Agenda item

Report of Head of Governance.

The Democratic Support Officer submitted a report to update 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. It was noted that the issue relating to Planned Maintenance of Council Housing had been considered earlier in the meeting (minute number 21 refers).

Members were advised that at a meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 5 October 2011, members had discussed the issue of link membership with Budget and Performance Panel. It had been reported that at a meeting of full Council held on 14 September 2011 it had been agreed to remove the requirement for a link member from the Council’s Constitution.

As such, members of the Committee had been requested to determine a reporting mechanism between the committee and the panel. It was agreed that the Chairman of the Budget and Performance Panel be invited to attend meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as and when issues arose.

Members were advised that at a meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 5 October 2011, Councillor Barry had provided members with a breakdown of his portfolio which had included responsibility for markets, connecting with communities, voluntary sector and older people. Part of the discussion had referred to issues surrounding service level agreements (SLAs).

The Panel was advised that following the discussion the Committee had agreed the following:

“That the issue of SLAs and reviewing the procedures and criteria for local organisations who receive funding from the council be referred to the Budget and Performance Panel for consideration.”

Members were requested to include the issue of SLAs in the Panel’s Work Programme and to agree a date for the issue to be considered. The Panel were reminded that the issue had been included on the Panel’s Work Programme for consideration at its meeting on 18 October 2011, but the report had been delayed.

The Assistant Head of Community Engagement (Partnerships) advised the Panel that one of the relevant portfolio holders had requested that the report be delayed, and as such it was not yet ready to be circulated. It was hoped that the report would be ready for consideration in time for the panel’s meeting on 21 February 2012. The panel agreed that the issue should be included on the Work Programme for this meeting.

Members were also advised that the Deputy Chief Executive had requested than an item relating to corporate plan performance be included on the panel’s work programme alongside the ‘2011/12 Qtr3 Corporate Financial Monitoring, including Treasury Management’ report, which was due to be considered on 21 February 2012. The report was intended to update members on corporate plan performance.

The Assistant Head of Community Engagement (Partnerships) advised the Panel that due to the tight deadlines surrounding PRT meetings it would be difficult for the Qtr 3 Corporate Financial Monitoring report to be produced in time for the February meeting of the Panel. Members discussed the possibility of pushing back the date of the meeting in order to allow more time for the report to be produced.

Resolved:

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