Agenda item

Report of Cabinet Member

Meeting of Council, Thursday, 8 December 2011 6.30 pm (Item 51.)

To receive a written report from the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and to question the Cabinet Member thereon, provided any such questions are registered in accordance with the timescales and procedures set out in Standing Order 8.2.1.

Minutes:

Council received a written report from Cllr Gunnell, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services.

Notice had been received of sixteen questions on the report, submitted by Members in accordance with Standing Orders. The first four questions were put and answered as follows:

(i) From Cllr Healey

“Could the Cabinet Member expand on the four major cost pressures facing the Council as outlined in the 2012-14 Budget Update presented at Tuesday’s Cabinet Meeting?”

The Cabinet Member replied:

The report that I presented clearly set out what the pressures for this Local Authority are. However, I will provide more detail on the four areas mentioned:

· The coalition Government has cut the Formula Grant settlement by £5m

· Pay and Pension costs: It covers the potential impact of a pay award and the impact of the pension revaluation.

· PFI – This has been reported to Members previously, so should be fully aware of the need for the council to increase its budget by £750k per annum

· There is a rise in numbers of clients in Adult Social Care and a rise in numbers of Looked after children

In response to a supplementary question regarding feedback from the recent North Yorkshire meeting on pay and pensions, the Cabinet Member confirmed that all local authority employees would be updated as negotiations proceeded.

(ii) From Cllr Steward

“The Cabinet Member refers to the need to save £21 million this year. Is this a saving she views as consultants helping or hindering with and can she say what has been spent on consultants in the current and preceding two years?”

The Cabinet Member replied:

We are committed and quite clear on the fact that we will reduce the number of consultants and the amount spent on consultants. However, there will always be occasions where the assistance of a consultant is needed to provide specialist expertise when it is cost effective.

Spend:

· 2009/10 £1,304,703

· 2010/11 £1,152,256

· 2011/12 £ 348,688

In response to a supplementary question the Cabinet Member confirmed that there would always be a need to employ consultants in relation to specialist work, for example in respect of West Offices.

(iii) From Cllr Barton

“Can the Cabinet Member outline for Council what she learned from the Keynote Speakers at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Conference that will influence in the “robust mitigation strategies” she refers to?

The Cabinet Member replied:

The annual CIPFA conference which I attended on the recommendation of Senior Officers and endorsed by the cross-party Member Development Steering Group, under the Lib Dem administration, was very worthwhile. The conference took place against a backdrop of profound financial uncertainty and change for the public sector. Following the Spending Review the conference acknowledged and encompassed the challenges to the public sector to reshape organisations and services to cope with the new financial circumstances.

As you will be fully aware CIPFA is one of the leading professional accountancy bodies in the UK and the only one which specialises in Public Services.

Having listened to several keynote speakers what I brought away was an insight and confirmation of the severity that the future brings with huge funding cuts from the Conservative-Lib Dem Government. Meeting these cuts by simply cutting services is not acceptable. The local authority needs to lower its overall costs and increase productivity. It needs to be prepared to reshape its services and most definitely challenge out-of-date and old fashioned behaviours but always addressing the needs of local people. And that is exactly what I mean by robust mitigation strategies. This administration is working quite clearly to this agenda and the Officers and all staff are working extremely hard to deliver.

(iv) From Cllr Ayre

“Does the Cabinet Member agree that the new media protocol allowing Cabinet Members to feature in press releases has been a distraction from ensuring key information is given to residents?”

The Cabinet Member replied:

In response to a supplementary question regarding a press release in relation to bin collections, the Cabinet Member confirmed that residents had been given notice of changes to bin collections for the coming year.

The time limit having expired for this item, written answers were circulated after the meeting to the remaining questions as follows:

(v) From Cllr Firth

“As the new media protocol is supposed to ensure Cabinet Members are more accountable to residents, can the Cabinet Member provide Council with some examples of when Cabinet Members have been quoted commenting on bad news, rather than just commenting on positive announcements?”

