Committee details
Finance and Resources Committee
Purpose of committee
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PURPOSE OF COMMITTEE
To approve and monitor financial strategies, budgets and financial performance in light of available funding, including the development and delivery of the Council’s capital programme as well as monitoring the development of the Local Development Plan.
The Committee will also consider:
• strategies to support the city’s economic growth;
• additions to the Capital Programme; and
• recommendations regarding the Council’s property and estates portfolio.
The Committee monitors the delivery of all services provided by the Resources Function (with the exception of those within the remit of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee and the Education and Children’s Services and the Commissioning Functions). It scrutinises performance and approves options to improve services within those Functions, set budgets to ensure best value and delivery of the Council’s agreed outcomes.
REMIT OF COMMITTEE
1. Budgets
The Committee will:
1.1 approve recommendations regarding the Council’s resources including finance, staffing structures and property; and monitor all Council budgets including all Useable Reserves, and in particular:
1.1.1 scrutinise function budget monitoring reports and make decisions to ensure that Council spending is delivered on budget;
1.1.2 hold budget holders to account for the proper control of the budget for which they are responsible;
1.1.3 approve changes to the budget including vire between function budgets where this is in excess of the amount delegated to officers in the Financial Regulations and Powers Delegated to Officers;
1.1.4 consider and approve Outline and Full Business Cases for projects added to the Capital Programme outwith the budget process;
1.1.5 approve non-capital programme procurement activity below £1m, and capital programme procurement activity irrespective of value, including Procurement Business Cases submitted in accordance with the Procurement Regulations;
1.1.6 approve annual procurement workplans in respect of the Capital Programme;
1.1.7 approve Procurement Business Cases in respect of projects added to the Capital Programme outwith the budget process, submitted in accordance with Procurement Regulations;
1.1.8 approve the allocation of additional funding to, or removal of funding from, existing projects, both capital and revenue;
1.1.9 approve the addition of new projects to the Capital Programme outwith the budget process;
1.1.10 approve use of the Council’s Useable Reserves;
1.1.11 monitor the Code of Guidance on Funding External Bodies and Following the Public Pound and take such action as is required to ensure that the Council meets its duties;
1.1.12 receive Moody’s formal credit rating reassessment;
1.1.13 approve financial guarantees, including requests received from relevant Admitted Bodies of the Pension Fund;
1.1.14 consider numbers and values of Council Tax, Non-Domestic Rates, Housing Benefit overpayments and Rent made unrecoverable, as required in terms of the Financial Regulations, and approve Non-Domestic Rates write-offs;
1.1.15 scrutinise the progress and delivery of capital projects against the approved business cases;
1.1.16 review progress in the delivery of the benefits of the Capital Programme, including through the receipt and scrutiny of Post Project Evaluations (PPEs) and Post Occupancy Evaluations (POEs); and
1.1.17 request a report to allow for the detailed consideration of any project which is of particular concern or interest.
2. Service Delivery
2.1 The Committee will, for the Resources Function and the Commissioning Function:-
2.1.1 oversee and make decisions relating to service delivery;
2.1.2 approve options to improve/transform service delivery;
2.1.3 scrutinise operational performance and service standards in line with the Performance Management Framework and consider recommendations for improvements where required;
2.1.4 receive the cluster risk registers relative to its remit and scrutinise to ensure assurance that efficient controls are in place;
2.1.5 approve all policies and strategies relative to its remit; and
2.1.6 receive reports on inspections and peer reviews in order to ensure best practice and note any actions arising from those inspections and reviews.
2.2 In undertaking the aspects at 2.1, the Committee will ensure that it is acting within the budget set by Council and overseen by this Committee and in accordance with best value and supporting delivery of the Council’s agreed outcomes, commissioning intentions, service specifications and service standards.
3. City Growth and Strategic Place Planning
The Committee will:
3.1 approve reports to support the annual re-assessment of the Council’s credit rating;
3.2 approve the Council’s actions for city growth and place planning except in relation to major infrastructural planning ;
3.3 oversee and approve the preparation of the Local Development Plan, subject to final approval thereon being given by Council; and
3.4 approve key actions required by the Council to facilitate the delivery of strategies (including partnership strategies) and the Inward Investment Plan to support city growth and place planning.
4. Property and Estates
The Committee will:
4.1 approve recommendations regarding the Council’s assets, property and estates;
4.2 hear and determine requests for review under s86(10) of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 of decisions taken in respect of community asset transfer requests;
4.3 approve the procedure for the Community Asset Transfer Review Sub Committee;
and
4.4 approve the acquisition and disposal of land and property.
Executive Leads: Executive Director Corporate Services
Membership
- Councillor Alexander McLellan (Convener)
- Councillor Ian Yuill (Vice Convener)
- Councillor Christian Allard
- Councillor Richard Brooks
- Councillor John Cooke
- Councillor Emma Farquhar
- Councillor Martin Greig
- Councillor M. Tauqeer Malik
- Councillor Simon Watson
- Mark Masson (Clerk)
Contact information
Support officer: Mark Masson, Email: mmasson@aberdeencity.gov.uk or 01224 067556.