Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct and the statutory provisions of the Localism Act, Members and co-opted Members of the Council are reminded that it is a requirement to register disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and gifts and hospitality to the value of which exceeds £50 or multiple gifts and/or instances of hospitality with a cumulative value of £50 or more when received from a single donor within a rolling twelve month period. In addition, Members and co-opted Members are reminded that unless their disclosable pecuniary interest is registered on the register of interests or is the subject of a pending notification to the Monitoring Officer, they are required to disclose those disclosable pecuniary interests at the meeting. This should be done by completing the Disclosure of Interest form and handing it to the Democratic Services representative at the start of the meeting. The Chair will then invite Members to make their disclosure orally at the commencement of Agenda item 3. Completed disclosure forms will be provided to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion on the Register of Members’ Interests.

There were none.

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no items of urgent business.

For Members to consider the Chief Finance Officer’s Section 114 report dated 2 December 2020. (Report to follow)

Madam Mayor explained that members of the Council were required to consider the Chief Finance Officer’s S114 report published on 2 December 2020.  The meeting was being held in accordance with S114(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, which states that the Section 114 report must be considered by members at a meeting of the Council within 21 days of the report being issued.  It was a further requirement that the Council must decide whether it agreed or disagreed with the views expressed in the report and if it proposed any actions to take as a consequence of it. She thanked both Group Whips for reaching a cross-party agreement on the process that would be considered at the meeting. Council where then informed regarding the format for the meeting.

Lisa Taylor, Director of Finance, Investment and Risk and S151 Officer then provided a presentation to Council which detailed the response to the S114 notice issued on 2 December 2020. 

Madam Mayor opened the 30 minute session for Members to ask the Director of Finance, Investment and Section 151 Officer questions of a factual nature concerning information contained within the report.

Councillor Jason Cummings asked why the projected borrowing requirement had moved by £16m from £134m to £150m during the last two weeks.

The Director of Finance, Investment and Risk and S151 Officer, responded that the council continued to undertake due diligence to ensure that all options previously put forward for savings and growth were properly worked through.  A number of those had changed as officers moved through the process and had been able to verify those numbers.  Also, the council continued to work with colleagues in the LGA and support from Camden Council Children Services about making sure that options being put forward are deliverable as the council moved into the next three years.

In his supplementary question, Councillor Jason Cummings asked how the Council could be confident that the figure submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) of £150m was the correct figure where the borrowing was to be top-out if it had moved from £16m in the last two weeks without there being any significant cause.  In response, the Director of Finance, Investment and Risk and S151 Officer stated that Councillors were previously advised that the figure of £150m may change but, if this occurred, it would need to be managed by the Council.  A decision had been made regarding what sum should be requested by the council.  However, due diligence pertaining to the budget would continue to be undertaken by officers.  The budget would be presented to both Cabinet and Council at the beginning of 2021.  The Council believed that £150m was a reasonable target based on the due diligence undertaken.

Councillor Robert Ward asked if the management accounts requested by the council in 2017 had been provided by Brick by Brick.

In response, the Director of Finance, Investment and Risk and S151 Officer, confirmed that management accounts from Brick by Brick  ...  view the full minutes text for item 152/20

The following motion is to be moved and seconded where it is proposed to exclude the press and public from the remainder of a meeting:

“That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”

This Item was not required.