Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cr. Parry, Cabinet Member – Corporate Services, who had been invited to the meeting in relation to item no. 34 below.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

No declarations of interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 31 August 2010

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 31 August 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive a verbal update from Linda Price, Finance and Information Services.

Further to Minute No. 28 of 31 August 2010, the Committee received a presentation from the ICT Client, Finance and Information Services Department, together with representatives from Arvato, providing an update on the latest position with regard to Members’ ICT.

The Committee was apprised of the following-

• Members’ ICT arrangements;
• Simplified e-Mail facility;
• Call logging and support;
• Equipment; and
• Members’ support summary from September to 5 October 2010.

Assurances were given that the new simplified e-mail facility would be available to all Members by 29 November 2010.

Committee Members requested that relevant information be cascaded to all Members as soon as possible. The ICT Client Manager advised that issues would be reported to the Council’s ICT Steering Group in due course and that she was currently in the process of advising Political Groups of the position.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the information be received and this Committee be kept informed of developments on the matter; and

(2)       the ICT Client Manager be requested to ensure that relevant information is cascaded to all Members, via their political Groups.

Joint Report of the Assistant Chief Executive and the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy

Further to Minute No. 21 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member – Performance and Governance of 29 September 2010, the Committee considered the joint report of the Assistant Chief Executive and the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy on the final 2009/10 outturn position for the Performance and Governance Portfolio. The report indicated that there was a net under-spend of £0.132m for 2009/10 and set out the comments of the Assistant Chief Executive on the departmental variations, together with the identification of an ongoing issue in later financial years.

The Cabinet Member had not referred any issues to this Committee for consideration.

Councillor Shaw requested information relating to savings achieved as a result of the non-filling of vacant posts.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the Portfolio’s revenue expenditure outturn for 2009/10 be received; and

(2)       the relevant officers be requested to provide the information requested above to Members of this Committee.

To receive a briefing from Interim Head of Corporate Finance and Information Services.

Further to Minute No. 25 of 31 August 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive on issues raised previously by this Committee. The report set out information related to the following:-

(a)       The withdrawal of the payroll facility for payment of Council Tax for Credit Union members;

(b)       Possible inclusion of promotional material on the Credit Union with the annual distribution of Council Tax bills; and

(c)        Possible inclusion of information on the Credit Union on employees’ payslips, on an annual basis.

The Chair requested further information, as follows:-

• The cost associated with the reinstatement of (a) above;
• Liaison with Sefton Credit Union regarding information which could be used for (b) and (c) above; and
• In relation to (c) above, the number of Council employees paid on a weekly basis.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the report be accepted; and

(2)       the Finance Department be requested to progress the issues raised above.

Report of the Strategic Director - Communities

Further to Minute No. 30 (2) of 31 August 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director – Communities on the current asset management plan and proposals to review the Council’s asset management arrangements leading to the development of a new plan.

Further to Minute No. 81 (3) of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 5 August 2010, the Chair stated that she would wish this Committee to be involved from the outset in a review of the Asset Management Plan, as requested previously by the Cabinet.

Members raised concerns regarding levels of capital receipts raised during 2009/10 as a result of asset disposals and requested details of how and why figures were reached.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the report be accepted;

(2)       the intention to submit further reports as the new arrangements are developed and the revised asset management plan is produced, be noted; and

(3)       the Asset and Property Manager be requested to provide the information requested above to Members of this Committee.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive, submitting the most recent reports by the following Cabinet Members, considered by the Cabinet on 30 September 2010:-

Cabinet Member – Communities;

Cabinet Member – Corporate Services; and

Cabinet Member – Performance and Governance.

Officers present outlined recent activities within their appropriate Directorates.

Members raised queries regarding the following matters:-

• implications of the Equality Act 2010;
• continued delivery of high standards of achievement in matters relating to equality and diversity throughout this Council;
• number of appeals received as a result of the Pay and Grading Review;
• role of the “Sefton Understood” Group;
• progress on the Council’s Transformation Programme; and
• implications of the Bribery Act 2010.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the Cabinet Member reports be received;

(2)       the Director of Equalities be requested to submit a presentation on the implications and requirements of the Equality Act 2010 to the next meeting of this Committee;

(3)       the Director of Equalities be requested to submit a report on any developments regarding the Equality Framework for Local Government and also self-assessment and peer assessment, to this Committee in approximately six months time;

(4)       the Head of Corporate Personnel be requested to submit details of the number of appeals received as a result of the Pay and Grading Review to the next meeting of this Committee;

(5)       the Chair of the Sefton Understood Group be invited to the next meeting of this Committee in order to provide Members with an understanding of the role and purpose of the Group;

(6)       the Head of Transformation Services be requested to report on progress on the Transformation Programme to the next meeting of this Committee; and

(7)       the Members’ Development Steering Group be advised of the potential training implications for Members, as a result of the Bribery Act 2010.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive in relation to the Committee’s programme of work. There were a number of Decisions within the latest Key Decision Forward Plan that fell under this Committee’s remit.

The cross-cutting Working Group comprised of the four Overview and Scrutiny Chairs, plus two other Members, was continuing with its review on health inequalities.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the contents of the Key Decision Forward Plan for the period 1 October 2010 to 31 January 2011 be accepted; and

(2)       the progress and actions of the cross-cutting Working Group, to scrutinise health inequalities within the Borough, be supported.