People Scrutiny Committee
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Date of meeting: |
19 November 2020
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By: |
Chief Executive
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Title: |
Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR)
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Purpose: |
To provide an update on the Council’s business and financial planning process, Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR), and the Committee’s comments and requests for further information.
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(2) identify any further work or information needed to aid the Scrutiny Committee’s contribution to the RPPR process for consideration at the December RPPR Board, or as part of the Committee’s ongoing work programme.
1. Background
1.1 In October, Cabinet considered a Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR) update report. Following on from the State of the County report in July, the report set out an updated picture of how the Council will need to reset its service and financial plans to deal with the future, as we continue to live with the reality of a world with COVID-19 and the significant impact this has on people’s lives, as well as a fast-moving national policy agenda.
1.2 The report also confirmed that, as a result of the ongoing rapidly evolving context, it remains very challenging to quantify future need for services and national expectations for local government and to reflect these in the Council’s future service offer and financial planning. The report therefore provided Cabinet with the latest best assessment of the policy and financial context that will continue to inform ongoing planning for 2021/22. The report (attached at Appendix A) included:
· updates on key national and local policy context developments since July;
· an update on the review of the Council’s priority outcomes and delivery outcomes;
· an update on the review and reset of the East Sussex Core Offer;
· the updated Medium Term Financial Plan for 2021/22-2023/24; and
· updates to the Capital Programme.
1.3 The report highlighted that the RPPR process, bringing together the Council’s policy, business and financial planning and risk management, provides the vehicle for service and financial recovery. The process of planning, through RPPR, for 2021/22 and beyond will take into consideration the immediate and future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside other trends and pressures, to form an integrated forward view and to ultimately translate this into service and financial plans which reflect recovery alongside ongoing work.
2. Scrutiny engagement in RPPR
2.1 At the September meeting the Scrutiny Committees reviewed the Portfolio Plans for the services within the Committees’ remits, the savings plans that were agreed by Council in February 2020 and the Financial Budget Summary 2020/21 to ensure a baseline understanding of the current context and future pressures. Whilst the attached Cabinet report provides the committees with updates on significant developments that have occurred since the September meeting round, details of the outcome of the Government’s spending review, now confirmed to be for a single year only, are not scheduled to be released until 25 November 2020. Full information on the provisional local government finance settlement may not be received by the Council until December or early January.
2.2 The November 2020 Scrutiny Committees are invited to:
· identify any further work or information needed to aid the Scrutiny Committee’s contribution to the RPPR process, for consideration at the December RPPR Board; and
· fine tune the scrutiny work programme to ensure the committee is in the best position to contribute to the ongoing RPPR process.
2.3 The committee’s RPPR Board will meet on 17 December 2020 to agree detailed comments and any recommendations on the budget proposals and emerging portfolio plans to be put to Cabinet on behalf of the committee in January 2021. The Chairs of the People and Place Scrutiny Committees are invited to attend the RPPR boards of both committees.
2.4 The March 2021 Scrutiny Committees will review the process and their input into the RPPR process and receive feedback on how scrutiny input has been reflected in final plans. Any issues arising can be reflected in the future committee work programme.
2.5 Running alongside this process, there will be a number of opportunities for all Members to engage in the RPPR process.
BECKY SHAW
Chief Executive
Contact Officer: Stuart McKeown, Senior Democratic Services Advisor
Telephone: 01273 481583
Email: stuart.mckeown@eastsussex.gov.uk
Local Member: All
Background Documents:
None