BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE HELD IN THE CRICKET MEADOW VIEW ROOM, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON TUESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2006

PRESENT: Ms J A Jenkins – Chairman

Mrs S Carpendale, Mr S P Clarke and Mr N H J Irwin were unable to be present at the meeting.

Mr Richard Shaw, Assistant Ombudsman, attended the meeting for Item 50 below.

45     SUBSTITUTE

It was noted that in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 5, a substitute was in attendance as follows:-

Mr R W Thake (substituting for Mrs S Carpendale)

46     DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

47     MINUTES

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2006 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

48     PETITIONS

None received.

49     QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS

None received.

50     ANNUAL MONITORING OF COMPLAINTS

The Head of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper F127) concerning complaints about the Council in 2005/06, whether received by the Council or by the Local Government Ombudsman.

Mr Richard Shaw, Assistant Ombudsman, made a presentation to the meeting, setting out the current and future role of the Local Government Ombudsman. He answered a number of questions raised by Members.

In the ensuing discussion, the following were among the points noted:-

·     A link had been created between the Council’s website and the Local Government Ombudsman’s website.

·     The Suffolk Performance Management Group was considering a Suffolk wide approach to the complaints handling courses offered by the Local Government Ombudsman.

It was agreed that the Council’s procedure should include a provision that Ward Members should be informed of any formal complaints received. Officers were asked to circulate the amended complaints procedure to Committee Members.

RESOLVED

(1)     That the information set out in Paper F127 be noted.

(2)     That further work be undertaken to investigate what causes delays to Ombudsman enquiries and whether these can be alleviated.

(3)     That when a formal complaint is received by the Council, the relevant Head of Service and Ward Member should be informed of this simultaneously.

51     WORK PLAN

The Head of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper F128) which provided details of the Committee’s anticipated work for the remainder of 2006/07, including items which may be the subject of call-in procedures.

It was agreed that an item relating to a Balanced Score Card should be added to the Work Plan for the meeting scheduled to be held on 20 March 2007.

RESOLVED

That the Work Plan submitted as Paper F128 be noted.

52     LOCAL LAND CHARGES – PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The Head of Corporate Services presented a report (Paper F134) setting out the latest performance trends for the Local Land Charges service.

It was noted that performance was on target, and that recently it had improved still further so that by the end of the first week of November most standard searches were being answered within four working days. Members congratulated the staff on this achievement and agreed that it would no longer be necessary to receive quarterly reports on Local Land Charges Performance Indicators.

RESOLVED

That the information set out in Paper F134 be noted.

53     2006/07 CPA IMPROVEMENT PLAN

The Head of Corporate Services presented a report (Paper F133) setting out progress against the current year’s Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) Improvement Plan.

Members noted that further work was needed in some areas as highlighted in Appendix A to Paper F133. They also noted that the Service and Financial Planning Group and the Corporate Plan Working Group had taken the first steps towards identifying the Council’s lower priorities.

RESOLVED

That the progress made against the 2006/07 CPA Improvement Plan as set out in Paper F133 be noted.

54     CAPITAL PROGRAMME MONITORING

The Head of Finance and the Head of Contract and Asset Management presented a joint report (Paper F129), providing an update on the Capital Programme progress for the current year to the end of September 2006. An updated Appendix A was circulated at the meeting, which included an additional column showing the current draft revised budget for 2006/07.

It was noted that overall progress had been good, particularly on Council Housing work, and that the Sandringham Court project was progressing well. However, on Other Services, spending was low for the first six months of the year, so the adjusted budget of £6,246,000 would not be met. Members noted that the budget for 2006/07 had been revised down to £5,264,000.

The Committee had requested further details on projects or areas where funds had been carried forward from 2005/06 and this information was set out in Appendix B to Paper F129. Members also noted that efforts were being made to set future capital programmes and spending targets at challenging, but realistic levels. It was acknowledged that there were practical difficulties in bringing forward projects held “in reserve” in order to meet spending targets. Nevertheless, Officers were asked to give further consideration to this issue, and to report back to the meeting of the Committee scheduled for 30 January 2007.

Members’ attention was drawn to two contracts where, for the reasons set out in paragraph 4.9 of Paper F129, increased costs required the approval of the Strategy Committee.

RESOLVED

That the overall position on the capital programme at the end of September 2006 including progress on work carried over from 2005/06 be noted.

RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE

That the cost increases on the two contracts highlighted in paragraph 4.9 of Paper F129 be approved.

55     FINANCE AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT – QUARTERLY MONITORING REPORT

The Head of Finance and the Head of Corporate Services presented a joint report (Paper F130) which provided information on the current performance and finance position, for the first time in an integrated format. It was emphasised that the aim was to strengthen future reports and to include clearer linkages to Corporate Plan objectives, and information on risk management, efficiencies and the capital programme.

In relation to paragraph 5.2 of Paper F130, it was noted that since the report had been prepared, the South Suffolk Leisure Trust had reported that energy costs were likely to be £30,000 above budget. Therefore, in accordance with the arrangements made when the Trust was created, the Council would need to increase its grant to the Trust in 2006/07 (and 2007/08). This matter would be reflected in the various budget reports to Members. It was agreed that Officers of the Council and of the Trust should be asked to consider whether there was any scope for obtaining grants towards new environmentally friendly energy-saving measures.

RESOLVED

(1)     That the key points relating to variations against the 2006/07 budget and progress on performance in relation to the Corporate Plan, BVPIs and LPIs as set out in Section 4 and 5 of Paper F130 be noted.

(2)     That Officers continue to work with Heads of Service on Action Plans to deal with any unfavourable budget variations and performance issues.

56     VALUE FOR MONEY

The Head of Finance presented a report (Paper F131), providing an update on the Council’s Value for Money performance for 2004/05 compared to similar Councils. He was asked to e-mail to Committee Members the list of Councils involved in the comparison.

Members agreed that it was difficult to draw any firm conclusions from the information in Paper F131 without more detailed research relating to expenditure, performance and public satisfaction in each area. Officers were asked to consider the information further and to suggest two or three areas for detailed investigation by the Committee.

RESOLVED

That the information set out in Paper F131 be noted and the key conclusions and actions in the Report be approved.

57     RISK MANAGEMENT – UPDATE AND MONITORING KEY RISKS

The Head of Finance presented a report (Paper F132) updating Members on the progress to date in identifying and reviewing the key risks facing the Council. The report set out what had been done to date on implementing the Council’s risk management framework and strategy, and the further work that was required to fully embed risk management in the culture of the Council.

Members noted that risk management was a key component of the Council’s Corporate Governance arrangements and was subject to external inspection by the Audit Commission as part of the Use of Resources Assessment, which in turn informed the Council’s Direction of Travel under the Comprehensive Performance Assessment.

It was also noted that as part of the Council’s Structural Review, risk management would become the responsibility of the Head of Corporate Services during 2007. Regular monitoring reports on the strategic risks (and key divisional risks) would be presented to Members on a six-monthly basis in future.

RESOLVED

That the progress on embedding risk management and the plans for further work on this in relation to the Strategic Risk Refresh and other aspects of risk management as set out in Paper F132 be noted.

Note: The Committee adjourned for refreshments between 11.20 and 11.35am.

The business of the meeting was concluded at 12.35pm.

Chairman