Report to:	People Scrutiny Committee
Date of meeting:	11 March 2021
By:	Chief Executive
Title:	Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR)
Purpose:	To review scrutiny’s input into the Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources process for the financial year 2021/22 and to consider related items for inclusion in the committee’s work programme.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Committee is recommended to:

1) Identify potential areas for inclusion in the committee’s future work programme on services or issues within the Committee’s remit;

2) Review the committee’s input into the RPPR process; and

3) Consider any changes or improvements to the process from a scrutiny perspective.

1          Background

1.1       Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR - i.e. aligning the Council’s budget setting process with service delivery plans) has established an effective and transparent business planning process.

1.2       Scrutiny committees actively engage in the process, firstly to allow them to bring the experience they have gained through their work to bear and, secondly, to help inform their future work programmes.

2          Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources and scrutiny in East Sussex

2.1       In September 2020 each scrutiny committee considered a range of information about the services within the remit of the committee to set the scene for the work on the RPPR process. This included extracts from the Savings Plans agreed by Council in February 2020, the current Portfolio Plans, extracts from the Financial Budget Summary for 2020/21 and the latest capital programme for the period 2020/21-2022/23 (extracts taken from the State of the County report considered by Cabinet in July 2020).   

2.2       At the November meetings the committees considered an updated version of the Council’s proposed Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) and updated proposed savings schedules as set out in a report considered by Cabinet in October 2020.   The scrutiny committees were also asked to identify any further work or information needed for consideration at the RPPR scrutiny board meetings.  

2.3       The scrutiny committees established scrutiny boards to provide a more detailed input into the RPPR process.  These met in December 2020 to consider and agree any recommendations on the draft 2021/22 Savings Plans and draft Portfolio Plans.  The boards:

• considered any amendments to the draft Portfolio Plans and how priorities were reflected against the proposed key areas of budget spend for the coming year;
• assessed the potential impact of proposed savings on services provided to East Sussex County Council customers; and
• made comments and recommendations to Cabinet on the budget proposals for 2021/22.

2.4       Appendix 1 summarises the comments and recommendations made by the People Scrutiny Committee RPPR Board to Cabinet.

2.5       The Committee is invited to consider any areas it wishes to flag up to the incoming scrutiny committee as possible areas for future scrutiny work. A careful selection of topics will enable the Committee to be well-positioned to comment on the impact of service changes, future service delivery and budget proposals as part of the RPPR process.

3.         Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

3.1       The Committee is recommended to review its input into the RPPR process and incorporate work into its future work programme that is likely to inform the future RPPR process.

BECKY SHAW
Chief Executive

Contact Officer: Stuart McKeown, Senior Democratic Services Adviser

Tel. No: 01273 481583
Email: stuart.mckeown@eastsuss.gov.uk

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Appendix 1 – People Scrutiny Committee’s Comments