Agenda and draft minutes

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Lisa Powell.

To note any urgent items of business which the Chairman has consented to being considered under the provisions of Section 100(B) 4(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was no urgent business to be considered at the meeting.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a) any business on the agenda;

b) any urgent additional items to be considered;

c) any matters arising out of those items;

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

There were no declarations made at the meeting.

To consider the minutes of the Finance and Corporate Overview Scrutiny Committee meeting held on the 4^th of September 2025 as a true record.

It was noted the financial situation of Pleasley Vale Business Park would be discussed at a closed stakeholder meeting of the Pleasley Vale Business Park Working Group December 2025, which all Members had been invited to attend.

More information on the Medium-Term Financial Plan would be provided to Members January 2026.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Sally Renshaw

RESOLVED that the minutes of a meeting of the Finance and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 4^th September 2025 be approved as a true and correct record.

Members should contact the officer whose name appears on the List of Key Decisions for any further information). NB: If Members wish to discuss an exempt report under this item, the meeting will need to move into exempt business and exclude the public in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 and Local Government Act 1972, Part 1, Schedule 12a for that part of the meeting only.

Committee considered the updated List of Key Decisions and Items to be Considered in Private.

RESOLVED that the updated List of Key Decisions and Items to be considered in Private in the additional document be noted.

The Section 151 Officer presented the report to the Committee on the financial position of the Council following Quarter 2 2025/26’s budget monitoring exercise for Dragonfly Management Ltd., the General Fund, the Housing Revenue Account, Capital Programme and Treasury Management activity.

It was noted the Revised Budgets 2025/26 process was now complete and would provide the latest information.  The Section 151 Officer asked if there were any questions and if none recommended the Committee proceed.

RESOVLED that: 1) the Finance and Corporate Overview Scrutiny Committee notes the monitoring position of the General Fund at the end of the second quarter as detailed on Appendix 1 (A net favourable variance of £2.477m against the profiled          budget) and the key issues highlighted within this report; and,

2)    the Finance and Corporate Overview Scrutiny Committee notes the position on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), the Capital Programme and Treasury Management at the end of the second quarter (Appendices 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6).

The Section 151 Officer presented the report and a presentation to the Committee on the financial position of the Council following Quarter 2 2025/26’s budget monitoring exercise for the General Fund (GF), the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), Capital Programme and Treasury Management (TM) activity.

The services managed by Dragonfly Management (Bolsover) Ltd. (DML) were detailed in the report and continued to be funded in line with service level agreements.  Charges to Dragonfly Development Ltd. for the support services provided by the Council (incl. Legal, Payroll, HR, Finance, and Audit) were made.

As noted in the previous item, the Revised Budgets 2025/26 process was now complete.

The GF Revenue Account summary was attached at Appendix 1.  The revision showed that the Net Cost of Services had increased to £19.955m (£4.346m above original budget figures).

Considerable Section 106 expenditure budgets had also been added. 

Appendix 2 detailed the net cost of each cost centre by Directorate.

The original budget showed a balanced budget (neither a surplus nor deficit).  The current budget position before changes from the Revised Budgets 2025/26 process were included was a surplus of £0.126m.  This included the 2025/26 Council Tax increase of £0.142m.

Table 1 of the report showed the latest position of all years in the current MTFP:

Table 2 of the report showed the main variances between the current and revised budget positions (£0.126m surplus and zero deficit or surplus).  Explanations of each of the variances were detailed in the report.

The Council had not been successful in obtaining flood insurance cover at Pleasley Vale Business Park.  The Council had established the Pleasley Vale Insurance Reserve with a value of £1m from 1^st October 2024 (using £0.825m from Transformation Reserve schemes which did not go ahead, and £0.175m from General Reserve schemes on the same basis) to self-insure the site.

Members had been kept informed on the position of the reserve via Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 Budget Monitoring Reports 2025/26.  It was hoped work on flood mitigation practices would enable the Council to obtain flood insurance at the renewal (September 2025).  However, insurance companies were still unwilling to insure Pleasley Vale Business Park when approached.

