Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Henry Caunce, Michael Davies, David Dickinson, Keith Iddon, Thomas McGowan and Michael Muncaster.  

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 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 - Efficiency Gains Sub-Group held on 6 November 2007 (enclosed).

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the Corporate and Customer Overview and Scrutiny Panel - Efficiency Gains Sub-Group held on 6 November 2007 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Members of the public who have requested the opportunity to ask a question(s) on an item(s) on the agenda will be asked to put their question(s) to the Panel. Each member of the public will be allowed to ask one supplementary question within his/her allocated 3 minutes.  

No members of the public requested to speak at the meeting.

Members will determine and allocate the questions for the Assistant Chief Executive (Business Transformation).  The draft questions are enclosed.

Members considered the draft questions enclosed with the agenda, made several amendments and allocated questions to each Member for the feedback session with the Assistant Chief Executive (Business Transformation) at the next item. 

Members will receive feedback from the Assistant Chief Executive (Business Transformation). 

The Chair welcomed Gary Hall to the meeting and thanked him attending the meeting.  The feed back session comprised questions and answers collated into a schedule enabling comparison with those responses given by other Directors. 

§               Verbal update from officers on the Audit Commission site visit to the Council on 23 November,

§               Verbal update on information received from the Audit Commission nearest neighbours and the two District Councils who had achieved 4 in the Use of Resources assessment,

§               Performance indicator information for each Directorate to enable any areas where performance has been affected by efficiency gains (to be tabled), 

§               Briefing note on the new performance-reporting framework to be implemented in the next few months (to be tabled). 

The Audit Commission site visit to the Council on 23 November had been a success, with positive feedback having been received.  A report had been prepared outlining the background information requested by the Audit Commission, this would be forwarded to Members for their information. 

Officers explained that information had been requested from the Audit Commission nearest neighbours and the two District Councils who had achieved 4 in the Use of Resources assessment.  The response so far had been disappointing and the website that displayed Annual Efficiency Statements had not released the information it had been due to.  It was AGREED that officers present the report in January, in the hope that further information will have been received.  

Officers reported that performance indicator information for each Directorate was considered to enable any areas where performance has reduced.  74% of performance indicators have improved over last 3 yrs and the Council is above the average 65% for Local Authorities.

There was a change in the reporting mechanism for performance as the current Best Value Performance Indicators would no longer be used.  There were 200 indicators currently out for consultation, with one specifically relating to efficiency.  Background information on this would be forwarded to Members.  

There was an opportunity for Members to retain performance indicators locally, for example sickness absence.  This would be considered further at the January meeting.  

The Sub-Group will consider questions to be asked of the Directors at the feedback session to be held in December. 

The Sub-Group agreed to invite additional officers to give feedback on efficiencies including the Corporate Procurement and Partnerships Manager, Customer Access Officer, External Auditor and Assistant Chief Executive (Business Transformation) (to give feedback on the Neighbourhoods Directorate). 

It was AGREED that the Democratic Services Officer email the questions for Directors to Sub-Group Members requesting any comments by Friday 16 November.  The questions would then be forwarded to those Directors due to give feedback on 13 and 17 December. 

Members requested some background on procurement for the meeting in January.  

The Sub-Group are asked to consider the enclosed draft scoping document, project plan, information checklist, witness checklist and action plan. 

The Sub-Group considered the Inquiry documentation and AGREED the additions to the Information and Witness checklists.

§                     Wed 12 Dec at 6.30

§                     Wed 30 Jan at 6.30

§                     Wed 27 Feb at 6.30

·        13 December 2007

·        17 December 2007

·        30 January 2008