Agenda and minutes

1.         This meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking.

2.         The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing and copies of the recording could be made available for those that request it.

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if you wish to avoid this you should move to the upper public gallery”

The Chairman made a short address to remind all present that the meeting would be broadcast on the Internet, and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Panel noted that there were no substitute members.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). 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 of interest were made.

To confirm the minutes of the meetings of the Panels held on 20^th October 2008 and 11^th November 2008.

The notes from the previous meetings held on 20 October and 11 November 2008 were agreed.

(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 Panel discussed if item 10 on the work programme, ‘medium term financial strategy’ should be taken off the programme as the figures were not available in time to go to the January meeting. The report went to the Cabinet Finance Committee and then to the full Cabinet meeting.

The Panel decided that they would like the report in February after it had been to the Finance Cabinet Committee.

            RESOLVED:

(i)         That the medium term financial strategy report be put to the February meeting.

(ii)        That in future years if timescales allow, that the Finance and performance Management Scrutiny Panel be consulted on the Medium Term Strategy in parallel with the Cabinet Finance Committee.

(Deputy Chief Executive) to consider the attached report.

The Panel considered the report on the review of the Council’s Data Quality Strategy Review. The report was introduced by the Performance Improvement Manager, Mr S Tautz.

Members were advised that performance information was increasingly being used for the external assessment of the authority’s performance and that the strategy set out a commitment to ensure arrangements for ensuring that the quality of key data met the highest standards.

It was noted that the Data Quality Assessment undertaken by the Council’s external auditors was the first stage of an annual performance indicator audit. Although part of this assessment related to the quality of performance data, the audit also looked in detail at corporate data quality arrangements.

This was the first time that the Data Quality Strategy had been reviewed since its adoption in 2006. The review had been carried out not only to satisfy the recommendations of the Audit Commission following its data quality work in 2007/08, but  also to identify opportunities for changes and improvements to the strategy in order to also address other data quality issues.

The following areas for improvement were detailed in the revised version of the strategy:

• the establishment of a formal timetable for the compilation and submission of relevant performance indicator data in a timely manner, to reduce gaps in completion rates and ensure that occurrences of incorrectly complete returns is reduced;
• regular analysis of performance indicator data to validate the existence of an effective audit trail and ensure the accuracy of each indicator and its supporting data;
• the incorporation of quality assurance procedures relating to the compilation and submission of performance indicator data into the Data Quality Strategy;
• the sharing of data quality good practice throughout the Council;
• the production of detailed guidance on the compilation and submission of performance indicator data, tailored to the Council’s own information systems, for issue to operational staff; and
• the routine quarterly reporting of performance against performance indicators to the Corporate Executive Forum.

Councillor Philip commented that section 2.1 had to reference to a structured audit trail, should this not be part of the strategy. Mr Tautz replied that they had tried to weave in an audit trail throughout the document. They had also introduced a range of controls around the PIs so that Directors could sign off on them. Internal audit also carry out an annual audit, but he would add more references to the text.

Councillor Whitehouse asked if the TEN Performance Management system was only a single data entry system. He was told that is was, as the data was only inputted once by responsible officers within service directorates.

Councillor Angold-Stephens, referring to paragraph 5.8 of the strategy said that an officer should be identified to be responsible for the annual review. Mr Tautz was happy to take this suggestion forward.

In reference to paragraph 7.1, Councillor Angold-Stephens asked if any comparisons with any similar councils were undertaken and would we gain anything from doing this? Mr Tautz said that there were regular cross council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

(Director of Finance and ICT) The draft detailed budgets for the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for the panel to consider. Report to follow.

The Director of Finance and ICT, Mr Palmer, introduced the draft detailed budgets for the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). It was intended that the recommendations from the Panel would go to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 29 January 2009 and the on to the Cabinet.

The Panel noted that the current year’s estimates were prepared against the background of economic turmoil that had affected all local authorities. There had also been a poor settlement from the government for the support grant; this year was only 1%, next year 0.5% and the same for the year after.

There was still some items to come forward, so the draft budget was still very much a work in progress. The Council was looking to add about half a million pounds to the reserve. The Council’s Policy is that we return a general fund reserve of 25% of the total budget.

Councillor K Angold–Stephens said that the Council Tax target had been set at 2.5%, was that still the case? Mr Palmer replied that the Finance Cabinet Committee, in December 2008 had confirmed that the Council Tax would be set at 2.5%.

Councillor Whitehouse wanted to know what assumptions the officers had made about salaries and inflation for the year. He was told that officers had assumed a 2.5% increase on salaries and a 2.5% increase in inflation.

The Panel then went through the various portfolio holders estimates. The attending portfolio holders introduced each section.

Leaders Portfolio:

Councillor Mrs Collins introduced the Leaders portfolio estimates. The key points being:

Total Portfolio Budget –

• Original estimate 2008/09 £2.728m, revised 08/09 to £2.542m and 09/10 £2.489m.
• Year on year reduction of £239,000 that was due to a CSB saving of £144,000 from the top management restructure; and
• A DDF saving of £90,000 as there were no District elections next year.

Growth Items –

• CSB growth items of £42,000 to fund increase in member’s allowances recommended by the independent remuneration panel; and
• £10,000 for ongoing work on the development of the Community Strategy.
• Main item of DDF spend was the improvements to the main reception area, which had been re-phased with £11,000 in 08/09 and £20,000 in 2009/10.

The Panel noted that:

Elections –

£35,000 reduction year on year due to £90,000 DDF.

There were saving from having no District elections next year being off-set by an increase in recharges from the Policy Unit.

Corporate Activities –

£43,000 reduction year on year due to the savings from the top management restructure. These savings had been reduced by increased recharges to Corporate Policy Making and CSB growth of £10,000 was included for work on the Community Strategy.

Member Activities –

A £146,000 reduction year on year, due to significant fall in support service recharges following the management and portfolio restructure.

Other activities –

This area has also benefited from a reduction in support service recharges and had reduced from £46,000 to £31,000.

Support Services –

A £45,000 year on year reduction included a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

It was noted that there was no other urgent business for consideration by the Panel.

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

To report back to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with a general update on the panel’s discussion on the Budget reports.

To consider the forward programme of meeting dates for the Panel.

10^th February 2009, and

31^st March 2009.

The schedule for future meetings were noted.