Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

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 1 September 2010

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

Joint report of the Chief Executive, Assistant Chief Executive, Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy, Head of Corporate Legal Services, Head of Corporate Personnel and the Environmental & Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Chief Executive, the Assistant Chief Executive, the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy, the Head of Corporate Legal Services, the Head of Corporate Personnel and the Environmental and Technical Services Director on the final 2009/10 outturn position for the Corporate Services portfolio.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)       the portfolio's revenue expenditure outturn for 2009/10 be noted;

(2)       the portfolio's capital expenditure outturn for 2009/10 be noted; and

(3)       the portfolio's performance indicators and data for 2009/10 be noted.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Director of Corporate Services on the Corporate Services Departmental Plan for 2010/11, including the proposed actions/activities for the Department as set out in the Service Plan attached to the report.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the intended action plan for 2010/11, which is already under way, be approved; and

(2)       the progress made against the action plan to the end of June 2010, be noted.

Report of the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel

Further to Minute No. 19 of 21 July 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel providing information on sickness absence levels for all Council staff, including those based at schools, for the first quarter of 2010/11, together with proposals on improvements in sickness absence management and current initiatives.

RESOLVED:

That the report, particularly in respect of current management action and initiatives in relation to sickness absence, be noted.

Joint report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy and the Environmental Protection Director.

The Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy and the Environmental Protection Director on a proposed sustainable procurement policy which would support all contracting activity across the Authority.  The proposed policy was appended to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy

Further to Minute No. 8 of 26 May 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy on the progress of the implementation of the Northgate Revenues and Benefits system which would replace the current Pericles system on 15 November 2010.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy seeking approval to write-off 57 non-domestic rate debts amounting to £258,292.87, 79 Council Tax debts amounting to £272,266.84 and 8 Housing Benefit overpayments amounting to £24,514.40, which had proved to be irrecoverable.

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the debts referred to be approved.

To consider passing the following resolution:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

RESOLVED:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test had been applied and favoured exclusion of the information from the press and public.

Report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy on an application for discretionary rate relief by an organisation under the provisions of Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

RESOLVED:

That, taking into account the financial implications set out in the report, discretionary rate relief be not granted to the organisation referred to.

To receive a presentation from Moira Greenwood, Health and Safety Advisor

The Cabinet Member received a presentation from Moira Greenwood, Health and Safety Adviser, on current and proposed support available to staff to help to manage issues arising from the Transformation Programme.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be noted.