STRATEGY, FINANCE & CITY REGENERATION COMMITTEE
This Committee has overall responsibility for the financial and other resources of the Council, for developing the Council’s strategy and policy based on national government and local priorities, and for the development of partnership working. It also has responsibility for many of the services delivered to residents and customers. Its specific functions are set out in the following paragraphs. It furthermore has responsibility for considering all proposals with corporate budgetary or policy implications referred to it by a service Committee.
To exercise the functions of the Council as follows:
1. Policy and Strategy
To formulate, co-ordinate and implement corporate policies and strategies and make decisions relating to such matters to the extent that they are not reserved to Full Council.
2. Finance and Other Resources
(a) To establish the framework for the allocation, control and management of the Council’s resources including finance, assets, IT, land and other property;
(b) To formulate budget proposals for adoption by the Council;
(c) To calculate of the Council Tax Base;
(d) To make decisions or grant authorisations on expenditure in accordance with the requirements of financial standing orders;
(e) To deal with all financial services, including risk management, insurance and external and internal audit arrangements;
(f) To oversee the Council’s information governance arrangements.
(note: this power is given concurrently to the Audit and Standards Committee).
3. Major Built Environment Projects
(a) To oversee the progress of major projects (including major building, infrastructure or other projects involving the erection or significant alteration of major permanent structures or landmarks) undertaken by the Council.
(b) To review major projects and any project Boards having regard to capacity to deliver, corporate priorities and resources.
4. Partnerships
(a) To set up, develop and review partnerships, including, but not limited to, the Local Strategic Partnership;
(b) To co-ordinate, develop, adopt and review the Sustainable Community Strategy and make recommendations to Full Council.
5. Adult Learning and Employment
(a) To discharge the Council’s functions under the arrangements with the Education and Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency for the provision of adult education; and
(b) To discharge the Council’s functions regarding the employment of physically disabled persons and youths, providing that the functions regarding youth employment shall be limited to the management of the existing establishment in Hove.
6. Neighbourhood Renewal
To discharge the Council’s functions in respect of neighbourhood renewal, which include:
(a) developing and implementing the neighbourhood renewal strategy for Brighton & Hove in order to narrow the gap between the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of Brighton & Hove, under the themes set by national Government of housing, health, liveability, crime, education and employment; and
(b) acting as the accountable body for the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund on behalf of the Local Strategic Partnership.
7. Grants
To deal with grants to community organisations and non-profit making bodies in the area of the Council providing that this shall not include grants in respect of educational charities which are the responsibility of the Children, Young People & Skills Committee.
8. Management of Establishments
To deal with all matters concerning establishments as are more particularly set out under the Scheme of Delegation to Officers.
9. Catering Services in Council Establishments
To deal with all matters in connection with the provision of catering services in Council establishments used primarily by Council employees.
10. Best Value
To establish the framework for the achievement of best value by the Council.
11. Human Resources
To establish the framework for Human Resources policies and procedures and discharge the Council’s functions as an employer where this is exercisable by a Committee.
12. Dismissal of certain statutory officers
To discharge the function of a statutory panel in relation to the dismissal of the Chief Executive, the Monitoring Officer or the Chief Finance Officer and to make arrangements for this function to be discharged through the Personnel Appeals Panel.
13. Property Management
(a) To manage land held for the purposes of the functions of the Committee, corporately held property and land declared surplus to the requirements of a Committee or the service area of a Director by the relevant Committee or Director.
(b) To authorise the acquisition or disposal of any land held by the Council providing that any proposal for the transfer of housing land which requires the consent of the Secretary of State shall be referred to Full Council with recommendations.
14. Appointment to outside bodies
To appoint representatives to outside bodies between Annual Council meetings where the timing is such that it will be more expedient for the appointment to be made by the Strategy, Finance & City Regeneration Committee rather than Full Council.
15. Public Safety – Civil Contingencies
To exercise the Council’s functions in relation to emergency planning and business continuity, including the Council’s functions under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
16. Communities
To co-ordinate and lead on the Council’s functions in connection with community engagement and voluntary organisations.
17. Equalities
To co-ordinate and lead on the Council’s functions in relation to Equalities and Inclusion.
Note: the Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee has concurrent delegated powers for Equalities and Inclusion.
18. Constitution
(a) To receive reports on and monitor the operation of the Constitution;
(b) To make recommendations to the Council with a view to improving the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of the decision-making process.
19. Members’ Allowances
To consider the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel and advise the Council as appropriate.
20. Member budgets
a) To develop the Council’s approach to Member budgets within the framework set by the Strategy, Finance & City Regeneration Committee.
b) To oversee all aspects of the delivery of the Member budget process.
21 Customer Services, including Digital First (and Digital Brighton & Hove)
To monitor and review the Council’s delivery of its customer services across all areas including its Digital First transformation programme as well as digital inclusion.
22. General Powers
(a) To discharge all other functions of the Council not specifically delegated to another Committee or reserved to Full Council under the law, this Scheme of Delegation to Committees and Sub-Committees, Council Standing Orders or Council Procedure Rules;
(b) To deal with matters referred to the Committee by other Committees or Sub-Committees as having corporate budgetary or policy implications.
23. Sub-Committees, Task Groups, Member Panels and Consultation Forums
To be responsible for the setting up, review and abolition of Joint Committees, Sub-Committees, permanent member Working Groups, permanent Member panels, consultation forums and commissions.
24. Miscellaneous Service Functions
To exercise the Council’s functions in relation to the following services/functions:
(a) Electoral and ceremonial matters relevant to the Council;
(b) Matters concerning East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service;
(c) Legal Services;
(d) Complaints Services;
(e) Performance management
(f) Corporate Procurement;
(g) Health and safety at work (in so far as it relates to the Council as an employer);
(h) Revenues and Benefits, including Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, the administration, collection and enforcement of Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates;
(i) Registration of births, deaths, marriages, partnerships and associated functions;
(j) Local Land Charges;
(k) Corporate Information and Communication Technology Services;
(l) Corporate communications
(m) Democratic Services.
Personnel Appeals Panel
1. To exercise the function of the Council in relation to determining appeals against dismissals, grading and other personnel related grievances in accordance with corporate policies and procedures.
2. To exercise the function of considering the dismissal of the Chief Executive, the Monitoring Officer or the Chief Finance Officer and making a recommendation of dismissal to Full Council. Where the Personnel Appeals Panel performs this function, two independent persons shall be invited to join the Personnel Appeals Panel.