Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest that they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

Members declared interest with regard to the following agenda item:

9. LGPS Pension Scheme Update.

Councillor D M Pickford, Personal, as a contributor to the Council pension scheme.

Councillor Kieron Mallon, Personal, as a contributor to the Council pension scheme.

Councillor Nicholas Turner, Personal, as a contributor to the Council pension scheme.

Councillor Nigel Morris, Personal, as a contributor to the Council pension scheme.

The Chairman to report on any requests to submit petitions or to address the meeting.

There were no petitions. The Chairman confirmed that he had agreed a request to address the meeting from Councillor Lawrie Stratford in respect of agenda item 11, Constitution Update.

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

There was no urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2010.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2010 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report of Head of Finance

Summary

This report brings forward for Members’ approval, the procurement strategy for the council. The primary objective of the procurement strategy is to procure services that are affordable, fit for the purpose, meet the needs of local people and service users and provide value for money.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)       Consider and approve the draft procurement strategy for the council which is attached at Appendix A.

Agreed.

The Head of Finance submitted a report which sought approval for the procurement strategy for the council. The primary objective of the procurement strategy was to procure services that are affordable, fit for purpose, met the needs of local people and service users and provided value for money.

The Executive thanked officers for their hard work on developing the Council’s Procurement Strategy in recent years and noted that the Audit Commission had also praised the Council’s procurement management.

Resolved

(1)               That the draft procurement strategy for the council be approved.

Reasons - The procurement strategy has been written as part of the recommendations of the National Procurement Strategy.

Report of Head of Customer Service and Information Systems

Summary

This report seeks approval for a new approach to using our contact centre and switchboard telephone systems to improve their resilience, make it quicker for customers to get the information they need, and improve the quality of information available to the Council about how calls are handled.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)               Approve the use of a short menu of options on some of the main customer contact numbers as illustrated at appendix 1. 

(2)               Approve the use of recorded information on those lines where customer research has shown it to be helpful to the customer.

(3)               Note the improvement to telephony response and business continuity for customer contact brought about by these changes.

(4)               Approve development of a publicity campaign to help customers get the best number for their service requirements.

(5)               Approve the use of mystery shopping to measure the completeness of service delivered at first contact by phone.

Agreed.

The Head of Customer Service and Information Systems submitted a report which sought approval for a new approach to using our contact centre and switchboard telephone systems to improve their resilience, make it quicker for customers to get the information they need, and improve the quality of information available to the Council about how calls are handled.

Resolved

(1)               That the use of a short menu of options on some of the main customer contact numbers be approved. 

(2)               That the use of recorded information on those lines where customer research has shown it to be helpful to the customer be approved.

(3)               That the improvement to telephony response and business continuity for customer contact brought about by these changes be noted.

(4)               That the development of a publicity campaign to help customers get the best number for their service requirements be approved.

(5)               That the use of mystery shopping to measure the completeness of service delivered at first contact by phone be approved.

Reasons - The centrality of the telephone to the delivery of all the Council’s services means it is of paramount importance that people who use the phone get the best possible service from the contact centre advisers, and the need to be responsive in terms of getting information to customers in the case of unexpected events and emergencies.

Options

Report of Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Summary

To consider the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board report on the Council's partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

A member of the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board will attend the meeting to present the report.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)               Note the work of the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board scrutiny review into the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

(2)               Agree the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board recommendations regarding the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council as detailed below:

Recommendation 1:

That it be noted that the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council is an important partnership which should continue and be regarded as critical to the delivery of the rural agenda.

Recommendation 2:

That a Service Level Agreement for the rural community development and community transport elements of the partnership be adopted.

Recommendation 3:

That an annual programme of aims/objectives (aligned to the Rural Strategy Action Plan and the Council’s corporate priorities) be agreed with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council and regularly reviewed and monitored by officers, the elected Member representative from a rural ward and reported to the Portfolio Holder.

Recommendation 4:

That the role and involvement of elected Members (the representative from a rural ward and the Portfolio Holder) in the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council be clarified and strengthened.

Recommendation 5:

That the elected Member representative from a rural ward should work closely with rural community development officers and community transportofficers to provide overall steer and direction for the partnership. 

Recommendation 6:

That the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board should monitor progress against each of the above recommendations and review the situation, initially in September 2010.

Agreed.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services submitted a report which presented the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board report on the Council's partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

Councillor Morris presented the report.

Resolved

(1)               That the work of the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board scrutiny review into the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council be noted.

(2)               That the following Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board recommendations regarding the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council as detailed below be agreed:

Recommendation 1:

That it be noted that the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council is an important partnership which should continue and be regarded as critical to the delivery of the rural agenda.

Recommendation 2:

That a Service Level Agreement for the rural community development and community transport elements of the partnership be adopted.

Recommendation 3:

That an annual programme of aims/objectives (aligned to the Rural Strategy Action Plan and the Council’s corporate priorities) be agreed with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council and regularly reviewed and monitored by officers, the elected Member representative from a rural ward and reported to the Portfolio Holder.

Recommendation 4:

That the role and involvement of elected Members (the representative from a rural ward and the Portfolio Holder) in the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council be clarified and strengthened.

Recommendation 5:

That the elected Member representative from a rural ward should work closely with rural community development officers and community transportofficers to provide overall steer and direction for the partnership. 

