Agenda item

The Chair invited Members to raise items for general discussion arising from the Information Booklet of Executive Member reports which detailed activities conducted within the respective Executive Member portfolios (Section 1), Executive decisions taken (Section 2) or to be taken where known, prior to and following the meeting (Sections 3 and 4).

 

Question in relation to the report of the Mayor and Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health

 

Councillor Banks in relation to update – Health Panel.

 

The Mayor advised that the informal panel had been established to address health inequalities in wards. The first phase was looking at Brambles and Thorntree, Central, Berwick Hills and Pallister and Newport wards. Members had been consulted with regard to the make-up of the panel. There were indications that there was an increase in inequalities in Brambles and Thorntree and Berwick Hills and Pallister. Following the completion of Phase 1, the remainder of the wards would be examined.

 

Question in relation to the report of the Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Education and Culture

 

Councillor Clynch in relation to Access to Education.

 

The Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Education and Culture advised that she shared the concerns of Councillor Clynch with regard to Eton college attracting existing staff and students from the town’s current providers, which were already ranked as good and outstanding.

 

The Executive Member stated that in her view, Eton college was not needed. There were serious concerns regarding the fact that Outwood Riverside was still operating in temporary accommodation. The Executive member advised that she was due to attend a meeting with the minister in Westminster with Andy McDonald MP in October, regarding these issues.

 

Question in relation to the report of the Executive Member for Children’s Services

 

Councillor Blades in relation to including ward councillors in consultations regarding development of residential care within their wards.

 

The Executive Member for Children’s Services advised that members would continue to be consulted throughout the process in relation to the development of residential care within their wards.

 

Councillor Kabuye in relation to paragraph 15

 

The Executive Member for Children’s Services advised that over the past few years the Council had relied heavily on agency social workers, but they were now looking to recruit permanent social workers. Eight agency social workers had converted to permanent staff and through the Council’s recruitment drive they were encouraging other agency social workers to apply for the permanent positions. The recruitment drive was going well, and it was pleasing that agency workers were applying for managers posts. By appointing permanent staff, the Council was not only saving money, but permanent social workers would also provide stability and meet the various needs of the authority’s children and young people.

 

In terms of ethnicity of staff, the Executive Member advised that Children's services had 31 BAME staff, four had not indicated their ethnicity and seventeen had failed to complete anything on their own backgrounds.

 

Councillor Kabuye in relation to paragraph 5

 

The Executive Member for Children’s Services advised that Middlesbrough Adoption team were finding it difficult to recruit BAME panel members with the appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding required, He advised that he was currently liaising with the Adoption service manager following their request for him to support them with their recruitment drive for BAME Panel members.

 

The Executive Member stated that he was pleased to hear that Councillor Kabuye was volunteering to becoming a panel member. He explained that it would not be a paid job, but it would be allowance based.

 

The Executive Member advised that if Councillor Kabuye had an understanding of fostering and adoption issues, he was aware of a child's developmental needs with diversity and cultural issues, and he was interested in joining the Panel, the Executive Member would provide him with the details on how to apply for the position.

 

Councillor Wilson in relation to page 95.

 

The Executive Member advised that he did not have the information required to hand, but that he would respond to Councillor Wilson after the meeting with regard to the working pattern of the new Director of Children’s Services.

 

Question in relation to the report of the Executive Member for Environment

 

Councillor McClintock in relation to outstanding issues.

 

The Executive Member for Environment advised that he agreed with the Mayor regarding the Council’s financial position and the demand on services. The Environment department had faced difficulties with employing qualified mechanics and fitters as other companies offered higher wages. The Executive Member advised that he would be happy to meet with Councillor McClintock to discuss any ideas that he may have to help resolve the situation.

 

Question in relation to the report of the Executive Member for Finance and Governance

 

Councillor M Storey in relation to background to setting of budget and reserves position.

 

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance advised that to help members to gain a better understanding of the Council’s budget position, it might be useful to explain the difference between General reserves and Usable Earmarked reserves.

 

The General reserves were reserves of last resort. These reserves had not been used to fund fluctuations in spending and overspends. The level of General Reserves was recommended by the Council’s Section 151 officer at budget setting time each year, taking into account, advice by CIPFA, with regard to the general levels’ percentage of the Revenue Budget. The Council had £12m in General reserves and that figure had remained relatively stable. For the period 2019 – 2023 it had only changed by £137k which equated to approximately 1.5%.

 

Usable Earmarked reserves had been used to fund fluctuations in spending, but in a planned way, rather than a reactive way. When these reserves were used, they needed to be replenished. The key issue in the Council’s financial situation was the level of Usable Earmarked reserves. In the period 2019 – 2023 the level had reduced from £16m to £4m, a reduction of 75%, and part of the £4m was restricted, leaving a figure of £2.8m.

 

The Council was in a critical situation. The overspend on budgets was originally £12m, however through the work of members and staff to identify savings, the figure had been reduced to £9m.

 

In order to conduct transformation work, the Council needed to invest. If there was no money in the reserves to invest, the Council might need to move towards requesting the government for Exceptional Financial Support, although the Council was not currently in that situation.