BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL
OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY(STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON TUESDAY 11 AUGUST 2009
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24 Declaration Of Interests,
25 Minutes,
26 Petitions,
27 Questions From Members,
28 Annual Monitoring Of Formal Complaints 2008/09,
29 Finance And Performance Management - Quarterly Report,
30 Business Continuity Progress Report,
31 Procedures For Dealing With Petitions,
32 Work Plan,
PRESENT: Mr D M Busby - Chairman
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Mrs. J Antill
Mr J C Brand
Mr D G Grutchfield |
Mr B Riley
Mr H N Todd
Mr D M Walton |
Mr C A Roberts and Mr L H Young were unable to be present.
None declared.
RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 June 2009 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
None received.
None received.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper J71 (PDF - 465kb)) concerning all formal complaints about the Council in 2008/09, including those referred to the Local Government Ombudsman.
RESOLVED
That the report on the annual monitoring of complaints submitted as Paper J71 be noted.
The Director of Corporate Services and the Director of Finance submitted a joint report (Paper J72 (PDF - 159kb)) providing an integrated picture of the significant issues relating to financial and performance management in the first quarter of 2009/10.
In response to questions from Members of the Committee, the Director of Corporate Services agreed to arrange:-
- for the Housing Panel to consider how best to express the target relating to the provision of affordable housing (LPI 41)
- for the annual target relating to NI 180 to be reconsidered in light of the effect of the unanticipated requirement to include the processing of annual Council Tax changes in that indicator
- to include in the report for the next quarter the effect of the implementation of the Choice-Based Lettings Scheme on the average time taken to re-let Council properties (BV 212)
- for the notation of the report and the Appendix to correspond to assist in cross-referencing the items
It was also pointed out that food hygiene checks needed to be maintained to ensure that we do not dip below our target – the economic situation is not a reason to allow standards to drop (NI 184).
RESOLVED
That the key points relating to variations against the 2009/10 National Indicators (NIs), former Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) and Local Performance Indicators (LPIs) as set out in Paper J72 be noted.
The Committee considered a report by the Director of Corporate Services (Paper J73 (PDF - 40kb)) on the work undertaken in relation to Business Continuity since January 2009. This included a combined workshop and training event for Management Team and Heads of Service at which the Business Impact Assessment and the Incident Management Plan had been reviewed and updated, the comprehensive review of recovery plans and an emergency planning test exercise involving a loss of staff resources. In addition, a Business Continuity Management Group had been established, an action plan was in development to ensure continuous improvement in business continuity arrangements and two exercises were planned involving loss of staff and loss of IT scenarios, along with training sessions for senior officers. A copy of the draft action plan was appended to the report.
At the request of Members, the Director of Corporate Services undertook to report to the Information Technology Management Group, for information, the results of a questionnaire to be circulated to service managers on the impact that a loss of IT would have on their services and to invite an appropriate elected Member representative to participate in the proposed Table Top Exercises.
RESOLVED
That the information contained in Paper J73 be noted.
The Director of Corporate Services, in accordance with the request of the Strategy Committee at its meeting on 12 February 2009, submitted a report (Paper J74 (PDF - 26kb)) on the procedures that the Council had adopted for dealing with petitions submitted by members of the public.
It was pointed out that there were proposals in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill which, if enacted, would require the Council to publish a scheme for handling petitions and that Guidance would be published to specify what should be included in such a scheme. Under the circumstances, it was not proposed that any amendment be made to the existing procedures pending the enactment of the Bill and the receipt of the necessary Guidance. However, it was suggested that the information provided to those organising or thinking of organising a petition be clarified and more widely published.
Members noted the following details of the 11 petitions received in the past twelve months, 9 of which related to planning applications:-
- 3 matters yet to be decided
- 1 matter already determined under delegated powers prior to submission of the petition
- 4 matters resolved substantially according to the petitioners wishes
- 3 matters decided other than in accordance with the petitioners request
RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE
That, in view of the impending changes included in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, no action be taken at this time to amend the Council’s procedures for dealing with petitions but that additional information be provided for petitioners in the form of the guidance attached as Appendix 1 to Paper J74.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper J75 (PDF - 25kb)) which provided details of the Committee’s anticipated work for 2009/10 including any items that may be the subject of call-in procedures.
Members expressed concern that the report on Staffing levels and Salary Costs originally scheduled for an earlier meeting was not yet available. However, they accepted the assurance that the report would be submitted to the HR Panel and the Committee at their September meetings, and noted the explanations given by the Panel Chairman and Officers for the delay.
It was also noted that the Annual Report on Capital Asset Management Strategy would be put back to November and that there would be no report to the next meeting on finance and performance variances in Quarter 1 as none had been identified.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan submitted as Paper J75 be noted, together with the minor amendments referred to above.
The Committee adjourned for refreshments between 11.10 a.m. and 11.25 a.m.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 11.55 a.m.
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