Agenda item

Report attached.

Members considered a report of the Chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees setting out the outcome of Cabinet decisions called in by Overview and Scrutiny Committees in 2023/24.

When a decision was made by the executive (or an individual member of the executive, a committee of the executive, an area committee or under joint arrangements or a key decision was made by an officer with delegated authority from the executive) the decision had to be published, including where possible by electronic means, and should be available at the main offices of the Council normally within 2 days of being made.  Chairs of the overview and scrutiny committees would be sent copies of the records of all such decisions within the same timescale, by the person responsible for publishing the decision.  If the chair of the overview and scrutiny committee was of the same political party as the executive, copies of all such decisions should also to be sent to all members of the committee.

The notice was required to bear the date on which it was published and will specify that the decision would come into force, and might then be implemented, on the expiry of 6 working days after the publication of the decision, unless an overview and scrutiny committee objected to it and called it in.

During that period, the proper officer was required to call-in a decision for scrutiny by the relevant committee upon receipt of the appropriate call-in form signed by the chair (or the vice chair in the chair’s absence) or any 2 members of the committee, and should then notify the decision-taker of the call-in.  He/she should call a meeting of the committee on such date as he/she might determine, where possible after consultation with the chair of the committee, and in any case within 9 working days of the end of the 6 working day call-in period.  If there was a dispute over which committee should consider the call in, the final decision would lie with the Executive Director (Legal and Democratic Services).

If, having considered the decision, the overview and scrutiny committee was still concerned about it, then it could refer it back to the decision making person or body for reconsideration, setting out in writing the nature of its concerns.  The decision maker should then reconsider amending the decision or not, before adopting a final decision.  If it was a Cabinet decision, it would be reconsidered at the next scheduled meeting of the Cabinet.  The member who sponsored the call-in could attend the relevant Cabinet meeting to make representations on the item, as could the chair of the relevant overview and scrutiny committee, if he/she supported the call-in.  If the matter under consideration was an officer decision or a decision by an individual cabinet member, it should be reconsidered within 5 working days.

If following an objection to the decision, the overview and scrutiny committee did not meet in the period set out above, or did meet but did not refer the matter back to the decision making person or body, the decision would take effect on the date of the overview and scrutiny meeting, or the expiry of the10 working day call-in period whichever was the earlier.

Details of all decisions called in by overview and scrutiny committees and the decision makers response to them were required to be reported annually to Council for information.

In 2023/24, two Cabinet decisions had been called in by Overview and Scrutiny Committees as follows:

• Minute No. 219. Hyndburn Leisure Request for Financial Support, Cabinet decision date 6^th December 2023
• Minute No. 295. Community Chest Grants, Cabinet decision date 24^th January 2024

Details of the decisions called in, outcomes of the overview and scrutiny process and any Cabinet response were as follows.

Hyndburn Leisure Request for Financial Support

Decision Details:

That Cabinet:

(1)     Notes the request from Hyndburn Leisure for financial support of up to £700,000, as set out in the letter provided as an Appendix to the report.

(2)     Approves a grant to Hyndburn Leisure of £490,000 in respect of the financial year 2023/2024 and notes that this qualifies as Service of Public Economic Interest (SPEI) Assistance pursuant to section 38 of the Subsidy Control Act 2022 as detailed in section 7 of the report.

(3)     Approves the payment of the £490,000 support to be funded from within the Council’s forecast revenue underspend in year for 2023/2024. 

(4)     Notes that further financial support may be required by Hyndburn Leisure in the current and future years and notes that the Council will be required to consider whether the provision of such support is consistent with the subsidy control principles before any decision is made in respect of the same.

(5)     Supports a proposal for the inclusion of a ‘one-off’ budget allocation in the 2024/2025 revenue budget in respect of any further financial support that may be needed by the Leisure Trust.

(6)     Approves the commissioning of a report on the most advantageous delivery model for the provision of quality leisure services in Hyndburn, with regard to achieving value for money.

Called in by: Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Meeting held on 9^th January 2024)

Overview and Scrutiny Outcome: Decision released in full for implementation

Cabinet response: Noted

Community Chest Grants

Decision Details:

That Cabinet:

(1)     Rescinds the decision made at its meeting of the 18^th October 2023 to allocate an equal amount of the Community Chest Fund to each of the Borough’s 16 wards.

(2)     Approves the proposed list of Community Chest Grants attached at Appendix A of the report.

Called in by: Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Meeting held on 16^th February 2024)

Overview and Scrutiny Outcome:  Decision released in full.

Cabinet response: Noted

Councillor Zak Khan. Leader of the Opposition, thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Members for releasing the decisions, particularly the decision in respect of funding for Hyndburn Leisure, as this had helped to support that organisation to maintain services throughout a difficult period.

Decision                                     -    That Council notes the outcome of the two decisions called in by Overview and Scrutiny Committees in 2023/24.