Yes – we have commented publically and on several occasions on the reality of the severe and devastating £20+ million pounds worth of cuts to this Local Authority. Plus we have commented on the changes to welfare changes which you as a Lib Dem Councillor endorse by the way of supporting the Coalition Government.

Unlike his party’s administration we will defend our decisions.

(vi) From Cllr Ayre

“The Cabinet Member’s report states that the Communications Team has “standardised the font size on external communication.” Can she confirm if all external correspondence from all departments now follows the council’s policy of 14 point font and if not what percentage is not in compliance?”

All new external communications are in size 14 font. As supplies of existing forms and publications are exhausted, new versions will be provided in size 14 font.

(vii) From Cllr Steward

“Many will question the lack of substance of many of the cabinet member’s ‘Key Achievements’, for example, ‘More Social Media’. Can she advise how many residents she thinks would have this in their top ten priorities?”

The continuous growth of numbers of people using social media as a means of communication would substantiate that social media is a priority. As I have already said, the council has over 2000 followers on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s possible that the councillor’s list of priorities differs to those of many young people in the city, but both are equally worth hearing.

(viii) From Cllr Cuthbertson

“How many customers are now using the CYC Facebook site?”

I am extremely pleased to say the overwhelming majority of young people in this city will consider access to Facebook and Twitter to communicate as being an absolute necessity along with people of all generations. Since May we have extended the use of Facebook and Twitter and have over 2000 followers – most of which are younger people. This is the way that younger people want to communicate with Councils and is an achievement. Also our new ‘do it online service’ is another example of how we are making it much easier for those who want to communicate and interact with the Council electronically, able to do that.

(ix) From Cllr Barton

“Will the Cabinet Member please define her understanding of the phrase “to trade?”

Councillor Barton had an opportunity to question –intelligently - the City of York Trading Company as I have mentioned within my report.

Instead the question very simply and quite definitely relates to ‘her understanding of the phrase to trade’. In direct response to Cllr Barton’s question and within my capacity of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and as the proposed Non-Exec Director plus Chairperson of the City of York Trading Company.

My understanding of the word ‘Trade’ reflects the dictionary definition:

As a noun trade means:

1. The business of buying and selling commodities; commerce.

2. The people working in or associated with a business or industry: a textile-exporting publication for the trade.

3. The customers of a specified business or industry

4. The act or an instance of buying or selling

5. An exchange of one thing for another

6. An occupation, especially one requiring skilled labour

As a verb trade means:

1. To engage in buying and selling for profit

2. To make an exchange of one thing for another

3. To be offered for sale

4. To shop or buy regularly

5. To give in exchange for something else

6. To buy and sell

7. To pass back and forth

And finally, as an adjective trade means:

1. Of or relating to trade or commerce

2. Relating to, used by, or serving a particular trade

3. Of or relating to books that are primarily published to be sold commercially.

(x) From Cllr Barton

“Does the item “A further increase in Council Tax “ refer in any way to past bad debts that have never to date been collected?”

Unfortunately the ‘quote’ Councillor Barton makes is not written in totality. I will correct this error and then respond.

In my report and under paragraph 28 under the heading ‘Portfolio Part Six – Transactional Services’

As part of the ‘2011/12 objectives’ the quote which Councillor Barton’s refers to actually states ‘A further increase in Council Tax income collection of 200k’.

To answer the question it refers quite clearly to the objective of ‘in year collection’ – as in 2011/12.

Under the Labour administration the objective has been clearly achieved and superseded 2010/11 and we have collected £300k higher than the same point in time as last year.

(xi) From Cllr Cuthbertson

“What percentage reduction in the amount of paper used has been achieved through the introduction of multi functional devices and how much has this saved?”

The introduction of multi functional devices was only carried out in the past six weeks. However, what it does allow now in comparison to before is that monitoring is being undertaken and this will be included within my quarterly monitoring updates.

