Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Ken Ball, Mrs Marie Gray and Margaret Lees.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda. If the interest arises only as result of your membership of another public body or one to which you have been appointed by the Council then you only need to declare it if you intend to speak.

If the personal interest is a prejudicial interest, you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of interest by any of the Committee Members on any of the items on the agenda.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 1 October 2007 (enclosed)

RESOLVED - That the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 3 September 2007 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No members of the public had requested the opportunity to raise question(s) on any of the agenda items.

No members of the public had requested the opportunity to raise question(s) on any of the agenda items.

To consider any reports on the agenda for the Executive Cabinet meeting to be held on 15 November 2007.

Members of the Committee are requested to notify the Democratic Services Section by 10.00am Friday 9 November 2007, to ensure the attendance of the appropriate Executive Member and officers.

Please bring your copy of the Executive Cabinet agenda previously circulated.

There had been no requests from any of the Committee Members for consideration of any of the reports to be presented to the 15 November meeting of the Executive Cabinet, which were not already included on this meetings' agenda.

Report of Assistant Chief Executive (Business Transformation and Improvement) (enclosed)

Note the contents of the report in relation to the Council’s financial position

The Committee received a report from the Assistant Chief Executive (Business Transformation) setting out the current financial position of the Council as compared against the budget and efficiency savings targets it set itself for 2007/08 for the General Fund.  The report contained details of the Councils expected spending for 2007/08 and summarised the main variations from the original budget.

Excellent progress had been made in achieving the Corporate Savings Target of £278,000 for the year and it was likely that further savings would be made as the year progresses.  The report identified the areas that would be monitored closely as the year progressed.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

Report of Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Performance) (enclosed)

Noted

The Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Performance) submitted the Business Plan Monitoring Statement relating to her Directorate, identify the progress made against the key actions and performance indicators for the period 1 July 2007 to 31 September 2007.

The report indicated the activities of the Directorate and reported that with the exception of a couple of actions around Equality and Diversity, the Directorate had delivered all the actions set out in the Business Improvement Plan scheduled for completion during the 2nd quarter of 2007/08.

Considerable activities had been undertaken to work with partners to develop and agree the Sustainable Community Strategy as well as undertaking the Councils own annual review of the Corporate Strategy.

Work had been developed in the Councils approach to consultation and participation through the development of a Consultation and Participation Strategy action plan and supporting toolkit.

The Directorate had also developed and submitted the Councils application for CPA reassessment which will be considered by the Regional Panel and if successful will be eligible for a Corporate Assessment sometime from Mid May 2008.

All risks had been managed and were on track to deliver planned cashable and non-cashable efficiencies.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

Report of Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Performance) (enclosed)

Noted.

The Committee received the second quarter performance management report indicators the Authorities performance in relation to both the Best Value Performance Indicators and the Council's Corporate Key Performance Indicators.

The report indicated that overall the performance in key projects was very positive and of the 44 key projects approved in December 2006, 30 had been completed.  The remaining 14 were progressing on or ahead of plan and 75% of Corporate Strategy indicators had met or exceeded their target.

Overall BVPI performance was good and the Council's quartile position remained positive with 58% of BVPI's showing consistent or improved performance and 18(55%) in the quartile nationally.  66% of BVPI's were on course to meet the year-end target.  BPI performance generally matched or improved upon last year's performance.  However, because the organisation was relatively small and very susceptible to small fluctuations some indicators had seen a slight deterioration in terms of improving PI's for the first quarter of 2007/08.

The Committee focused its attention on the action plans that had been drawn up to address deteriorating performance and to drive up the number of BVPI's showing improving performance in the year.  The report detailed the analysis of those BVPI's, which showed a deterioration.

Explanations were given on each of these areas with specific attention made to indicator BVPI 183a relating to the average length of stay in Bed and Breakfast Accommodation and the contributing factors impacting on the poor performance as well as outlining the corrective action to be undertaken.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

To consider the final report of the Environment and Community Overview and Scrutiny Panel’s inquiry into Neighbourhood Working in Chorley (enclosed)

1 That there be 8 neighbourhood areas based on the Neighbourhood Policing areas

2 That the Executive Cabinet gives consideration to looking Parish those unparished areas of Chorley

3 That the Executive Cabinet considers the future of Target Area Partnerships (TAPS) 

The Chair of the Environment and Community Overview and Scrutiny Panel presented a report on the Panel's completed inquiry into Neighbourhood Working and putting forward two recommendations to be considered by the Executive Cabinet.  The report set out the recommendations for the adoption and implementation of a system of neighbourhood working for Chorley.

