The Minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2024 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive any petitions from the public and any questions from the public and Councillors.

Questions on the following matters were submitted by Councillors:

This report asks the Committee to make recommendations to Council following a review of the performance of Brighter Futures for Children Limited in delivering Children’s Services and an assessment of future options.

The Committee considered a report setting out a review of the performance of Brighter Futures for Children Limited (BFfC) in delivering Children’s Services and an assessment of future options.  Attached to the report at Appendix 1 was a report from CIPFA on the Assessment of Options for Children’s Services and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

This report recommends that consultation be undertaken on a Draft Town Centre Public Realm Strategy Supplementary Planning Document, providing policy and guidance to improve the quality of the public realm throughout central Reading and to supplement the Local Plan in making decisions on planning applications in the town centre.

The Committee considered a report recommending that consultation be undertaken on a Draft Town Centre Public Realm Strategy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to provide detailed policy and guidance to improve the quality of the public realm throughout central Reading and to supplement the Local Plan in making decisions on planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

This report recommends consultation on the Draft Statement of Community Involvement, a statutory document setting out how consultation will be undertaken on planning policy documents as well as other planning matters.

The Committee considered a reportrecommending consultation on a Draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), a document setting out how consultation would be undertaken on planning policy documents as well as other planning matters.  An Equality Impact Assessment was attached to the report at Appendix 1 and the draft SCI  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

This report sets out the provisional revenue and capital outturn positions for the Council’s General Fund and Housing Revenue Account as at the end of Quarter 2 2024/25 as well as performance against the measures of success published in the Council’s Corporate Plan.

The Committee considered a report setting out the projected revenue and capital outturn positions for 2024/25 for the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) as at the end of Quarter 2 and the performance against the measures of success set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan.  The following  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

This report provides an update on the development of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025/26-2027/28.

The Committee considered a report providing an update on the development of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2025/26-2027/28.  The following documents were attached to the report:

·         Summary of the Proposed General Fund Budget 2025/26 to 2027/28

·         Summary of General Fund Budget Changes 2025/26 to 2027/28

·         Summary of HRA  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

The following motion will be moved by the Chair:

“That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following items on the agenda, as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of that Act”

Resolved –

That pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of item 48 below as it was likely that there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs specified in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

The Committee considered a report on the award of an enterprise purchasing agreement for the Council’s Microsoft Licensing suite.

The report explained that the Council purchased various Microsoft licences which were listed in a table attached to the report at Annex 1.  Microsoft did not directly sell licences to local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.