THREE RIVERS DISTRICT COUNCIL
At a meeting of the Resources Policy and Scrutiny Committee held in the Penn Chamber, Three Rivers House, Rickmansworth, on Thursday, 15January 2009 from 7.30pm to 9.20pm.
Present:Councillors Richard Laval (Chairman), Sarah Nelmes (Vice-Chairman), Graham Denman, Geoffrey Dunne, Francis Durham, Paul Goggins, Chris Lloyd, Peter Ray and Ralph Sangster.
Also in attendance:- Councillor Matthew Bedford.
Officers:-David Gardner-Director of Corporate Resources and Governance
Elwyn Wilson-Democratic Services Manager
Ted O’Neill-Asset Manager
Billy Hall-Customer Services Manager
Tim Cowland-Acting Head of IT.
R.PS37/08MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Resources Policy and Scrutiny Committee held on 13November 2008 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to ‘Feasibility Study on maintenance of Council shops’ being amended to read:-
‘Feasibility Study concerning the development of “The Strip, South Oxhey” and a report on the maintenance of Council shops.’
R.PS38/08NOTICE OF OTHER BUSINESS
The Chairman ruled that whilst the following reports:
Agenda item 5Strategic, Service and Financial Planning – Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with Thrive Homes and Efficiency Gains
Agenda item 6Performance and Scrutiny Service
Agenda item 13Service Planning – Client Side Shared Services
Agenda item 14Priorities for Capital Expenditure 2009- 11
had not been on deposit for five clear days they were of sufficient urgency to be considered by the Committee so as to enable the Council’s budget for 2009/2010 to be set by the statutory deadline.
It was moved by Councillor Chris Lloyd and duly seconded -
(1)that this Committee wishes to place on record its disappointment with the number of late reports for this meeting.
(2)that officers consider again the date of the meeting of this Committee in December/January 2010.
On being put to the meeting the motion was declared CARRIED, the vote being 5 in favour, 0 against and 1 abstention.
RESOLVED:-
(1)that this Committee wishes to place on record its disappointment with the number of late reports for this meeting; and
(2)that officers consider again the date of the meeting of this Committee in December/January 2010.
R.PS39/08DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillors Sarah Nelmes and Richard Laval declared an interest in items Strategic, Service and Financial Planning, Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with Thrive Homes and Efficiency Gains as Directors on the Thrive Homes Board.
R.PS40/08STRATEGIC, SERVICE AND FINANCIAL PLANNING – SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS (SLAs) WITH THRIVE HOMES AND EFFICIENCY GAINS
This report detailed the actions being taken to mitigate the loss of income from Service Level Agreements with Thrive Homes and achieve 3.5% per annum efficiency gains.
Members noted that the officers were identifying further efficiency gains to achieve the 3.5% saving required.
Members noted that these would have an impact on services and that the officers were investigating additional joint arrangements with Watford.
ACTION AGREED:-
that the report be noted.
R.PS41/08PERFORMANCE AND SCRUTINY SERVICE
This report considered the future of performance management, scrutiny and value for money studies in the light of a consultant’s report.
The Director of Corporate Resources and Governance undertook to provide a written reply on the fee paid to the consultant.
The Committee agreed on the general principles of the report.
ACTION AGREED:-
to the Executive Committee:
(1)that the Consultant’s report be noted and the recommendations (in bold) therein adopted;
(2)that the staffing arrangements detailed in this report be approved and service plans and proposed budgets amended accordingly; and
(3)that a further report be presented to the Resources Policy and Scrutiny Committee in twelve months’ time detailing progress against the consultant’s recommendations and evaluating the effectiveness of the staffing arrangements.
R.PS42/08OUT-OF-HOURS MANNED GUARDING CONTRACT FOR THREE RIVERS HOUSE
This report updated Members on the out-of-hours security and guarding tender process at Three Rivers House.
ACTION AGREED:-
that the report be noted.
R.PS43/08PROCUREMENT CARDS
The purpose of this report was to give Members an update on progress in respect of the current pilot scheme for procurement cards.
In reply to questions, the Best Value and Procurement Officer stated that the procurement cards were similar to a Credit Card with an upper limit of £100 per transaction with the Head of Service required to give approval to the payment.
