Agenda item

Question 1 – Received by Matthew Francis

“Gedling Borough Council’s annual financial budget is approximately £12.6 million. In a cost of living crisis, where residents of Gedling Borough are being asked to pay more and more council tax every year, and you will also now be charging residents and other visitors to park at Gedling Country Park, the allocation of salaries of the Senior Leadership Team, which includes executives, directors and assistant directors, accounts for approximately £1 million of that financial budget.

Would the chairman of the Audit Committee please take the time to explain to residents, why such a state of affairs, exhibits a sense of fiduciary responsibility?”

Question 2

“Given the importance the GREATER CARLTON TOWN BOARD will have in bringing economic growth to the wider Carlton Area. And given the Chair of the Board (according the minutes from Tuesday 22 October 2024, 17.00) is reported to have "stressed the importance of Members’ attendance at the meeting."

Will the Leader of Council write to the MP for Gedling noting the following:

Encouraging the MP to attend more of the meetings of this board and stress the importance of the board in delivering for Carlton residents.

Express the council's dissatisfaction the MP has only attended 1 of the 5 meetings, and the one he did attend he was late too. (this is correct as of the publicly available minutes as of 9/12/2024)”

Two questions were received, and one questioner was in attendance to ask their question. The questions and answers are as follows:

Question 1 – Asked by Matthew Francis:

“Gedling Borough Council’s annual financial budget is approximately £12.6 million. In a cost of living crisis, where residents of Gedling Borough are being asked to pay more and more council tax every year, and you will also now be charging residents and other visitors to park at Gedling Country Park, the allocation of salaries of the Senior Leadership Team, which includes executives, directors and assistant directors, accounts for approximately £1 million of that financial budget.

Would the chairman of the Audit Committee please take the time to explain to residents, why such a state of affairs, exhibits a sense of fiduciary responsibility?”

Answered by Councillor Robinson-Payne

Thank you for the question.

All successful businesses require senior managers who can provide leadership at a strategic level to steer the organisation into meeting its agreed targets, aims and objectives. 

In these difficult financial times for local government, all councils require the skills of professional leaders to not only meet the challenges ahead, but also to continue to push the Council in improving public services. Gedling Borough Council is no exception.

The gross budget for 2024/25 is actually £44.1 million, and not the £12.6 million you quote, and organisations of this size require appropriate management at a senior level.

The audit committee is committed to carrying out its role of scrutinising the councils’ finances, ensuring value for money, and holding the organisation to account. The committee will continue to review areas of expenditure to assure public funds are spent responsibly and in the best interests of the residents of Gedling borough.

During my time as the chair of the audit committee, the audit committee and I have overseen the recruitment of an independent member to the committee, who is separate to the councillors, to add an extra layer of scrutiny. Not all councils have adopted this approach, but we welcome transparency and openness.

Question 2 – Read by the Chief Executive on behalf of the questioner

“Given the importance the GREATER CARLTON TOWN BOARD will have in bringing economic growth to the wider Carlton Area. And given the Chair of the Board (according the minutes from Tuesday 22 October 2024, 17.00) is reported to have "stressed the importance of Members’ attendance at the meeting."

Will the Leader of Council write to the MP for Gedling noting the following:

Encouraging the MP to attend more of the meetings of this board and stress the importance of the board in delivering for Carlton residents.

Express the council's dissatisfaction the MP has only attended 1 of the 5 meetings, and the one he did attend he was late too. (this is correct as of the publicly available minutes as of 9/12/2024)”

Answered by Councillor Clarke

Thank you for the question.

I know from discussions myself and the Chief Executive had with the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gedling that he entirely understands the importance of the Greater Carlton Town Board (GCTB) in delivering for Carlton residents and indeed residents right across the borough.

The MP has been fully engaged, involved and supportive of the work of the GCTB. Right from the moment of his election in July, he was lobbying government ministers hard to ensure the incoming government gave a commitment to the future of the long term plans for towns funding for the wider Carlton area in the October budget. This lobbying by our MP, Michael Payne, was particularly important considering the fact that the previous Conservative government had made underfunded spending pledges in the lead up to the general election.

The GCTB would not have been able to fulfil its primary purpose if the MP, supporting by the members of the board, had not made concerted efforts between July and October 2024 to secure a commitment from the government.

I can confirm that the MP has remained in close contact with both me and the Chief Executive about this matter and I am aware he has read with interest, and in full, all of the documentation in relation to the GCTB.

Our MP has attended two meetings and on occasions where personal or parliamentary work have precluded him from attending, he has always recorded his apologies. I am aware one of the meetings he was unable to attend was as a result of the meeting being an in person meeting only, which clashed with the day he was being sworn in as the MP in the House of Commons. The chair of the board has since, at the request of the MP, made arrangements for the meetings to be held in a hybrid format on Fridays.

I once again thank the public for their question, but can I assure them they need not be unnecessarily concerned. Our MP will continue to be fully supportive, involved and engaged in the GCTB’s work and as per the official guidance from the government department – will be individually involved in reviewing the boards long term plan prior to submission.