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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 5 JULY 2005
PRESENT: Ms J A Jenkins – Chairman
Mrs S Carpendale and Mr N H J Irwin were unable to be present.
13 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
There were no Declarations of Interest.
14 MINUTES
RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2005 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
15 PETITIONS
None received.
16 QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS
None received.
17 WORK PLAN
The Head of Legal and Administrative Services submitted a report (Paper E53), which provided details of the Committee’s anticipated work for the remainder of 2005/06 including items which may be the subject of call-in procedures.
It was noted that the Work Plan was regularly updated to reflect new items which arose from the Committee's discussions.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan submitted as Paper E53 be noted.
18 YOUTH STRATEGY
The Head of Leisure and Community Services presented a report (Paper E52) summarising the actions achieved in 2004/05 with regard to young people and setting out an action plan for 2005/06. It was suggested that in future the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee should be the lead Committee for the Youth Strategy.
Stuart Everitt, Sports Development Officer, and Greg Cooper, Leisure Inclusion Officer, made presentations to the meeting on their work with young people. The Committee thanked them for their presentations and for their hard work in promoting sport and leisure throughout the District. During the course of their talks and in the discussion on Paper E52 the following were among the points noted:-
· A brochure entitled 'South Suffolk Summer' would shortly be sent out to young people to let them know what sports and leisure activities were planned for the summer. A copy would be sent to each Member.
· A new Arts and Community Development Officer would be taking up her post within the next few weeks and would work closely with the Sports Development Officer and the Leisure Inclusion Officer.
· Marketing was seen as a key element in the promotion of sports and with this in mind a new youth website would soon be in existence.
RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE
That the proposed Youth Strategy Action Plan as set out in Appendix B to Paper E52 be approved.
RESOLVED
(1) That the summary of actions achieved in 2004/05 as set out in Paper E52 be noted.
(2) That the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee be the lead Committee for the Youth Strategy in the future.
19 2004/05 ANNUAL REPORT – INTERNAL AUDIT
The Head of Finance and Performance Review submitted a report (Paper E54) setting out the internal audit work carried out during the 2004/05 financial year. It was noted that during the current financial year the Principal Auditor would be reviewing all outstanding recommendations from 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2003/04.
RESOLVED
(1) That the position regarding the 2004/05 internal audit work as set out in Paper E54 be noted.
(2) That the Head of Finance and Performance Review report back to the Committee on the completion of the review of past years' recommendations on the extent and reasons why any high priority recommendations have not been implemented.
20 CAPITAL PROGRAMME OUTCOMES 2004/05
The Head of Finance and Performance Review and the Head of Technical Services submitted a joint report (Paper E55), summarising overall performance on the Council's 2004/05 Capital Programme and comparing this performance against targets for the year.
It was noted that on Council housing 72% of planned expenditure had been achieved and that on other services 81% of planned expenditure had been achieved. In Paragraph 4.8 of the report it was suggested that: the Head of Technical Services should look to progress the various housing projects as quickly as possible; the Committee should be kept informed on the position of E-Government projects; and further details explaining progress on implementing other delayed projects be reported to the next meeting of the Committee and through subsequent quarterly reports.
The Committee noted that the E-Government Steering Group was addressing the position on claiming all of the Council's £500,000 allocation of E-Government grant for 2004/05 and 2005/06. At the present time insufficient projects had been committed to ensure that this was fully utilised. Work was being undertaken to address this and seek approval to further schemes, together with considering other possible options to ensure that the grant was fully allocated and spent by the end of the current financial year. Members expressed serious concern about this situation.
RESOLVED
(1) That this Committee deplores the fact that on 1 February it was misinformed over the situation that the E-Government grant was at risk and is deeply concerned that in consequence valuable time has been lost in planning how to most usefully spend the grant.
(2) That a report on progress be made to the 16 August 2005 meeting.
(3) That the actions proposed in specific areas be approved as set out in paragraph 4.8 of Paper E55.
(4) That performance on the 2004/05 capital programme as summarised in Appendix 1 to Paper E55 be noted.
21 LAND CHARGES – PERFORMANCE, NLIS AND LAMP
The Head of Legal and Administrative Services submitted a report (Paper E56) setting out land charges performance issues and steps necessary to move to electronic working at National Land Information Services (NLIS) level 3. The following were among the points noted in the ensuing discussion:-
· The E-Government Steering Group had approved the use of IEG funds to finance a scoping phase by MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd (MDA) as a preliminary to the Council's achieving NLIS Level 3. This solution definition phase would cost £43,000. A detailed report on these issues would be considered by the Corporate Management Team.
· The problem of achieving NLIS Level 3 was faced by all District Councils, but many of the issues to be tackled by Babergh were specific to this authority.
· Members were concerned about the large amount of expenditure required and wished to be kept informed on progress.
(1) That the situation regarding land charges as set out in Paper E56 be noted.
(2) That a report be submitted to the meeting of the Committee scheduled to be held on 16 August 2005, setting out what action had been taken.
22 2004/05 BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND FUTURE TARGETS
The Corporate Support Manager presented a report (Paper E57) setting out the final position for the 2004/05 Best Value Performance Indicators and targets for the period up to 2007/08.
He gave the Committee updated information on a number of performance indicators. At the Committee’s meeting scheduled for 16 August 2005 a further report would be submitted on progress made with regard to the queries raised in the report and by Members.
Members expressed concern about poor performance in relation to BVPI's 109 (Planning Control), 179 (Land Charges) and 157 (E-Government).
RESOLVED
(1) That the report submitted as Paper E57 be noted.
(2) That a report be submitted to the meeting on 16 August 2005 on the latest position on the areas of poor performance identified.
NOTE: The Committee adjourned for refreshments between 11.00 a.m. and 11.15 a.m.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 1.15 p.m.
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