Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

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

It was proposed by Councillor Smith and seconded by Councillor Sykes that Councillor James be Vice-Chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel for the Municipal Year.  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.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 March, 2011 (previously circulated).

The minutes were signed by the chairman as a correct record.

There were no items of urgent business.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Deputy Chief Executive presented a report on behalf of the former leader of the council in respect of the fourth and final quarter of Performance Review Team meetings for 2009/10 recently undertaken by individual Cabinet members.

The panel were advised that ordinarily the leader of the council would present Performance Monitoring Reports, but the council’s fourth quarterly reports had been reported at the same time as the recent elections, and no formal leader had been appointed.

Council had recently elected a new leader the Deputy Chief Executive would present the report on this occasion.

It was advised that reports for the fourth quarter Performance Review Team (PRT) meetings were issued to individual cabinet members on 21 April 2011. These reports consisted of two elements:

·         a narrative report monitoring progress against each action included in the corporate plan, and:

·         a spreadsheet identifying the performance of individual projects within each Member portfolio area.

Members were advised that as the elections had been held on 5 May 2011 it had been recognised that cabinet members would find the timing of PRT meetings quite difficult and their availability limited. To take account of this, cabinet members had been given the option of having a formal PRT meeting, however many had agreed the reports via email.

The corporate PRT report, containing the high level performance management issues had been considered by the then leader of the council on 26 April 2011, and was attached to the report for member’s consideration. Members were advised that if they wished for further information regarding any of the issues identified in the report they could consult the corporate plan for 2010/11. 

Members considered the corporate PRT report and asked detailed questions relating to several of the issues identified.

The panel discussed the ‘Adactus Top Up Grants’, it was advised that the project had been given red lights for all three criteria, time, cost and quality. The panel were concerned about these ratings and asked extensive questions. It was advised that a report regarding the issue would be presented to a future meeting of cabinet.

Resolved:

(1)        That the reports be noted.

(2)        That in future the Leader’s PRT reports be provided to panel members in colour.

Report of Head of Governance.

The Democratic Support Officer presented a report detailing the panel’s work programme. Members were asked to consider what should be included in the panel’s work programme for the municipal year. The report provided members with recommendations for inclusion in the panel’s work programme and advised of possible upcoming items for consideration and work in progress.

Members were also asked to consider if they wished for the items that were not considered in the 2010/11 municipal year to remain on the panel’s work programme for 2011/12. There were two such items remaining on the work programme:

·         Building Control, and

·         Updates on the work of the Affordable Housing Task Group.

The Accountancy Services Manager provided members with a proposed Financial Reporting Timetable for 2011/12. This timetable outlined the financial reports which would be presented at each meeting of the panel for the municipal year 2011/12. Members were asked to consider the inclusion of these items on the panel’s work programme.

This timetable included the meetings at which PRT reports would be considered, these were agreed as in the table below:

Members then considered what should be included in the Work Programme for the municipal year.

The suggested items from previous years were discussed and the following was agreed for inclusion in the panel’s work programme for the municipal year 2011/12:

• Invitations to cabinet members.
• Forward plan.
• Service level agreements.
• Partnerships.
• Budget overspends/variances.
• Financial Issues.

Resolved:

(1)        That members note the items to be carried forward for consideration at future meetings as detailed in the report.

(2)        That the timetable for PRT meetings be approved as follows:

(3)        That the outstanding items and proposed items as set out above be approved for inclusion in the panels work programme for 2011/12.

(4)        That a more detailed work programme be produced based on the above.