Recommendation 6:

That the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board should monitor progress against each of the above recommendations and review the situation, initially in September 2010.

Report of Head of Finance

Summary

This report sets out an overview of the current position on the funding of the pension scheme, the potential implications arising from the triennial review of the pension fund and a review of local discretions on the scheme.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)               Note the contents of the report.

(2)               Ask officers to provide an analysis of the financing options available to the

Council once the 2010 valuation is finalised including the impact on the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

(3)               Approve the changes to local pension discretions as detailed in Appendix 1.

Agreed.

The Head of Finance and Head of People and Improvement submitted a report which set out an overview of the current position on the funding of the pension scheme, the potential implications arising from the triennial review of the pension fund and a review of local discretions on the scheme.

Resolved

(1)               That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)               That officers be asked to provide an analysis of the financing options available to the Council once the 2010 valuation is finalised including the impact on the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

(3)               That the changes to local pension discretions be approved.

Reasons - The pension fund triennial valuation is due to be conducted in March 2010. The likelihood is that this will require an increased employer’s contribution rate, which the Council will need to fund. The pension regulations require the Council to formulate, publish and keep under review its policies in respect of certain areas of the pension scheme where it may exercise its local discretion.

Report of Chief Executive and Community and Corporate Planning Manager

Summary

This report introduces the Corporate Scorecard and performance reporting arrangements for 2010/11. It includes the proposed format and content of the Corporate Scorecard and performance reports through which the Council will monitor and report its priority targets around strategic priorities, service delivery and organisational performance.

Recommendations:

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)               Agree the proposed scorecard, performance reports and performance monitoring arrangements for 2010/11.

(2)               Adopt the updated risk strategy for 2010/11 and agree the Risk Register comprising strategic, corporate and partnership risks for 2010/11.

Agreed.

The Chief Executive and Corporate Planning, Performance and Partnerships Manager submitted a report which introduced the Corporate Scorecard and performance reporting arrangements for 2010/11. It included the proposed format and content of the Corporate Scorecard and performance reports through which the Council will monitor and report its priority targets around strategic priorities, service delivery and organisational performance.

Resolved

(1)               That the proposed scorecard, performance reports and performance monitoring arrangements for 2010/11 be agreed.

(2)               That the updated risk strategy for 2010/11 and the Risk Register comprising strategic, corporate and partnership risks for 2010/11 be adopted.

Reasons - The corporate scorecard and performance management arrangements for 2010/11 are robust and focus on the delivery of the corporate plan, the public pledges, the corporate improvement plan, the quality of service delivery and key strategic projects,  partnership plans including the Local Area Agreement and the Sustainable Community Strategy.

Options

Report of Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Summary

To approve amendments and updates to the Council’s constitution

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to ask Council to approve the following:

(1)               To approve the changes to the scheme of delegation detailed in this report and to delegate to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services the detailed reallocation of powers reflecting the recent review of the Extended Management Team and the retirement of the Head of Safer Communities and Community Development.

(2)               To approve the revised Proper Officer provisions (Appendix 1).

(3)               To approve the changes to the Contract Procedure Rules detailed in this report.

(4)               To approve the revised and updated Finance Procedure Rules (Appendix 2).

Agreed, with the amendment to recommendation 4 that the revised and updated Finance Procedure Rules be approved subject to the addition of the following text at 7.1: “The Executive is responsible for agreeing procedures for carrying forward under and overspending on budget headings.”

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services submitted a report seeking approval for amendments and updates to the Council’s constitution.

Councillor Lawrie Stratford addressed the meeting.

Resolved

That Council be recommended to approve the following:

(1)               That the changes to the scheme of delegation detailed in the report be approved and to delegate to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services the detailed reallocation of powers reflecting the recent review of the Extended Management Team and the retirement of the Head of Safer Communities and Community Development.

(2)               That the revised Proper Officer provisions be approved.

(3)               That the Contract Procedure Rules detailed in the report be approved.

(4)               That the revised and updated Finance Procedure Rules be approved subject to the addition of the following text at 7.1: “The Executive is responsible for agreeing procedures for carrying forward under and overspending on budget headings.”

Reasons - The constitution needs to be kept updated so that it reflects the current structure. Powers must be exercised properly in order to minimise challenge.

Options

At the conclusion of the item the Leader noted that this was the last meeting of the Executive in 2009/10 and expressed his best wishes to all Councillors in the forthcoming election.

The Leader advised Executive that this was Councillor Mallon’s last meeting as a member of Executive and thanked him for his hard work and valuable contribution.

The following reports contain exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

5 – Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

Members are reminded that whilst the following items have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to pass the following recommendation:

“That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded form the meeting for the following item(s) of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 5 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Resolved

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded form the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 5 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

Report of Chief Executive and Head of Finance

Agreed, as set out in the exempt report.

The Chief Executive and Head of Finance submitted an exempt joint report which considered the findings of the Value for Money (VFM) Review of Finance and the recommendations arising from the report.

Resolved

That the recommendations as set out in the exempt report be agreed.

Report of Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Head of Finance

Agreed, as set out in the exempt report.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Head of Finance submitted an exempt joint report which sought authority to institute and pursue legal proceedings in order to recover the financial deposits currently held in Glitnir bank and to agree to fund such legal action.

Resolved

That the recommendations as set out in the exempt report be agreed.