Agenda and minutes

(Head of Research and Democratic Services)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

No substitutes were reported.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declarations were made.

To consider and agree the notes of the meeting of the Panel held on 1 June 2006.

Noted and agreed as a correct record.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed the Terms of Reference of this Panel and associated Work Programme. This is attached. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review both documents.

The current work programme was noted.

(Head of Human Resources and Performance Management) To consider the attached report on Key Performance Indicators.

The Panel noted that this was the first quarter when the new performance monitoring system had been used to provide information on KPI’s. Officers were working with the suppliers to improve presentation of the statistics.

On the specific KPI’s the following questions were asked:

(Head of Finance) to consider the attached report.

The Panel noted that revenue outturn for 2005/06 presented to the Finance and Performance Management Cabinet Committee on 19 June 2006 had showed that both the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account were underspent.

One of the main reasons for this underspend was the level of staff vacancies experienced during the financial year. The salaries underspend in 2005/06 had been £530,000 (2.7%) when compared to the original budget. However had been was an improvement on the previous year when the figures were £1,143,000 (5.9%).

Members received information broken down on a service by service basis.

The position as at the end of June 2006 when compared to the budget at month three showed a saving of £242,000, of this around a third related to the Housing Revenue Account. At that date there were a total of 60 posts vacant. Some of these were being covered by temporary and agency staff, however some were vacant and have been for some time for a variety of reasons.

As a result of this situation each service area was being asked to review their staff establishment paying particular attention to any posts that had been vacant for over a year. Service areas had been asked which posts are vacant, for how long, and what the future plans for the posts were. The responses from services would be submitted to the next meeting.

(Head of Human Resources and Performance Management) to consider the attached report.

The Panel noted as the first stage of the audit of Best Value performance Indicators (BVPIs) for 2005/06, the Audit Commission was undertaking an assessment of the overall management arrangements of all local authorities to secure data quality. Although part of this assessment related to the quality of performance information, the audit related to corporate data quality arrangements, and was therefore a much wider issue than the BVPI audit.

The audit was to be based on a self-assessment exercise and through on-site validation by the Commission. The audit would result in a scored judgement, as a result of a review of the following five themes and areas for audit focus:

For each theme area, the Commission had specified a number of Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) as a basis for councils to undertake a voluntary self-assessment of their current position with regard to data quality. Although the completion of a self-assessment was not a mandatory requirement for the purposes of the audit, the Commission considered that this exercise would be helpful for both the audit and for the Council to understand its current position.

Members received the draft self-assessment for the data Quality audit which set out the audit KLOEs in detail. The timescale for the submission of the self-assessment element of this work was tight, and was required by the Audit Commission shortly after the meeting.

The results of the Data Quality audit would feed into the Council’s next Value for Money assessment, and also inform the second round of district council Comprehensive Performance Assessment. The results of the audit would also have a bearing on the BVPI audit, in that the sample of performance indicators to be subject of in-depth review would be determined partly by the risks elicited from the Data Quality audit.

The completion of the self-assessment had provided an opportunity to set out an overall corporate approach to ensuring data quality, through the development of a Data Quality Strategy, a copy of which was considered by members  The strategy set out the commitment to ensuring that arrangements for securing the quality of key data met the highest standards.

Value  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

(Head of Finance) to consider the attached report.

CSB and DDF

The Panel received the first quarter monitoring schedule covering the period from 1 April 2006 to 30 June 2006.

The main budget variances were as follows:

The salaries schedule showed an under spend of some £242,000 (5.1% of budget) and reflected the fact that staff vacancies were running at a high level. Members noted that this issued had been discussed earlier at the meeting.

Income sources such as Local Land Charges and Car Parking showed a small overachievement and Building Control and Development Control a small underachievement. Members agreed that variances like this were always likely to occur and therefore gave little cause for concern at present.

Expenditure relating to the alteration to the Local Plan, which fell under Forward Planning showed a marked, underspend. This was District Development Fund (DDF) money, which was expected to be spent later in the year.

The Housing Repairs Fund also showed an underspend. Much of this was due to the cyclical maintenance contracts, which had not commenced until July.

As at 30 June 2006 no payments had been made to Sports and Leisure Management Ltd under the Management Contract. This had been due to new liaison arrangements with SLM’s finance department being established and agreed ways of working agreed. Since then Aprils claim had been paid and May and June were expected to be paid shortly.

The Off Street Car Parking budget showed an overspend. Members noted that this was due to maintenance work occurring earlier than originally anticipated. Also Land and Property and Refuse Collection income show an adverse variance but in both cases was due to income relating to 2005/06 not being received by the end of June 2006.

Members also noted proposals to keep Portfolio Holders informed of budget variances over the coming months.

Capital Monitoring

Members would receive the updated Capital Programme at the Cabinet meeting on 4 September 2006 that would revise the spending profile of the existing programme and introduce new items agreed since the last update in June 2006.

It was noted that, as part of the process of considering next years budget, a financial issues paper was being prepared by the Head of Finance, which would be presented to the next meeting.

Agreed:

That the Panel the financial monitoring report for the First quarter of 2006/07, be noted; and  

That financial monitoring continue on a quarterly basis and in the format presented to the Panel.

To consider which reports are ready to be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its next meeting.

No items would be reported from this meeting.

To consider the forward programme of meeting dates for the Panel. Meetings are programmed in for:

14 November 2006;

15 January 2007; and

12 February 2007.

Noted that the next meeting would be held on 14 November 2006 at 7.00 p.m.