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BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY(STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON TUESDAY, 27 JANUARY 2009
PRESENT: Mr D M Busby – Chairman
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Mrs J Antill
Mr J C Brand
Mr D G Grutchfield
Mr B Riley |
Mr C A Roberts
Mr H N Todd
Mr L H Young |
Mr D M Walton was unable to be present.
51 - Declaration of Interests
52 - Minutes
53 - Petitions
54 - Questions from Members
55 - Draft 2009/10 Budget Scrutiny
56 - Use of Resources Assessment
57 - Risk Management - Quarterly Monitoring Report
58 - Interim Internal Audit Report 2008/09 and Revised Anti-Fraud and Corruption and Whistleblowing Policy
59 - Decline of Land Charge Income
60 - Statutory National Indicators - Current Position
61 - Performance Management - Target Setting Arrangements for 2009/10
62 - Work Plan
Mrs J Antill declared a personal interest in the item referred to in Minute No. 55 below by virtue of the fact that she is a Trustee of the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Gainsborough House Trust Society but indicated that she was able to speak and vote on the matter concerned.
RESOLVED
(1) That the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2008 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
(2) That subject to the concurrence of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee, the Minutes of the joint meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) and the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee held on 9 December 2008 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
None received.
None received.
The Director of Finance submitted a report (Paper H174) requesting Members to scrutinise the draft budgets, which were considered by Strategy Committee on 15 January 2009 (Paper H162 refers). An update to Appendix C of Paper H162 was circulated prior to the meeting.
Prior to the ensuing discussion, Members requested reassurance that, following recent comments by the Suffolk Preservation Society, adequate resources were being allocated to the Council’s conservation functions. The Head of Natural and Built Environment responded that a review of all resources within Planning Control and Planning Policy, taking into account vacant posts, has been undertaken. This has maintained the number of full time equivalent professional officers within the teams, adequately covering the statutory duties required of the Council.
The Director of Finance and the Head of Natural and Built Environment then answered detailed questions from Members on various issues.
In accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Handbook, it was noted that the Overview and Scrutiny Committees have the power to scrutinise external bodies. In this respect, Members discussed the possibility of scrutinising the Suffolk Police Authority’s proposed Council Tax increase and consideration would be given as to whether this may be a suitable item for the coming year.
RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE
That the draft budget for 2009/10 set out in Paper H162 (including updated Appendix C) and Paper H174 be approved.
The Director of Finance submitted a report (Paper H175) presenting the Use of Resources Assessment report from the external Auditors for 2007/08.
In the ensuing discussion, the Director of Finance was requested to incorporate a number of Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) themes into the Committee’s Work Plan for next year.
RESOLVED
(1) That the Committee note the overall Use of Resources Assessment for 2007/08 and the areas where improvements have been achieved or are required.
(2) That appropriate actions by officers be implemented for the 2008/09 Assessment to maintain and improve individual areas of the Assessment.
(3) That the Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) themes detailed in Appendix A of Paper H175 be incorporated into the Committee’s Work Plan for next year.
The Director of Finance submitted a report (Paper H176) providing Members with an update on the management of the significant business risks facing the Council and indicating areas where risk management requires further development across the Council. Members noted that the Council has been assessed at level 3 ‘Performing well’ for risk management on the 2007/08 Use of Resources Assessment.
Elfreda Walker, Audit Manager presented the report and answered Members’ questions on it.
RESOLVED
That the latest position on managing each of the Council’s significant business risks and the plans for taking forward the development of risk management across the Council be noted.
The Director of Finance submitted a report (Paper H177) informing Members of the work undertaken by the Internal Audit Section for the period 1 April to 31 December 2008 and of the progress made in implementing recommendations during the second half of 2007/08 and the first half of 2008/09.
Members were also asked to approve the revised Anti-Fraud and Corruption and Whistleblowing Policy attached as Appendix A to Paper H177.
Elfreda Walker, Audit Manager presented the report and answered Members’ questions on it. It was noted that further updates on ‘Not acceptable’ audit reports would be provided to Members in future reports. During the course of the debate it was also noted that information on the fraud and corruption cases dealt with and numbers prosecuted would be included in the Internal Audit Annual Report.
RESOLVED
(1) That the work undertaken by Internal Audit and the progress made in implementing recommendations in 2008/09 be noted.
(2) That the revised Anti-Fraud and Corruption and Whistleblowing Policy as detailed in Appendix A to Paper H177 be approved.
(3) That the Standards Committee consider the amended Policy during 2009/10 and report back to the Committee with any observations for further consideration.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper H178) setting out the current position and steps being taken to manage the issues with regard to the decline of land charge income.
Carl Reeder, Information and Project Manager presented the report and answered Members’ questions on it.
RESOLVED
That the contents of Paper H178 and the actions that have, or will be undertaken be noted.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper H180) updating the Committee on the latest position regarding Babergh’s response to the Statutory National Indicator set, which came into effect on 1 April 2008.
Janice Rees, Policy and Communications Manager presented the report and answered Members’ questions on it.
RESOLVED
That the progress made to date in securing the information required to meet the Statutory National Indicator submission deadlines be noted.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper H179) updating the Committee on the proposed approach for reviewing the Council’s key performance indicator basket and agreeing the 2009/10 targets.
Janice Rees, Policy and Communications Manager presented the report and requested the Committee appoint up to three Members to sit on a joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee Working Group to scrutinise the proposed targets and to recommend which indicators should be included in the key performance indicator basket for 2009/10.
RESOLVED
(1) That subject to the concurrence of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee, a joint Working Group be established in order to undertake a detailed scrutiny of the key performance indicator basket and proposed targets for 2009/10 in line with the timetable outlined in Appendix A of Paper H179.
(2) That the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee’s representatives on the Working Group referred to in (1) above be Mrs J Antill, Mr D G Grutchfield and Mr H N Todd.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper H181) which provided details of the Committee’s anticipated work for the last meeting of 2008/09 including items that may be the subject of call-in procedures.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan submitted as Paper H181 be noted.
The Committee adjourned for refreshments between 11.10 a.m. and 11.30 a.m.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 1.20 p.m.
............................................................................ Chairman
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