Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the 2013/14 Municipal Year.  

The chairman requested nominations for the position of vice-chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the municipal year 2013/14. 

It was proposed by Councillor Sykes and seconded by Councillor Rollins that Councillor James be appointed vice-chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the municipal year 2013/14. There being no further nominations, the chairman declared the proposal to be carried. 

Resolved:

That Councillor James be appointed vice-chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the municipal year 2013/14. 

To receive declarations by Members of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Members are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Members should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

No declarations were made at this point. 

Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday , 26^th March, 2013 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2013 were signed by the chairman as a correct record. 

There were no items of urgent business.

Report of the Head of Governance.

The Head of Governance introduced a report to present the corporate performance monitoring end of year reports for 2012/13. 

The full Corporate Plan Performance Review Reports were appended for members’ consideration.  They set out the performance of success measures under each corporate priority.  Members discussed the success measures in detail.  Following consideration of the report the panel requested that briefing notes be provided on the following: -

Solar panels, particularly the panels at Salt Ayre Sports Centre (SASC) that have not been generating energy;

Use of social media to promote and encourage the use of facilities at SASC;

Performance management information regarding the Platform, Morecambe. 

Members queried whether the council was currently considering investing in water turbines, it was advised that there were no plans to this affect at present.

The panel discussed red indicators and supporting measures, particularly with regard to the solar panels at SASC.  It was requested that with regard to red indicators that supporting measure details be provided in reports to the panel in the future.  

Members discussed the use of social media to promote and encourage the use of facilities at SASC.

Resolved:

(1)               That the report be noted. 

(2)               That briefing notes regarding the following issues be requested from the appropriate officer and be circulated to members of the panel: - 

·               Solar panels, particularly the panels at Salt Ayre Sports Centre (SASC) that have not been generating energy;

·               Performance management information regarding the Platform, Morecambe. 

(3)     That with regard to red indicators that supporting measure details be provided in reports to the panel in the future.  

Report of the Head of Governance.

The Democratic Support Officer updated members on the panel’s work programme. Members were asked to consider whether they would like to include any further items in the work programme.

Members discussed the briefing note regarding ‘Empty Houses, Voids and why Properties are in need of Repair’. The panel agreed that a further report providing more detail be requested and be presented to a future meeting of the panel. Members also agreed that the Cabinet member with responsibility for health and housing be invited to attend the meeting to coincide with consideration of this report.

Members discussed a number of issues which they wished to be addressed in the requested report as follows: -

·         Whether the council attempted to claim payments from tenants leaving council houses with debts incurred by causing damage to the property.

·         Whether tenants who had caused damage to council properties were prevented from occupying council houses in the future.

·         Why properties required repairs and what steps were taken by the council in order to mitigate the problem.

·         Whether periodic inspections were carried out on council properties.

·         Whether properties were inspected prior to being vacated by tenants.

·         Why the average relet times for vacated council properties were so long.

·         Why deposits were not taken from council house tenants.

Members also queried whether there had been any recent improvements regarding voids and relet times, and requested that previous years figures be provided as part of the report for comparative purposes. It was agreed that the briefing note, previously provided, should be recirculated to members prior to the next meeting of the panel.

Members discussed Salt Ayre Sports Centre and were reminded that a report would be provided to the meeting of the panel once an ongoing review of the centre had been completed. It was requested that information regarding marketing of the centre and the use of social media be included in this report, as previously discussed (minute no. 5 refers). 

Previously members had requested that Councillor Sands (Cabinet member for arts and culture) and Councillor Barry (Cabinet member for voluntary sector) be invited to attend a future meeting of the panel to discuss partnerships within their respective portfolios. The panel agreed that this request be included in the 2013/14 work programme.

It was agreed that briefing notes regarding ‘Letting of Council Buildings’ and ‘Shared Property Services with Lancashire County Council’ should be recirculated to the panel by Democratic Services. Members were advised that should they wish to consider an issue contained in either of these briefing notes a report could be requested for inclusion on the agenda for a future meeting of the panel.

It was reported that, in the previous municipal year, monthly pre-scrutiny meetings had been held between the chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the chairman of Budget and Performance Panel and the pre-scrutiny champion. Members agreed that this arrangement had benefited the scrutiny process and that Democratic Services should be requested to continue these arrangements in 2013/14. 

The panel agreed that the monitoring  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.