The reserve would be reviewed as part of the MTFP and brought before Members January 2026.

The Committee was informed the bracketed numbers in the report and presentation highlighted additional reserves / income.

The transfer details of the: General Reserve; Legal Costs Reserve; Building, Repair and Renewal Reserve; and NNDR Growth Protection Reserve were highlighted during the presentation.

To a question on Pleasley Vale Business Park, the Strategic Director  ...  view the full minutes text for item FCO19-25/26

The Section 151 Officer provided a verbal update and presentation on the Setting of Council Tax 2026/27 to the Committee.

It was reiterated from earlier in the meeting that while the Medium-Term Financial Plan would be provided to Members in January 2026, this presentation would provide an indication of the likely level of council tax increases following the Council’s strategic intentions.

Figures as always, were based on a Band D property.

The Council would seek the maximum 2.99% / £5 annual increase (whichever was highest) in line with the approved Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

The figure of £596,356 by 2029/30 highlighted the additional income raised (if only 2026/27 saw the 2.99% / £5 increase).

The presentation would be published online after the meeting.

It was noted that while a Band D property was always used as an example (as the middle Council Tax Band), the majority of properties in the District were Band A.

Additionally, a Member commented, many properties were receiving the 25% single occupancy discount.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor David Bennett

RESOLVED that the presentation be noted.

The Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy presented the report to the Committee.

For Quarter 2 2025/26, out of the 33 targets:

• 20 (61%) targets are on track;
• 3 (9%) not on track;
• 3 (9%) achieved; and,
• 7 (21%) Quarter 2 2025/26 update yet to be received (all within Appendix 3, ‘Our Economy’).

Out of the 58 key performance indicators:

• 37 (68%) indicators have a positive outturn;
• 7 (13%) indicators have a negative outturn;
• 9 (17%) indicators are within target; and,
• 1 (2%) yet to be completed for Quarter 2 2025/26.

The Performance Summary for the Council’s Customers, Performance Summary for Our Environment, Performance Summary for Our Economy, Performance Summary for Our Housing and Key Performance Indicators for the Dragonfly Companies were attached at Appendixes 1-5.

It was noted for ENV.05, “Carry out 155 targeted proactive littering dog fouling patrols per year”, patrols had increased and work had concentrated on prosecutions and the issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices.  The team had continued to prioritise investigating incidents where offences had been witnessed and evidenced.

It was noted for ENV.06, “Reduce fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 people in… [the] District over the plan period”, while incidents were higher than the same period last year, positive action was taking place with new warning signage and investigations in known hotspots.

The performance figures detailed in Appendix 4 was also brought to the Committee’s attention.

For the ECO.01-07 figures, the Head of Business Growth would provide updated figures after the meeting and this would be shared with Members in the following days.

Other performance updates (on Freedom of Information requests, Customer Services, etc.) were highlighted to Members at the meeting.

The Chair asked if additional information could be provided on the Dragonfly Companies’ Key Performance Indicators (some targets were listed as “TBA” – to be announced).

To the enforcement actions taken by the Environmental Health Team, the Portfolio Holder for Resources added action had been and would continue to be taken, referring to several recent successful prosecutions in Court resulting in substantial fines to the defendants – if defendants were not willing to follow the law (e.g. pay Fixed Penalty Notices), the Council would pursue.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor David Bennett

RESOLVED that the quarterly outturns against the Council Plan 2024-2028 targets be noted.

The Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy presented proposed amendments to the presentation of the Corporate Ambitions Performance Update data / reports to the Committee.

The Committee was asked for its feedback.

The Chair noted comparisons with the same quarter of the previous year remained useful (many issues were seasonal).

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Work Programme 2025/26 to the Committee, which was attached at Appendix 1.

It was noted the Committee’s Work Programme 2026/27 had been brought forward to March 2026 at the request of the Chair to permit additional time for review work consideration.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Sally Renshaw

RESOLVED that Members review this report and the Programme attached at Appendix 1 for approval and amendment as required.  All Members are advised to contact the Scrutiny Officer should they have any queries regarding future meetings.