ACTION AGREED:-
that the Executive Committee be recommended that the use of procurement cards be expanded once the revised procedures are in place and training is complete.
R.PS44/08FINANCIAL POSITION STATEMENT AND BUDGET MONITORING REPORT – OCTOBER (MONTH 7)
This report gave an update of the three-year medium-term financial plan and the position on the current year’s budget for the period ending on 26October 2008.
ACTION AGREED:-
that the report be noted.
R.PS45/08REVIEW OF BUDGET MONITORING / UNDERSPENDS
This report proposed that a Task and Finish Group be set up by the Committee to review the budget setting and budgetary control processes and requested the Committee to consider the scope of such a review.
ACTIONS AGREED:-
(1)that the scope of a review into the budget setting process and in particular under-spends as attached at Appendix 1 be agreed; and
(2)that a Task and Finish Group of four Members be established as follows, two Members of the Liberal Democrat Group (Councillors Sarah Nelmes and Peter Ray) and one each Member from the Conservative and Labour Groups (the names of Members appointed to be notified to the Democratic Services Manager).
R.PS46/08SOFTWARE ASSURANCE RENEWAL
This report provided details of the capital bid submitted for the Three Rivers Capital Programme 2009 for the renewal of the Council’s Microsoft Software Assurance cover. The report also looked at possible alternative courses of action.
It was proposed and duly seconded that the Software Assurance be renewed, on being put to the meeting the motion was declared LOST, the voting being 1 in favour and 6 against.
ACTION AGREED:-
that no action be taken in respect of renewing the present Software Assurance agreement.
R.PS47/08ANNUAL REPORT AND MONITORING OF TREASURY MANAGEMENT
This report informed Members of the Treasury Management Annual Report for 2007/08 and the performance for the first seven months of 2008/09.
ACTION AGREED:-
that the Committee noted the Treasury Management Annual Report for 2007/08 and the performance for the first seven months of 2008/09.
R.PS48/08SERVICE PLANNING – CLIENT SIDE SHARED SERVICES
The purpose of this report was to:-
(a)receive the draft Client Side Shared Services Plan for 2009-2012;
(b)question the Director of Corporate Resources and Governance on the Plan, and,
(c)recommend the contents of the Plan to the Executive Committee.
ACTION AGREED:-
that the Executive Committee be recommended that the contents of the draft Client Side Shared Services Plan be approved.
R.PS49/08PRIORITIES FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2009-2012
The purpose of this report was to allow the Committee to recommend to the Executive Committee its priorities for client side shared services capital expenditure. Members removed the scheme in respect of Software Assurance following its decision at R.PS46/08 above.
ACTION AGREED:-
that the Executive Committee be recommended that its priorities for Capital Expenditure in respect of client side shared services be as follows:-
Capital / Capital / Capital / Capital2009/10 / 2010/11 / 2011/12 / Future
No. / Committee / Scheme Name / £ / £ / £ / £
1 / Shared Services / Software Licences / 126,860 / 130,660 / 134,580 / 134,580
2 / Shared Services / FM Contract Transition / 26,500 / 0 / 0 / 0
3 / Shared Services / PC Warranty Extensions / 3,150 / 0 / 0 / 0
4 / Shared Services / Migration to Thin Client / 45,000 / 0 / 0 / 0
Totals / 201,510 / 130,660 / 134,580 / 134,580
R.PS50/08WORK PROGRAMME
The Committee was asked to review and make any necessary changes to its work programme.
ACTION AGREED:-
that the work programme as outlined in the report be agreed.
R.PS51/08EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
RESOLVED:-
that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph3 of PartI of Schedule12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
R.PS52/08REPAIRS TO GARAGE STOCK
This report informed Members of progress made with respect to surveying and commissioning repairs to the Council’s garage stock.
ACTIONS AGREED:-
(1)that the report be noted;
(2)that the budget bid of £100,000 in the Capital programme for 2009/10 remain;
(3)that a further report be brought before this Committee, after the consultant’s complete garage report has been received;
(4)that public access to the report be denied until issue is resolved (see future agenda); and
(5)that public access to the decision be denied until the issue is resolved.
CHAIRMAN
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