Agenda and minutes

The Chairman invited nominations for the Vice-Chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the Municipal Year.

It was proposed by Councillor Trolinger and seconded by Councillor Roe:

“That Councillor Heath be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the Municipal Year.”

Resolved:

That Councillor Heath be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the Municipal Year.

There were no declarations of interest.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 31^st March 2009 (previously circulated) 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 31^st March 2009 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

There were no items of urgent business.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Performance Management has been invited to deliver the report.

The Corporate Performance Manager presented the 4^th Quarter Corporate Performance Monitoring Report on behalf of the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Performance Management, and guided Members through the performance data.

The Panel considered the report and raised queries on the failing targets, which were answered by Officers present.  Several queries required responses from Service Heads.

Members were advised that, in future, indicators would reflect the Corporate Plan and major projects, including work emanating from the Local Strategic Partnership.

The Principal Accountants presented the Corporate Financial Monitoring Report of expenditure and income for 2008/09, which gave a snapshot of the financial position as at the end of March 2009, and set out an indicative corporate picture of the Council’s financial performance relating to the period ending 31^st March 2009 (week 52).  The report summarised variances reported through Services’ quarterly PRT meetings and identified omissions, updates and/or actions required.  Appendix A to the report contained a Summary of Major Variances (Quarter 4 2008/09).

It was reported that the information in the report was out-of-date due to the year-end processes, which were being finalised at the time that the report had been written. The setting of the budget had been deferred to make provision for losses on Icelandic investments.

The up-to-date position was outlined in the Provisional Revenue and Capital Outturn 2008/09 Report to Cabinet on 28th July 2009, which provided information regarding the provisional outturn for 2008/09 and the timetable for completion of the closure of accounts process, and sought approval of Prudential Indicators for the previous year for referral to Council.

Members were advised that Outturn details would be reported to the Panel’s meeting on the 8^th September 2009. 

Resolved:

(1)        That the report be noted.

(2)        That Service Heads be requested to respond to the following queries regarding failing targets:

5.   CH09 Current Tenants Owing Over 13 Weeks’ Rent – What action is   being taken regarding tenants who are 13 weeks behind in their rent? 

            6.  CH11 Rent lost through vacancies – What steps are in place to check on         properties before tenants leave?

            17. ICS06 Abandoned calls – Has the situation created by staff       sickness/vacancies improved?

Report of Corporate Performance Manager

The Panel received the report of the Corporate Performance Manager, which advised Members of the publication of the Annual Report on 30^th June 2009, and raised queries on aspects thereof.

The Corporate Performance Manager reported that the Annual Report looked back at the financial year 2008/09 and forward to the challenges of the year ahead.  It provided an overview of the Council and how it performed against targets set nationally for its services and the goals it set itself, and the Council’s achievements in the last financial year.

Members were advised of significant changes in terms of Performance Management monitoring.  The Government had introduced a new set of National Indicators (NI) for Local Authorities in April 2008 to strengthen partnership working and replace Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPI).  Comprehensive Area Assessments (CAA) had been introduced in April 2009 to replace Comprehensive Performance Assessments (CPA) and examine how effectively local public services were performing, and how well councils were working together with other public bodies to meet the needs of the people they served and improve their lives.

Resolved:

(1)        That the report be noted.

(2)        That Members file a copy of the Annual Report 2008/09 to use as a reference document.

(3)        That the accuracy of the Climate Change details on page 31 of the Agenda (page 4 of the Annual Report) be investigated.

(4)        That the location of the two buildings referred to on page 45 of the Agenda (page (iii) of the Annual Report) as having made a deficit in trading operations due to a downward revaluation of £2.3M be ascertained.

Report of Corporate Director (Finance and Performance)

The Panel received the report of the Corporate Director (Finance & Performance) and raised queries thereon.  The report informed Members of the main outcomes arising from the completed evaluations of the Community Safety and Museums Partnerships and provided an update on progress on the agreed Work Programme for the evaluation of eight partnerships during 2009/10.  Appended to the report at Appendices A and B were the Development and Action Plans.

It was reported that, in February 2009, Members had considered the Work Programme for 2009/10 for the evaluation of eight major partnerships and the completion of the evaluations of the Community Safety and Museums Partnership who had been undertaking a ‘pilot’ study of the effectiveness of the adopted Partnership Development and Evaluation Toolkit.

Members noted that, in order to pilot the effectiveness of the Partnership and Evaluation Toolkit, a conscious decision had been made to choose two very different partnerships in terms of their purpose and overall significance to the Council. 

Officers from both partnerships had reported that they were able to effectively apply the toolkit to their circumstances.  The manner in which individual partnerships had undertaken the evaluation had been left to their discretion.   The toolkit had enabled them to take stock of their overall effectiveness against the set of criteria shown in the report.

Outcomes and actions were to be considered by the partnerships’ full membership.  Arrangements would be made to assign responsibility and set target dates for the implementation of agreed actions and monitor and report on progress.   Information relating to each partnership would be entered on a database, providing a central point of reference and means of monitoring progress, as well as ensuring that partnerships reported annually on their governance arrangements and overall effectiveness.

Members noted that good progress had been made against the approved work programme for 2009/10 and evaluations of five of the eight partnerships were now underway.  The timescales set out in the work programme had been agreed and progress would be monitored by the Partnership Mapping and Evaluation Team, with exceptions from planned activity being reported to the Performance Management Group for consideration.  Resources to undertake the evaluations were being incorporated in Service Business Plans for 2009/10.

Resolved:

(1)        That the outcomes arising from the evaluations of the Community Safety and Museums Partnership be noted.

(2)        That progress on the work programme for evaluating eight partnerships during 2009/10 be noted.

Report of Head of Democratic Services

The Panel received the report of the Head of Democratic Services, which updated Members regarding the Work Programme.

It was reported that, following scoping and consultation with relevant officers, it was proposed that a detailed Work Programme be brought to the meeting of the Panel in September for consideration. 

Members were invited to propose any issues they would like the Panel to consider as part of its Work Programme. 

Resolved:

(1)        That a detailed Work Programme be presented to the Panel at its meeting on
8^th September 2009.

(2)        That the following proposals be included in the Panel’s Work Programme:

·         Climate Change and Energy – action to avoid the effects of dangerous climate change

·         Place Survey

(3)        That the matters for consideration at the next meeting of the Panel be agreed.

(4)        That Members’ concerns regarding the presentation of out-of-date information due to the timetabling of Budget and Performance Panel meetings be noted.