit Committee will be added to provide assurance to elected members that risks are not being considered in isolation to the wider risks to which the Council is already subject to and have been identified in the Risk Register.”

 

Page 23

Insert new action to Theme 1:’Three Years MTFS and Transformation Programme’, ‘Work Stream’ subheading heading, section ‘Review’ insert new action after “Develop long term affordable envelope for core services...”  “Develop long-term plan for reducing Council debt levels to mitigate likelihood and subsequent impact of any Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) imposed borrowing cap.”

 

Page 29

Insert new action to ‘Work Stream’ subheading ‘Review’ insert new action after “Review community assets to identify potential properties for disposal...”  “Lead Councillor and Lead Officer to engage with ward councillors in relation to any community assets identified for disposal or that result in change of current occupier – From April 2021.”

 

Page 30 – Subheading Council Owned Company Review

Insert new paragraph to ‘Council Owned Company Review’ after second paragraph: “Once CIPFA have completed their analysis this will be presented, alongside the initial review completed by the Council, to a private session of the Audit Committee for recommendations.”

 

Page 32

Insert new action to ‘Work Stream’ subheading section ‘Council Owned Companies Review’ insert new action after action: “Complete internal desktop review.”  “Desktop review and CIPFA analysis to be presented to Audit Committee for recommendations.”

 

Page 33

Amend action to ‘Work Stream’ subheading section ‘Council Owned Companies Review’ amend existing action ‘Plan taken to March 2020 Executive Board” to “Plan taken to March 2021 Executive Board.”

 

Page 35 – Subheading Key Objectives

Insert new paragraph after “To create revised capital strategy.”  “To ensure effective ongoing monitoring of approved capital schemes to highlight and manage unforeseen circumstances in relation to them.”

 

Page 35 – Subheading Key Deliverables

Insert new paragraph after “Strengthened Governance and Control Framework.”  “Establishment of Capital Board to approve all new capital schemes and monitor ongoing schemes.”

 

Page 36

Insert action to ‘Work Stream’ subheading section ‘Programme Controls’ insert new action after “Capital Board meets monthly to provide steer and oversight of the programme.”  “Capital Board to provide quarterly report to Audit Committee detailing any material impacts on capital programme.  Materiality to be defined in the Capital Board’s Terms of Reference.”

 

Councillors voted on the proposed amendment.

 

Resolved to approve the amendment proposed by Councillor Mellen.

 

After a debate, Councillors then voted on the amended report.

 

Resolved to

 

(1)  approve the Nottingham City Council Recovery and Improvement Plan, attached as an appendix to the report, as amended;

 

(2)  note that work remains ongoing to identify the requirement of the Resource Plan to support the delivery of the Plan at pace and that the financial impact of resourcing the Plan will be considered at the Council’s meeting on 8 March 2021 as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy; and

 

(3)  note that a £300,000 provisional budget is being set aside to fund the work of the Improvement Board in its first year.