Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Corporate Resources Committee will take place REMOTELY on Thursday 20 August 2020 at 1.00pm or at the conclusion of the Easter Ross Area Committee (whichever is the later).

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the Internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully

Stewart Fraser
Head of Corporate Governance

BUSINESS 
  
1. Apologies for Absence 
Leisgeulan
  
2. Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting.  Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest.  Advice may be sought from officers prior to the meeting taking place. 
 
3. Corporate Resources Budget Sub-Committee
Buidheann Ath-shlànachaidh Buidseit

There is circulated Report No RES/14/20 dated 30 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer- Resources and Finance.

The Committee is invited to agree that the Corporate Resources Budget Sub-Committee will:

i. oversee budget, monitoring and outturn activities across the Council’s revenue and capital budgets;
ii. comprise 11 elected members, drawn from membership of the Corporate Resources Committee and selected on the basis of political balance;
iii. be a sub-committee of, and report to, the Corporate Resources Committee;
iv. meet monthly, be held in private, and engage with subject matter experts as considered appropriate; and
v. submit minutes of the Sub-Committee’s meetings to the Corporate Resources Committee for consideration and approval.  P
  
FINANCIAL MONITORING
SGRÙDADH IONMHASAIL 
  
4. Corporate Revenue Monitoring Report to 30 June 2020
Aithisg Sgrùdaidh Teachd-a-steach Corporra gu 30 Ògmhios 2020

There is circulated Report No RES/15/20 dated 4 August 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. consider the financial position of the General Fund and HRA revenue budgets as at 30 June 2020 and note the central case of the estimated year end forecast, along with the range of potential positions subject to external variables; and
ii. note that a further report will be provided to the Highland Council on 10 September  2020 with further options to mitigate the budget gap. 
  
5. Resources and Finance Service, Performance and Governance Service and Transformation Service – Revenue Monitoring to 30 June 2020

There is circulated Joint Report No RES/16/20 dated 30 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance, Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance and Executive Chief Officer Transformation.

The Committee is invited to consider and agree the revenue monitoring position to 30 June 2020.
 
RESOURCES AND FINANCE SERVICE
SEIRBHEIS NAN GOIREASAN CORPORRA 
  
6.Treasury Management
Rianachd Ionmhais

(a) Summary of Transactions
Geàrr-chunntas Ghnothaichean

There is circulated (pp.27-35) Report No RES/17/20 dated 16 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance.

The Committee is invited to consider the Treasury Management Summary of Transactions report.  
  
(b) Annual Treasury Management Report 2019/20
Aithisg Stiùiridh Bhliadhnail an Ionmhais 2019/20

There is circulated (pp.36-56) Report No RES/18/20 dated 16 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance.

The Committee is invited to consider the Annual Treasury Management report for 2019/20. 
  
7. Corporate Resources Service Quarterly Performance Report   
Aithisg Choileanaidh Ràitheil Seirbheis nan Goireasan Corporra

There is circulated Report No RES/19/20 dated 17 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the statutory and key performance indicators as outlined in the report. 
  
8. Annual Performance Monitoring: Welfare, Advice and Information Services 2019/20
Sgrùdadh Coileanadh Bliadhnail: Seirbheisean Sochair, Comhairle agus Fiosrachaidh 2019/20

There is circulated Report No RES/20/20 dated 17 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the undernoted performance:

i.in excess of 26,500 customers were assisted by the Council’s Welfare Support Team and Citizens Advice during 2019/20 for support with welfare, debt and housing issues;
ii. financial gains for customers exceeded £23.7 million. This represents a £14.64 return for every £1 allocated to welfare, advice and information services by the Council;
iii. a total of £11.6 million of debt (including £2.1m relating to mortgage/other secured loans) was presented to Citizens Advice, which represents a 28.7% decrease compared to 2017/18; and
iv. Citizens Advice supported 3,029 customers (including social rented, private rented and home owners) seeking housing-related advice, highlighting the demand for consistent accessible support on these issues.

9. Covid 19 and School Trip Refunds
Pàigheadh Air Ais Thursan Sgoile

There is circulated Report No RES/21/20 dated 20 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Education and Learning.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the steps taken by the Council and its schools to manage the impact of school trip cancellations, and in turn minimise the costs arising by seeking to reschedule trips, or receive refunds or insurance payouts, where appropriate;
ii. agree that the Council takes steps to refund parents in the situations as described within the report, where no other source of refund is available, and to avoid any financial loss or hardship on parents as a result;
iii. agree that the Council utilises the financial hardship fund, as the funding source for the refunds to parents; and
iv. note the further actions as set out within the report, regarding recovery and other actions to try and recover any further sums possible from providers via refund, or from insurers. 
  
10. ICT Transformation Update
Cruth-atharrachadh ICT agus Ùrachadh Lìonraidh
 
There is circulated Report No RES/22/20 dated 16 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance.

The Committee is invited to consider the update on the ICT Transformation and Network Programmes.  
  
MINUTES OF MEETINGS
GEÀRR-CHUNNTAS CHOINNEAMHAN 
  
11. Minutes of Meetings
Geàrr-chunntasan Choinneamhan

The following Minutes of Meetings are circulated for confirmation:-

i. Central Safety Committee held on 7 February 2020;
ii. Staff Partnership Forum held on 7 February 2020