Issue - items at meetings - Financial Implications of Scrutiny reports

20.1 The Head of Scrutiny Tom Hook set out the report on the financial implications of scrutiny reports as requested at the previous meeting.

20.2 This showed that, as for Brighton & Hove, in other local authorities financial implications of scrutiny recommendations are not normally specified at the recommendation stage but rather when the decision-makers consider the recommendations and seek necessary resources. Reasons for this are included in the report.

20.3 OSC Chair Councillor Warren Morgan said affordability can sometimes be directly taken into account. The scrutiny review of the Winter Service Plan, that he had chaired, did consider the costs of implementing all the recommendations.

20.4 OSC Deputy Chair Councillor Graham Cox reinforced that scrutiny recommendations did need to be realistic.

20.5 It was generally felt that scrutiny recommendations, developed from received evidence, had to be seen in a wider budget context and ought not be constrained solely by existing financial circumstances of a service area.

20.5 RESOLVED; 1) that Members note the report

2) that due attention be given to financial implications during the scrutiny panel process and in developing recommendations

3) that scrutiny panel are not require formally to cost all recommendations.