Agenda and draft minutes

To receive Declarations of Interest from Members on items included in the agenda

There were no declarations of interest given

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting of this Committee held on 28 September 2011.

Resolved:-   That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September, 2011 be

agreed as a correct record subject to the inclusion of

Councillor’s Fear and Mrs Hailstones’ apologies.

Consideration was given to a report on Scrutiny Briefs which had been submitted for Members’ attention.

Co-Location of Partner Organisations in the Civic Offices

Members agreed that this matter should be brought back to the next meeting when more information would be available

Flexible Working for Borough Council Employees

This item would be left for the body of the Committee to receive regular updates

Review of the Constitution

This matter had commenced in the previous Municipal Year and Members queried whether the work already undertaken could be carried forward. It was confirmed that any Working Group set up would continue with what had been done previously and in addition, the independent members who were involved previously could be invited back. 

Procurement Brief

Members requested that a progress report be given on this matter at the January meeting,

Resolved:-   (i)         That the information be received and the comments

Noted

(ii)               That the matter of co-location be brought to the next

meeting of this Committee

(iii)             That a Working Group be established for the review of

the Constitution

(iv)              That an update on the Procurement Brief be brought to the January meeting

Consideration was given to a report on the Medium Term Financial Strategy which had been approved by the Cabinet on 19 October and referred back to this committee for comment.

The report identified shortfalls over the next five years which needed to be addressed.

Members were advised of the issue regarding asset management disposal such as the Knutton Recreation and Jubilee 1 sites and felt that this Committee could play an important part in this matter.

Members thanked Dave Roberts for the work that he had put in to preparing the document.

Resolved:-   That the report be received and the comments noted

Consideration was given to a report on the Council’s performance management framework and was a follow up to a presentation made to this committee at the last meeting.  The report was based upon findings from the review undertaken by the Audit Commission.  Mr Phil Morgan from the Audit Commission was in attendance to answer questions from Members.

Mr Morgan stated that the Council should set indicators that were actually measurable and this was the opportunity to do it differently as shortly the assessment regimes of the Audit Commission would no longer exist.

From next year the external audit role would be carried out by one of the private sector audit firms next November.

Consideration was also given to the Scrutiny Brief which had been presented to the Committee previously.  It was agreed that a Working Group, comprising of Councillors Mrs Beech, Fear, Mrs Shenton and Snell, be set up to scrutinise the issue. Mr Morgan also offered his services for the short term.

Mr Morgan was thanked for the work which he had undertaken.

Resolved:-   (i)        That the comments be noted.

(ii)               That a Working Group be established, comprising of the

four Members listed above.

(iii)             That further updates be brought back to this

 Committee

Consideration was given to a report identifying items contained within the Forward Plan that were relevant to this committee.

Members agreed that the following issues all have Scrutiny Briefs brought to the next meeting:

• Finance and Performance Management Monitoring Report
• Corporate Complaints, Comments and Compliments Policy
• Capital Strategy
• Revenue and Capital Budgets 2012/12
• Treasury Management Strategy

A Scrutiny Brief on the Scale of Fees and Charges was requested to be brought to the January meeting.

The Chair would liaise with the Chairs to the Overview and Scrutiny Coordinating Committee and the Economic Development and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee to ensure that The Asset Management Strategy 2012/12 to 2014/15 was being dealt with by the appropriate committee.

Resolved:-   (i)         That the information be received and the comments

noted

(ii)               That Scrutiny Briefs be prepared for the next meeting on

 the topics listed above

(iii)             That the Chair liaise with the Chairs to the Overview and

Scrutiny Coordinating Committee and the Economic

Development and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny

Committee to ensure that the correct committee dealt with the matter

A minute’s silence was held for Councillor Bill Sinnott who had recently passed away.