The system would provide for:

• The establishment of neighbourhood teams.
• Support for working with existing neighbourhood based groups.
• The funding mechanisms to support local initiatives.
• The reinforcement of the role of the Ward Councillor in neighbourhoods.
• Support for relatively deprived and poorly organised neighbourhoods.

The Environment and Community Overview and Scrutiny Panel had held a number of inquiry hearings, interviews and questions on a number of interests from Partners such as the Police, register social landlords, community organisations, Parish Councils, Active Citizen, other Local Authorities, local sector organisations and private individuals.

The report set out the evidence that had been heard by the Panel and drawing on the evidence the Panel considered three models of Neighbourhood Working for Chorley.

The Panel proposed one would be adopted in Chorley and that be the Area Teams approach but also included an element of capacity building using community development techniques, which were established in Chorley in the Target Area Partnership.

The Committee was asked to finalise a recommendation from the two potential footprints based on the existing eight boundaries of Neighbourhood Policing Area and the Lancashire County Council seven electoral divisions.

RESOLVED -             1) That there be 8 neighbourhood areas based on the Neighbourhood Policing Area.

2) That the Executive Cabinet gives consideration to Parishing the non parished areas of Chorley.

3) That the Executive Cabinet gives consideration the future of Target Area Partnership (TAPS).

To consider the Councils Forward Plan for the four month period 1 November 2007 to 29 February 2007 (enclosed)

Will Members please note that the Committee has already requested to see the following reports prior to any decisions taken by the Executive Cabinet:

• Approval of Pay and Workforce Strategy. (Requested on 10 January 2007)

The Committee to see the report on Approval of a Joint District and LCC Locality Plan for Chorley

The Committee received the Council's Forward Plan setting out details of the key executive decisions expected to be taken between 1 November 2007 to 29 February 2008.

The Plan identified several matters for potential decisions by the Executive and the Committee was requested to indicate those that it wished to examine in advance of consideration by the Executive.

RESOLVED - 1)  That the Forward Plan be noted.

2)  That the Executive Cabinet be notified that this Committee wishes to examine the under mentioned report with the appropriate Executive Member and Director, before a decision is taken by the Executive.

• Approval of Joint District and LCC Locality Plan for Chorley.

Noted

The Committee received the updated Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for the remainder of the Municipal Year.

The programme included the envisaged timescale for the ongoing scrutiny inquiries and the planned monitoring of past inquiry recommendations.

RESOLVED - That the work programme be noted.

Strategic Housing has recently been identified as part of the Lancashire Leadership Development Programme (LDP), which has been taking place throughout the county with both Members and officers. One of the issues raised was the gap in Members’ knowledge in relation to strategic housing e.g. planning/housing provision.

South Ribble Borough Council scrutiny Members have a very keen interest in affordable housing and in order to fully understand this, they need to understand the strategic housing role. They are extremely keen to look at the possibility of undertaking some joint work on this between the three authorities of South Ribble, Preston and Chorley.

As a result of this request from the LDP, the Improvement and Development Agency (IdeA) has suggested that a joint seminar/workshop be held between the central lancs authorities sometime in January 2008. It is envisaged that there will be approximately 80 places. Exact details have yet to be confirmed but Members are asked if they are interested in attending.

 The Committee at a previous meeting had shown interest in strategic housing and affordable housing and had requested reports.      

The Committee was notified that the authority had received an invitation from South Ribble Borough Council Scrutiny Members to a joint seminar/workshop to be held between the Central Lancs authorities of Chorley, Preston and South Ribble in January 2008.  This followed the identification of a gap in Members' knowledge in relation to strategic housing e.g. planning/housing provision.

A request had been made from the Lancashire Leadership Development Programme to the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) to provide a seminar/workshop.

Members were asked if they were interested in attending.

RESOLVED - That the Committee Members be notified of the dates in January 2008 of the joint Seminar/Workshop on strategic housing issues and express their wish to attend.