Issue - meetings

Annual Report 2013/14

 

 

Meeting: 02/09/2014 - Executive (Item 216)

216 Annual Report 2013/14 pdf icon PDF 116 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the 2013/14 Annual Report be approved.

Minutes:

The Executive considered the 2013/14 Corporate Annual Report, documenting the Council’s key achievements for each of the corporate priorities over the last financial year.  The report also provided an overview of the Council’s financial position and performance and a statement on contracts.

 

The Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 26 August 2014, had supported the Annual Report subject to clarification of a couple of references relating to census data on ‘country of birth’ and ‘method of travel to work’ which appeared to be inconsistent.  The Committee had also suggested clearer information regarding the balance of income to expenditure of Housing Benefit Grants be included.  The Executive accepted these as fair comments.

 

The Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport gave an update on the progress of the District Plan and expressed his appreciation of the hard work undertaken by the Planning Policy team.

 

The Executive approved the 2013/14 Corporate Annual Report as now submitted.

 

RESOLVED - that the 2013/14 Annual Report be approved.

 

Meeting: 26/08/2014 - Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee (Item 206)

206 Annual Report 2013/14 pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council submitted a report providing Members with an initial draft of the Council’s Annual Report for 2013/14.

 

The Performance Monitoring Officer explained the key achievements over the last financial year and provided an overview of the Council’s financial position. 

 

Councillor T Page raised a number of queries regarding population statistics, suggesting that 4% of the population were “missing” from the statistics as presented.  Additionally, he commented that there were statistical discrepancies in two different paragraphs in the report in relation to modes of travel.  Councillor Page also referred to the differences in relation to housing benefit paid in and paid out and asked what the “difference” was used for.

 

The Director of Finance and Support Service explained that the population statistics were provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and that it could be that  some people might not have wanted to provide nationality information. She undertook to provide a more detailed written explanation.  She also undertook to provide a written response in relation to the modes of travel query.  The Director explained that in relation to Housing Benefit and monies paid in and out, the use of housing benefit monies was prescribed but that there were associated costs in managing the service in terms of administration.  She agreed to write to Members with a breakdown of this cost.  The Director assured Members that the Council was not profiting from Housing Benefit claims.

 

Councillor M Pope referred to the number of land charges searches.  The Director of Finance and Support Services stated that this reflected an upturn in the housing market during the last year.

 

Councillor S Bull asked what community schemes had taken place in this year in Buntingford.  Officers undertook to write to the Member.

 

The Committee received the report and asked that Members’ comments as now detailed, be referred to the Executive along with its recommendation to the Executive for approval.

 

RESOLVED – that (A) Members’ comments as now detailed, be referred to the Executive; and

 

(B)   the 2013/14 Annual Report be recommended to the Executive for approval.