Councillor Arjun Mittra

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Thursday 12th December, 2024 6.00 pm

The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) of Barnet Council met on Thursday 12 December 2024 and the most significant item on their agenda was a report on the External Audit of the council's accounts for the last three years.

Budget Scrutiny, Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 12th December, 2024 7.00 pm

The committee considered a report on proposed changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme. It was noted that a separate public consultation was in progress, and the cabinet will consider the committee's views alongside the public consultation responses in February 2025. The committee recommended that the cabinet consider what other councils in London were doing. The committee also noted the Cabinet Forward Plan and considered a proposal to add the Open Door Homes acquisitions update to the plan for June 2025. There were no objections, so this was agreed. The committee noted the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme and agreed to move their meeting from 5 June to 12 June. They also agreed to consider the budget papers on 30 January to allow members to make comments ahead of the final budget being produced. Finally, the committee considered two reports on the council's budget: the Chief Finance Officer Report – 2024/25 Quarter 2 Financial Forecast and 2024/25 Budget Management and the Business Planning and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025-2030. These reports revealed a challenging financial position for the council, with an anticipated overspend of £25 million for 2024/25. The committee recommended that the cabinet consider how the budget consultation might be improved in future years, potentially by adopting a themed approach where each department could be scrutinized separately.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Wednesday 27th November, 2024 7.00 pm

The Committee noted all of the reports that were presented, including the status of the council’s strategic and high level (15+) service risks, the work of the Corporate Anti-Fraud Team, and the performance of the Adult Social Care Financial Sustainability Programme. The Committee agreed to refer an item on the affordability of Brent Cross to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) and noted that the external audit for the 2023/24 financial year would likely result in a disclaimer of audit opinion.

Planning Committee - Wednesday 30th October, 2024 7.00 pm

The meeting considered six planning applications. Planning permission was granted for the demolition and rebuild of the Church Hall of St Mary the Virgin in High Barnet, and for the change of use of a house at 7 Northfield Road in East Barnet to a children's home. Planning permission was refused for the retention of an outbuilding at 78 King's Drive in Edgware, the alterations to and rendering of Fenton House in High Barnet, and the removal of an oak tree at Fairfield in Whetstone. Permission was granted for the removal of two false acacia trees at Fairfield in Whetstone and at 79 Oakleigh Park North in Whetstone.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Monday 28th October, 2024 7.00 pm

The meeting considered a proposal for the extension of three contracts with Capita and the proposed new Fees and Charges for 2025/26. The committee requested further information from officers on business and Council tax collection rates and asked that an informal group be set up to look at the future of the Capita contracts. The committee also requested that officers investigate the possibility of tapering the proposed charge for arranging care for people above the capital and savings threshold.