(xii) From Cllr Aspden

“The Cabinet Member’s report states a new contract has been signed for staff mobile phones. Can the Cabinet Member confirm what the annual spend on mobile phones currently is?”

Last year 10/11 the Council spent approx £186k on mobile/smart phones, these costs include calls, data down loads/uploads, any from of connectivity and handset rentals, so its important for people to realise that this isn’t just call costs.

It’s also worth noting that as we expect staff to work differently and with the drive to mobilise more of the work force to help improve the customer experience/service delivery model, we will see a growth in mobile devices/usage. Some of this growth is being managed within the new mobile/smart phone contract that ICT have secured. For example, based upon the number of devices and usage pattern of 10/11, the costs would reduce to £136k over two years. This has secured a far better service that offers savings and a more agile/flexible bundle to Council.

(xiii) From Cllr Steward

“Can the Cabinet Member expand on the achievement ‘Procurement Strategy’, is she suggesting there was not one until her party came to power or if there was what tangible benefits have occurred due to her party’s actions?”

No, I am not saying there wasn’t a strategy but that the procurement strategy was old, out of date and not fit for the challenges we are facing.

Since the new administration came to power we are developing a strategy based upon creating a group of skilled staff in-house to manage procurement work. This will ensure that there is less reliance on external support and that we ensure that there is appropriate focus and opportunity for city suppliers.

The revision of the strategy responds to the growing financial challenges faced by the Council. It balances ethical, sustainable and transparent procurement with the need to collaborate and support the local economy. But crucially it will also deliver value for money.

(xiv) From Cllr Steward

“As part of her procurement strategy can the Cabinet Member confirm what proportion of legal advice that the council requires is obtained from the local York legal firms?”

“The Council’s in-house legal team provides an overwhelming majority of the legal advice which the Council needs. The Council’s reliance on external lawyers has significantly reduced over recent years. Indeed last year payments to external solicitors firms reduced by over £300,000 compared to the year before. There will always be a need for some work to be outsourced. That may be because it requires specialist skills which the Council will need infrequently. It may be because it requires a large team to deliver a specific project. It may be that there is a need for urgent advice and insufficient capacity within the legal team to respond in the timescale required. The Council needs to ensure that it awards contracts to undertake such work in a manner which ensures it receives the right advice and in accordance with its contract procedure rules.

There have only been a handful of new matters that have required external legal advice since I became Cabinet Member and the majority of those matters have actually been handled by a firm with a York Office. Inevitably there are other matters which have been ongoing for some time with advisers from York and elsewhere.

(xv) From Cllr Ayre

“Cabinet Member’s report states that detailed space planning on the new HQ is now taking place. Can she confirm what consultation has been done with EAG prior to this work?”

It is a core part of the transitional work being undertaken that the Equality Advisory Group has been and will continue to be involved within this process. In addition the Cabinet Member for Leisure, culture and Social Inclusion is meeting regularly to ensure equalities are embedded at every stage and that includes working with SERG along with myself.

(xvi) From Cllr Steward

“On ‘Customer Service Highlights’, which are regarded as ‘achievements’, is for example, ‘5,000 visits to reception areas’ regarded as good and would the member like this to be higher?”

Reply
The number relates to visitors to Guildhall, Library Square and St Leonard’s. The figure doesn’t include an additional circa 2,385 visiting benefits, as compared to 1,965 for the old City Finance Centre in October 2010. If these 2010 visitors were all benefits claimants, this equates to an increase of 18% in footfall. There are not comparable figures for all the pre-combined Face to Face receptions areas for 2010. The number of visitors is higher for St. Leonards as they deal with low value/quick transactions, and Library Square with more complex queries relating to Housing and other family related services. As more services become available on line before the move to West Offices we anticipate a significant reduction in low value transactions.

Supporting documents:

Cabinet Member's report to Council, item 51. PDF 121 KB