Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point, members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

The Chair invited Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests which they might have in the business on the agenda.

No interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Member for Resources and Advisory Panel held on 20 March 2006.

Members noted, with regards to minute 85 (Proposed Managed Workspace Scheme, Amy Johnson Way, Clifton Moor), that the written explanation received by ward Members was inadequate.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Member for Resources and Advisory Panel held on 20 March 2006 be approved and signed by the Chair and the Executive Member as a correct record, with the following amendments:

(i)           To minute 84 (National Non-Domestic Rates, Sundry Debtors, Council Tax and Overpaid Housing Benefit Accounts Submitted for Write-Off) to add the following wording, “It was agreed that an issue raised by a Member relating to an individual case be looked into by officers”;

                        (ii) To minute 85 (Proposed Managed Workspace Scheme, Amy Johnson Way, Clifton Moor), point (v) of the advice of the Advisory Panel, to read, “That a written explanation be provided to the ward member as to why ward members had not been briefed and consulted on this item before the agenda was published”.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Executive Member’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is Monday 12 June 2006, at 10.00 am.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

To receive an update on the Resources Directorate items which are listed on the Forward Plan.

Members received an update on the Resources Directorate items which were listed on the Forward Plan. 

Officers were asked to brief ward members on the report on “Land at Manor Lane, Rawcliffe”.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

(i)      That the Executive Member be advised to note the update on the Forward Plan.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:To inform the Executive Member of the update of the Forward Plan.

This report presents the service and financial performance of the Resources Directorate at outturn 2005/6.

(i)      That the outturn draft financial position be noted;

(ii)         That the Executive be recommended to approve the revenue carry forward bids included in Annex 2 of the report and the capital slippage outlined in paragraph 4.7.2;

(iii)    That the outturn performance achievements and comments be noted.

Members received a report which presented the service and financial performance of the Resources Directorate at outturn 2005/6.

It was reported that Resources had underspent the directorate revenue budget by £994k during 2005/06.  This represented a 1.7% variance on the expenditure budget of £56.9m.  A detailed list of significant variances on Resources budgets was shown in Annex 1 of the report and a list of carry forward requests totalling £721k was included in Annex 2.

Paragraph 4.7.2 of the report explained that Resources had a total underspend on capital schemes of £773k, of which the two main elements were:

·        A £901k underspend on the Property Services capital programme, partly due to restricting expenditure in order to address the underachievement of capital receipts in 2005/06, as some works had been moved into 2006/07 in order to release the pressure on funding the capital programme.  In order to ensure that the Property schemes could be completed it was necessary to slip the full £901k into 2006/07.

·        An overspend of £115k against the capital budget of £500k for the purchase of IT equipment. This budget was added to the capital programme in September 2005 and was an estimate.  The actual spend on IT equipment had been £615k.  The cost was being funded by prudential borrowing and the additional revenue costs of borrowing the extra £115k were being financed by a corresponding underspend on IT lease budgets.

Within the Directorate considerable achievements had been made in improving key Performance Indicators (PI’s), such as significantly reducing staff sickness, significantly improving disabled access to Council buildings, improving staff satisfaction, and good Customer First statistics.  In addition there were significant improvements in processing Benefits claims, and Council Tax arrears were reduced for the first time in many years.  Both Council Tax and Business Rate collection improved, although in year collection was still below target and further efforts were needed to improve these PI’s further.

Members noted that the figures in paragraph 4.10.2, relating to the staff survey, only showed the percentage increase in performance, not the actual level of performance, and requested that additional information be circulated to put them in context.

Members also requested a progress report on the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) access works.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)      That the outturn draft financial position be noted;

(ii)         That the Executive be recommended to approve the revenue carry forward bids included in Annex 2 of the report and the capital slippage outlined in paragraph 4.7.2;

(iii)    That the outturn performance achievements and comments be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and the above suggested decisions endorsed.

REASON:In accordance with budgetary and performance monitoring procedures.

This report informs Members about activity in the area of Information Management during 2005/06.

(i)           That the report be noted;

(ii)     That a report be brought to the September meeting of the Executive Member for Corporate Services and Advisory Panel (EMAP) setting out procedures for Members to use the Staff Warning Register.

Members received a report which informed them about activity in the area of Information Management during 2005/06.

The report set out details of activity relating to the following:

·        Personal privacy: the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA);

·        Data audit;

·        Public information rights: the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FoI);

·        Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA);

·        The Staff Warning Register;

·        Advice and training

·        The Information Management Workplan

Members expressed the view that they needed to have access to details on the Staff Warning Register relating to their wards and requested that a report be brought to the September meeting setting out arrangements for providing this access.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)           That the report be noted;

(ii)     That a report be brought to the September meeting of the Executive Member for Corporate Services and Advisory Panel (EMAP) setting out arrangements for Members to use the Staff Warning Register.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and the above suggested decisions endorsed.

REASON:(i) To demonstrate continuing recognition of records and information management as a corporate function in accordance with the Records Management Code of Practice;

                        (ii) To improve the physical safety of Members carrying out their duties.