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| Item no. | Agenda Item | Details | Status | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Apologies for Absence | |||||||
| 02 | Declarations of Interest |
Members are reminded that they should declare any personal and / or prejudicial interests at this point and that they should leave the meeting room before any item, in which they have a prejudicial interest, is discussed. |
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| 03 | Non-Exempt Minutes |
Members are asked to agree the non-exempt minutes, attached marked 3, of the Strategy and Resources Committee meeting, held on 19 January 2012, and that they be signed by the Chari as a correct record.
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For decision | |||||
| 04 | Public Questions |
Members are asked to receive any questions, statements or petitions, of which notice has been received, from members of the public. |
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| 05 | Strategy and Resources Committee Work Plan 2012/13 |
This report, attached marked 5, reviews progress against the Strategy and Resources Committee 2011 / 2012 Work Plan and puts forward a 2012 / 2013 Work Plan for consideration and approval by Members.
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For decision | |||||
| 06 | Annual Report of the Strategy and Resources Committee |
This report. attached marked 6, presents the draft version of the Annual Report of the Strategy and Resources Committee, for consideration and approval by Members, prior to submission to the Fire Authority at its meeting in April.
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For decision | |||||
| 07 | Public Value Performance Targets 2012/13 |
This report, attached marked 7, presents recommendations for Public Value Performance Targets to support delivery of the Fire Authority's Service Plan 2012/13.
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For decision | |||||
| 08 | Financial Performance to February 2012 |
This report, attached marked 8, provides information on the financial performance of the Service, and seeks approval for action, where necessary.
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For decision | |||||
| 09 | Review of the Finance Department |
This report, attached marked 9, presents a review of the Authority's restructured Finance Department, following the retirement of the Treasurer in August 2011.
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For information | |||||
| 10 | Localising Council Tax Support in England |
At the Spending Review 2010, the Government announced that it would localise support for council tax from 2013/14, reducing expenditure by 10%. The Welfare Reform Bill was published in February 2011, containing provisions for the abolition of council tax benefit, paving the way for new localised schemes. A consultation document was issued in August 2011, which sought views on the proposed framework for local support of council tax. As a major precepting authority, the Fire Authority will be affected by these proposals, because a proportion of the grant payable for council tax support will be paid directly to the Authority. Consequently, the cost of funding council tax support in the areas of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin will also fall proportionately on the Authority, resulting in a difference depending on each constituent authority's local scheme. Discussions are being held with the constituent authorities, who are required to consult with precepting authorities during the development of their local schemes. When more information is gathered, and the financial implications of the proposals can be exemplified, the Authority will be informed. |
For information | |||||
| 11 | Local Government Resource Review Update on Business Rate Retention |
The Committee was informed at its November meeting that officers had responded to the Government's consultation on the proposed retention of business rates income by local authorities. The main question for fire and rescue authorities within the consultation was the way in which single purpose authorities would receive their funding under the new scheme. The Government's response to the consultation was published in December 2011 and confirms that business rates retention will be introduced from April 2013. It also confirmed that, despite the fact that single purpose authorities were generally in favour of being removed from the rates retention scheme and being funded from fixed funding allocations, the Government believes that all fire authorities should be funded through the same route. As such, in the new rates retention scheme, all fire and rescue authorities will be funded through a percentage share of each district or council's billing authority business rates baseline, subject to tariffs and top ups required to bring them to their baseline funding level. During the calculation of the funding baseline, a number of technical adjustments will be made, including one for sparsity, although it is not yet clear if the impact of this adjustment will greatly affect the outcome of the baseline total. It is hoped that the Local Government Finance Bill will achieve Royal Assent by summer 2012. In the meantime, a number of working groups have been set up to work through the policy and technical detail around the retention scheme. |
For information | |||||
| 12 | Local Government Act 1972 |
Members are asked to consider a resolution under the Local Government Act 1972 that the public and press be excluded for the following agenda item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined by the provisions of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, by virtue of paragraph 3. |
For decision | |||||
| 13 | Exempt Minutes (Paragraph 3) |
Members are asked to agree the exempt minutes, attached marked 13, of the Strategy and Resources Committee meeting, held on 19 January 2012, and that they be signed by the Chair as a correct record. |
For decision |
