Issue - meetings

This report summarises the main findings and recommendations arising from the Audit Commission’s study of arrangements for deciding and delivering the Council priorities.  

RESOLVED: That the report be noted and that further development work be undertaken to develop the Council’s prioritisation processes.

REASON:      To note the progress already made in improving prioritisation arrangements and support work on further improvements.

Members considered a report which summarised the main findings and recommendations arising from the Audit Commission’s study of arrangements for deciding and delivering the Council’s priorities.

The full report of the Audit Commission had been considered on 31 January 2007 by the Audit and Governance Committee, who had recommended that the key matters raised therein be referred to the Executive.  The Commission had commented positively on the way that the Council had identified its priorities as part of the development of the Corporate Strategy.  However, it had identified a significant of remaining improvement work to deliver the priorities and embed them into the Council’s day to day business.

The Organisational Effectiveness Programme (OEP) approved by the Executive in July 2006 had included a number of actions to address the Commission’s recommendations and good progress had since been made in delivering these.  A key area that remained to be improved was the way in which priorities influenced the allocation of resources.  Work on this had been planned and would need to be completed quickly, as it would be critical in terms of CPA, as well as a focus of attention for the Audit Commission.

The Chair noted the difficulty of providing measurable linkages between the priorities and budget allocation and indicated that it would be helpful in future to receive examples of systems used by other authorities to relate resource allocation to their corporate priorities.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted and that further development work be undertaken to develop the Council’s prioritisation processes.

REASON:      To note the progress already made in improving prioritisation arrangements and support work on further improvements.