Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Andrew Birchall, Henry Caunce, Magda Cullens, David Dickinson, Mrs. Doreen Dickinson, Cath Hoyle, Keith Iddon, Thomas McGowan and Mrs. Joyce Snape.   

Members of the Committee are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and the Members Code of Conduct.  If the personal interest is a prejudicial interest, then the individual Member should not participate in a discussion on the matter and must withdraw from the room and not seek to influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of interest by Members relating to the items on the agenda.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Corporate and Customer Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 15th February 2007 (enclosed). 

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the Corporate and Customer Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 15th February 2007 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Business Plan and Performance Monitoring Reports are enclosed for the period October 2006 to December 2006 forthe Finance Directorate and Customer, Democratic and Legal. 

The Panel received the Business Plan Monitoring Statements for the period October 2006 to December 2006 for:

·                    Human Resources,

·                    Information, Communication Technology Services,

·                    Customer, Democratic and Legal Services and

·                    Financial Services.

Members clarified aspects of the Business Plans and Performance Indicators with the Directors who were all present at the meeting.  The Panel noted the service developments in each area as outlined in the reports.

Councillor Russell congratulated Human Resources for the achievement of Investors in People and ICT on the Geographical Information System Team receiving the NLPG Exemplar Award. 

RESOLVED – That:

1.                  The Business Plan Monitoring Statements October 2006 to December 2006 be noted,

2.                  The figures for sickness be broken down into short and long term sick and the number of staff per team who have not had a day off sick,

3.                  The Director of ICT to report back any mechanism for displaying plans electronically at Development Control Committee in the Council Chamber. 

The report of the Assistant Head of Customer Services is enclosed.

The Panel received a report of the Assistant Head of Customer Services updating the Panel on the progress on the implementation of the recommendation made to the Executive Cabinet on 30 June 2004.

The report indicated that the Panel had carried out an inquiry to assess the effectiveness of the newly implemented One Stop Shop and to identify improvements, which would benefit both the Customer and the workforce.

The report listed the recommendations with the action taken against each one.  There were only seven recommendations with action outstanding.  

The Panel welcomed the format of the report and the progress that had been made since the recommendations were approved.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and that this be the last update report for this Inquiry.

The draft Final Report is enclosed. 

The Panel considered the draft Final Report into Contact Centre Efficiencies and Partnership with Lancashire County Council Inquiry.  The Efficiency and Partnership Sub-Groups had pulled their findings and recommendations into one report. 

The Panel supported the report and noted it would be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 27 March and the Executive Cabinet on 29 March.  The Chair welcomed the Executive Member for Customer, Democratic and Legal, Councillor John Walker, to the meeting.

The Chair suggested that the two Chairs of the Sub-Groups and himself condense the recommendations into a more manageable number and to rewrite the Executive Summary. 

The Chair thanked Councillors Peter Baker and Mrs Stella Walsh for their contributions as Chairs of the Sub-Groups.

RESOLVED – That the Final Report into Contact Centre Efficiencies and Partnership with Lancashire County Council Inquiry be approved, subject to agreed amendments.