Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Director - Regeneration, Economy and Assets

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director - Regeneration, Economy and Assets that enabled scrutiny of Sefton Hospitality Operations Limited (SHOL), a wholly owned council company, to provide a level of assurance that both the council’s interests and the services or products provided by the company to residents, were safe and well managed and offered good value for money by:

·       challenging the suitability of the business plan and objectives in meeting the needs of the council, service users and residents

·       testing the financial benefits to the council and economic benefits to the community

·       reviewing the outcomes and achievements of commercial operations against their original plans

·       testing whether the value of the council’s investment into SHOL was being protected and public funds were not exposed to excessive risk and

·       checking that responsible business standards were met.

The report detailed:

·       the council’s objectives for the Company

·       governance arrangements

·       governance arrangements in place for the company in 2023/24

·       key objectives for the Company as per the Business Plan in 2023/24

·       review of performance 2023/24

·       financial performance 2023/24

·       key areas of risk during the year

·       evaluation of performance in 2023/24 compared to council objectives for setting up the company and approved Business Plan for the year

·       Delivery and Improvement Plans for 2024/25

The report concluded by seeking the views of the Committee on:

·       feedback on key issues arising from the report and advice on further information that would support the scrutiny of SHOL in future years

·       feedback on current performance (operational and financial) and how this supported the council’s strategic aims and ambitions and aligned with the objectives and reasons for setting up SHOL

·       clarification or additional information from officers in order to carry out the scrutiny function.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

• details were sought on the forecasted profit/loss for the next 3 years
• how losses were absorbed by the company
• how SHOL was benchmarked against private hospitality in the area
• details were sought on the decision-making process in the event of substantial losses and how often the business plan was reviewed

RESOLVED:

That the report on the 2023 / 24 Outturn Review of Sefton Hospitality Operations Limited, a Council Wholly Owned Company, be noted.