Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the meetings held on 15 October 2012 and 23 October 2012 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meetings held on 15 October 2012 and 23 October 2012 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

There were no items of urgent business.

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. 

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of the Assistant Head of Community Engagement (Partnerships).

Consideration of this report was deferred from the meeting of the Panel held on 23 October 2012 (minute no. 27 refers).

The Panel received the report of the Assistant Head of Community Engagement (Partnerships) to update the Budget and Performance Panel on current partnership arrangements and recent developments.

The Panel was advised that throughout the past 12 months significant changes and new developments had taken place which had reinforced the importance of working together, but had also emphasised the need to ensure that arrangements added value and helped to achieve results. 

It was advised that in November 2011, Cabinet had agreed the Council’s approach to future partnership working. It was agreed that partnerships needed to be cost effective, purposeful, offer clear added value, and have a sharp focus on achieving outcomes. Cabinet had agreed that partnership working was more important than ever, but that the time for the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) had passed. As such the LSP had dissolved itself in early 2012. 

The partnership arrangements which would be continued in the future were outlined to the Panel, these were as follows:

·  District Children’s Trust

·  Community Safety Partnership

·  Health and Well Being Partnership

·  Economy (working with the Chamber of Commerce)

·  Public sector Leader’s Group

·  Arts Partnership

·  Community Leader’s Group (now Communities Together)

·  Lancaster Area Committee of Parish Council’s

·  Voluntary, community and faith sector (developing around existing forums and an infrastructure group)

The Council was also working with partners and families to develop and deliver an initiative known as Working with Families. This work was outlined to the Panel. It was queried whether it was possible to provide information to illustrate the financial benefits of the partnership to the Council and other authorities.

It was reported that financial evaluation was a key part of Working with Families, and that this information should be available for member’s consideration in approximately twelve months time.

The Panel queried the level of the Council’s financial contribution to each of the partnerships.  It was advised that the level of contribution was in the main officer support time with the exception of the community safety partnership where the Council provided funding for PCSO’s. 

It was requested that the cabinet members with responsibility for voluntary, community and faith sector and the arts/leisure partners be invited to attend a future meeting of the panel as the Council did provide grant support to those organisations, and that a report which considers these two partnerships be presented to a future meeting of the Panel.

The Principal Democratic Support Officer advised that a Lancashire County Council scrutiny task group considering the state of the arts in Lancashire following recent funding decisions taken by the Arts Council England, had recently completed its final report.  Councillor Mumford would report the recommendations of the Task Group to this Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 5 December 2012. The report was titled Towards a Stronger Sense of Place (Pan Lancashire Arts Culture and Entertainment): Arts Development Task Group Report. It was agreed that the report be circulated to the Panel for information. 

The Panel was advised of a database that had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

Report of the Head of Governance.

The Democratic Support Officer presented a report to update members on the Panel’s Work Programme.

The Panel was asked to consider whether they would like to include any further items in the Work Programme. 

Members were advised that, at its meeting on 6 November 2012, Cabinet had agreed the recommendations of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee made at its meeting on 10 October 2012 with regard to the revised Customer Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy. It was reported that the Committee had recommended: -

‘That the Budget and Performance Panel be requested to undertake the performance monitoring of the complaints procedure.’

Following consultation with the Head of Environmental Services, it had been recommended that the issue be included on the Panel’s Work Programme for consideration at its meeting scheduled for 5 March 2013.

Resolved:

(1)        That the report be noted and that the Work Programme be updated accordingly. 

(2)        That a report regarding monitoring of the Council’s updated Customer Comments, Compliments and Complaints Policy be included on the Panel’s Work Programme for consideration at its meeting scheduled for 5 March 2013.