Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Gordon Room, Worthing Town Hall

Contact: Neil Terry
Democratic Services Lead
01903 221073  Email: neil.terry@adur-worthing.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

JGC/43/22-23

Substitute Members

Any substitute members should declare their substitution.

Minutes:

Councillor Bridges substituted for Councillor Funnell

Councillor Mansfield substituted for Councillor Wilkinson

Councillor Coxhill substituted for Councillor James

Councillor Roser substituted for Councillor Garner

Councillor Cochran substituted for Councillor Waight

JGC/44/22-23

Declarations of Interest

Members and officers must declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in relation to any business on the agenda.  Declarations should also be made at any stage such an interest becomes apparent during the meeting. 

 

If in doubt contact the Legal or Democratic Services representative for this meeting.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of pecuniary interest.

JGC/45/22-23

Minutes

To approve the minutes of the Joint Audit & Governance Committee meeting held on 29 November 2022, copies of which have been previously circulated.

Minutes:

The minutes of the Joint Audit & Governance Committee meeting held on 29 November 2022 were agreed as a correct record.

JGC/46/22-23

Public Question Time

To receive any questions from members of the public.

 

In order for the Committee to provide the fullest answer, questions from the public should be submitted on Thursday 19 January 2023.

 

Where relevant notice of a question has not been given, the person presiding may either choose to give a response at the meeting or respond by undertaking to provide a written response within three working days.

 

Questions should be submitted to Democratic Services, democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk 

 

(Note: Public Question Time will operate for a maximum of 30 minutes.)

Minutes:

No questions from the public were received.

JGC/47/22-23

Members' Questions Time

In order for the Committee to provide the fullest answer, questions from Members should be submitted by noon on Thursday 19 January 2023.

Minutes:

No questions from Members under CPR12 were received.

JGC/48/22-23

Items Raised under Urgency Provisions

To consider any items the Chairman of the meeting considers to be urgent.

Minutes:

There were no urgent items raised.

JGC/49/22-23

Joint Treasury Management Strategy 2023-24 to 2025-26 pdf icon PDF 618 KB

To consider reports from the Director for Digital, Sustainability & Resources, copies 7 attached as item.

Minutes:

To consider reports from the Director for Digital, Sustainability & Resources, copies attached as item 7.

 

This report asked Members to approve and adopt the contents of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2023/24 to 2025/26 for Adur and Worthing Councils, as required by regulations issued under the Local Government Act 2003. 

 

The Joint Audit & Governance Committee (JAGC) was recommended to: 

  1. Note the report (including the Prudential Indicators and Limits, and MRP Statements) for 2023/24 to 2025/26
  2. Refer any comments or suggestions to the next meeting of the Joint Strategic Committee on 7 February 2023.

 

Members asked about how increases in spending would be paid for, the scaling year on year of the capital programme and officer requirements and; trainig of  members to better understand more technical financial aspects. Members were told that the council was looking at a new framework to be able to obtain resources as required that would provide the existing team with what they required to respond to the changing scales of the capital programme and; that a full programme of financial training was available to Members.

 

Resolved:

 

The Joint Audit & Governance Committee noted the report.

 

JGC/50/22-23

Scheme of Allowances for Adur District Council pdf icon PDF 123 KB

To consider reports from the Director for Digital, Sustainability & Resources, copies attached as item 8.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

To consider reports from the Director for Digital, Sustainability & Resources, copies attached as item 8.  

 

The Joint Audit & Governance Committee was asked to consider the report and the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel and make recommendations to Adur District Council on the level of Members’ Allowances for the municipal year 2023/24.

 

Recommendations from the Committee on the level of allowances would be proposed at the meeting of Full Council in February.

 

Members discussed the proposal of Members only receiving one Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) payment, even if they held more than one position of special responsibility. The Committee considered a number of matters in relation to this issue including the transparency of the scheme, the spread of SRAs amongst members and the work that would need to be undertaken by those undertaking multiple roles. On a vote it was recommended that Members should continue to receive SRAs for each position of special responsibility that they held.

 

Members also discussed the recommendation that those holding the position of Vice Chair on committees, receive 25% instead of 50% of the committee Chairman’s allowances. The workload and time commitment undertaken by Vice chairs, the effect on the budget and the rationale of the independent panel were all discussed and Members agreed to recommend to keep the Vice Chair allowance at a 50% rate of the Chairs’ allowance.

 

Resolved:

 

The Joint Audit & Governance Committee

 

  1. Recommended that Adur District Council accept the report and recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel incorporating the following proposed amendments

 

i) That Members should continue to receive multiple SRAs in situations where they held more than one position of special responsibility

ii) That Members who hold the position of Vice Chair on a committee should receive an allowance equal to 50% of the Chairman’s allowance.

 

2.    That the Chief Financial Officer would assess the budgetary impact of the proposed amendments outlined above, then present them to Adur District Council for consideration alongside the Scheme of Allowances for 2023/24.

JGC/51/22-23

Scheme of Allowances for Worthing Borough Council pdf icon PDF 125 KB

To consider reports from the Director for Digital, Sustainability & Resources, copies attached as item 9.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

To consider reports from the Director for Digital, Sustainability & Resources, copies attached as item 9.

 

The Joint Audit & Governance Committee was asked to consider the report and the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel and make  recommendations to Worthing Borough Council on the level of Members’ Allowances for the municipal year 2023/24. Recommendations from the Committee on the level of allowances would be proposed at the meeting of Full Council in February.

 

A member proposed that the committee remove paragraph 4.2.6 from the Independent Panels recommendation, in relation to the situation where there are 21 SRAs available but only 18 Members receiving them and Members only receive one SRA each. The committee agreed to remove the aforementioned paragraphs from the recommendations. Members also discussed removing paragraphs 4.2.4 and 4.2.5 in regards to limiting the number of SRAs that Members can receive, however, on a vote this proposal was not carried. The committee further debated the proper remuneration for Members, the fair distribution of SRAs and roles of special responsibility and the distinction between allowance and pay.

 

Resolved: 

 

The Joint Audit and governance committee

 

  1. Recommended that Worthing Borough Council accept the report and recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel with the following suggested amendment

i) That paragraph 4.2.6 be removed from the Independent Panels’ recommendations.

 

2.    That the Chief Financial Officer assess the budgetary impact of this recommendation and then present them to Worthing Borough Council on the Scheme of Allowances for 2023/24