The Executive and Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday 27 March 2013 to discuss the capital programme, local welfare reform, and the Council's communications policy. The committee supported proposed changes to the capital programme and the establishment of a Bromley Welfare Fund. They also agreed to refer the Communications Policy to the General Purposes and Licensing Committee for approval, subject to an amendment.

Capital Programme Monitoring and Annual Capital Review

The committee supported proposed changes to the capital programme for the five-year period from 2012/13 to 2016/17. These changes include re-phasing of expenditure into 2013/14 and the inclusion of new investment for the replacement of business-critical storage area networks.

Local Welfare Reform (Bromley Welfare Fund)

Proposals for a Bromley Welfare Fund were supported by the committee. This fund will manage the transfer of Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to local authorities in April 2013. The scheme will initially mirror the DWP's approach, with a review to follow to ensure it meets local needs. Payments will primarily be made via purchase cards for specific items like appliances and furnishings, with emergency payments also available through bank accounts or paypoint machines. These will be grants rather than loans, as the DWP found loan recovery costs to be excessive.

Communications Policy

The committee considered an overarching policy for Council staff covering all forms of communication. While commending its brevity and comprehensiveness, members requested that the reference to the policy applying to councillors be removed. The policy will be referred to the General Purposes and Licensing Committee for approval, with this amendment.

Report of the Local Government Finance Working Group

The committee approved the report of the Local Government Finance Working Group, which had examined the Council's financial situation. The report made three recommendations: focusing on new business development in Bromley Town Centre, the Cray Valley, and Biggin Hill Airport; transitioning to a commissioning authority model; and the disposal of surplus properties. The committee urged for urgent action, including the establishment of a business development team. The report will be referred to the Executive for consideration.

Annual PDS Report

The committee approved the 2012/13 Annual PDS Report, which summarises the work of the Policy Development and Scrutiny Committees. This report is to be submitted to full Council.

Holding the Chief Executive to Account

Doug Patterson, the Chief Executive, provided an update on key issues, including the 2013/14 budget, the integration of Public Health into the Council, and negotiations regarding the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH). He also reported on the progress of changes to staff terms and conditions, with a significant majority of staff accepting new contracts. Mr Patterson outlined the Council's future challenges, including financial pressures, and the need to identify new income sources and ensure value for money. He anticipated providing detailed information on baseline reviews and value for money investigations in the summer. The Chief Executive also discussed the evolving role of councillors in education, particularly with the rise of academies, and the potential for the Council to become a smaller organisation relying more on partnerships.

Pre-Decision Scrutiny of Executive Reports

The committee considered several reports for pre-decision scrutiny ahead of the Executive meeting on 3 April 2013.

• The Armed Forces Covenant: The committee supported the recommendation for the Council to enter into the Armed Forces Covenant and for the Mayor to host a signing ceremony.
• Budget Monitoring 2012/13: The committee supported recommendations to release funds from central contingency, noting a projected net underspend of £3,580k based on expenditure up to the end of January 2013.
• Future Role of the LA in Education Services: The committee supported recommendations regarding the Council's future relationship with schools, encapsulated in an Education Covenant. Discussions highlighted concerns about councillors' ability to act as community champions with the rise of academies.
• Invest to Save Bid – Training Statemented Pupils to Travel Independently: The committee supported a £100,000 bid to fund training for young people to travel independently, reducing reliance on specialist Council transport.
• Commissioning Team Programme Budget: The committee supported recommendations for the governance and funding arrangements of the Council's Commissioning Programme, including the drawdown of £300,000 from central contingency. The selection of Peopletoo for consultancy support was explained due to their experience with local councils and Bromley specifically.
• Localism Act 2011: Community Right to Bid: The committee supported recommendations for administering the Community Right to Bid scheme, which allows local groups to nominate assets of community value. It was noted that the proposed arrangements did not include a role for members, and legal advice would be sought on this possibility.
• Crystal Palace Park – Parks for People Application and Procurement Strategy: The committee supported proposals to commit £50k from capital receipts to appoint specialists to support an application for grant funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the regeneration of Crystal Palace Park.

Questions to the Portfolio Holder

Councillor Tom Papworth asked Councillor Graham Arthur, Resources Portfolio Holder, about the annual cost of storing files and documents at the Civic Centre. Councillor Arthur provided an estimated notional figure of £200,000 - £300,000 for the financial year to date, based on an estimation that 10-15% of the site is used for storage. He also noted that an accommodation review and an asset management group were considering ways to use property more efficiently and minimise costs.

Councillor Papworth also asked Councillor Stephen Carr, Leader of the Council, about mechanisms to ensure the Council could investigate and prosecute landlords failing to deal with vermin infestation, following the redundancy of the Technical Officer - Pest Control post. Councillor Carr stated that these duties would be absorbed by the Public Health Nuisance team, with no reduction in service envisaged. He offered to take up a specific issue raised by Councillor Papworth concerning Affinity Sutton with the housing association.