30th September 2010 / AGENDA ITEM 8
AREA PANEL/ WARD GRANTS- 'VALUE FOR MONEY' REFERRAL
1.0Matter for consideration
1.1The Committee to consider the referral from the Audit Committee regarding a request to undertake a 'value for money' scrutiny into purchases under the Area Panel and Ward budgets scheme.
2.0Recommendation(s)
2.1To consider the referral from the Audit Committee and consider whether a scrutiny review should be undertaken in to whether 'value for money’ is gained from the purchases made in connection with the Area Panel and Ward budgets scheme.
2.2If the Committee does agree to undertake a 'value for money'scrutiny review, then the Committee will be asked to appoint a Working Group of between three and five Members to conduct this scrutiny review and report back to this Committee, in due course.
3.0Summary of key issues
3.1This report was considered at the previous meeting of the Committee on 22nd July 2010. However, as onlyfour Members remained for consideration of the item, the Committee agreed to defer the decision to this meeting.
3.2The Audit Committee has previously shown an interest in the review of the Area Panel and Ward delegated budgets scheme and had been informed that the Member Services Working Group was undertaking a review of the scheme, looking at various areas including 'value for money'.
3.2The Area Panel and Ward budgets schemewas introduced by the Council in 2003, with the responsibility for monitoring and developing this scheme being added to the responsibilities of the Member Services Working Group in December 2005. The Member Services Working Group has since that date monitored the current expenditure on these areas at its bi-monthly meetings. (It was agreed at its March 2010 meeting that this will now be done on a 6 monthly basis). As part of the approval of the current scheme in March 2008, it was also agreed to review the scheme in 2010. This review was undertaken by the Member Services Working Group, at its meetings in January and March this year.
3.2A number of other areas which the Working Group considered as part of the review are listed in the brief summary below:
- Applications– The Group agreed that as part of the review a single form is used for both schemes and that form is now in use. It was considered that this form would capture more specific information about the application and it would also make it easier when the follow up is undertaken on how budgets are spent at the 12 month anniversary, of their approval.
- Procurement– MrKirkman, the Council's Head of Procurement attended the March meeting of the Working Group and provided advice to the Group when considering this area. The Group discussed how funding was allocated and how value for money was sought.
- It was confirmed that funding provided to support voluntary organisations and public bodies was to take the form of a grant. This would mean that any funding approvals would be paid direct to the organisation rather than to any contractor or other service provider (e.g. if the funding was for a CCTV camera for a community centre, then the funding would go to the community centre not the supplier of the camera). If appropriate that body's procurement process would be followed. (E.g. this would be appropriate for Lancashire Constabulary or NHS Blackpool). If the funding was for a Council provided service, then the Council's Contracts Procedure Rules had to be followed. These Procedure Rules having set requirements in relation to competitive bids, preferred suppliers etc, making sure those purchases made conformed to the same standard as other Council related procurement.
- 12 month anniversary feedback– Itwas agreed that the Group should monitor funding applications that had been made on the 12 month anniversary basis and as indicated the redesigned application form was to assist with this process. The first report in this process will be considered by the Member Services Working Group in September 2010 and a full review in March 2011.
3.3The Audit Committee at its meeting on 29thJune 2010, considered a report on the outcome of this review by the Member Services Working Group, but was of the view that a value for money exercise should still be undertaken on specific purchases under this scheme. The aspect of 'value for money' falls under this Committee's remit and is the reason for this referral.
4.0Witnesses / representatives
4.1As requested by the Committee members, the following persons have been invited to attend the meeting to speak on the matter:
- Steve Sienkiewicz, Democratic Services Team Leader (Overview and Scrutiny)
Relevant officer:
Mark Lewis, Head of Legal and Democratic Services
Tel: (01253) 477400, e-mail:
Appendices attached:
None.
Background papers:
None.
Glossary, websites and e-mail links for further information:
The Member Services Working Group is a cross party Group chaired by the Cabinet Member for Business Services, together with Councillors Brown, Cox, Mrs Fowler, Green, Hardy and Jackson.
Its remit covers training and development for Councillors, information and support for Councillors, facilities for Councillors, the monitoring and development of the Area Panel and Ward budgets scheme and the performance of the Democratic Services Unit.