It was resolved that subject to the points made in the discussion:

a)   The performance out-turns and end of year Strategic Plan action updates in the Strategic Plan Annual Performance Report attached at Appendix A to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications be noted.

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

b)The update on the Improvement Plan work streams attached at Appendix B to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications be noted.

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

c)    It be noted that an action plan is being developed to tackle the decline in the overall employment rate (AMB 001); and

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

d)The teams involved be thanked for their success in achieving their targets in relation to the following KPIs:

·         R&B 005 – Percentage of Non-Domestic Rates collected; and

·         R&B 006 – Percentage of Council Tax collected.

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

Recommendation

Cabinet

Member

Response

Timetable

Lead Officer

RESOLVED:

(a) That the Council’s performance in relation to complaints be noted;

Brian Moss

Noted

Sam Bailey

(b) That the compliments received by teams and individual Officers

within the Council be noted;

Brian Moss

Noted

Sam Bailey

c) That the various teams and Officers be thanked for their performance

in dealing with complaints during the last quarter, and, in particular,

for the reduction in the overall number of complaints received

compared to quarter 3; and

Brian Moss

Previously, when Cllr Hotson was cabinet member, thanks were relayed through the cabinet bulletin.

This did not happen this time due to the changeover of cabinet members, but will happen in the future.

Sam Bailey

(d) That the following information be provided for the Committee in the quarter 1 report for 2013/14:

(i) An update on the action taken in relation to dissatisfied

complainants; and

(ii) A definition of an “unreasonable or unreasonably persistent

complainant”.

Brian Moss

(i)           Update given when the q2 report went to O & S

(ii)          Definition supplied alongside q2 report that went to O & S

Sam Bailey

It was resolved that:

That the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services be recommended to approve the Commissioning and Procurement Strategy subject to the following:

(a)    The Strategic Leadership and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee (the Committee) being involved in the discussions regarding the methodology to be used to assess social value and the definition of social value to be used in the community benefit clauses of the procurement documentation;

(b)    The Committee being kept fully informed of the assessment methodology to be used to balance the risks associated with engaging smaller local businesses with the requirement to ensure equality of opportunity;

(c)    Regard being had to the potential conflict between the priority of supporting local or smaller businesses and the priority of reducing our carbon footprint where larger firms may have advantages through economies of scale;

(d)    The action plan being linked to specific items in the Strategic Plan and the Sustainable Community Strategy, and a note being included in the Strategy to confirm that the savings achieved through the projects listed in section 5 of the document can be substantiated by reference to the accounts of the participating authorities;

(e)    Reference being made in the action plan to third sector organisations, including social enterprises, given the emphasis now placed on the promotion of social value;

(f)    Members being kept informed of the impact of the revised EU Procurement Directives and the action taken by the Procurement Team in response;

(g)    Members being kept informed of any difficulties experienced in engaging local suppliers although it is acknowledged that the raising of the threshold for contracts to be let by tender to £75,000 has given the Officers greater scope to use local suppliers subject to them seeking quotations and recording value for money; and

(h)    The inclusion of a statement in the strategy to the effect that the Council will use lessons learned from past experience to inform its approach to commissioning and procurement in future.

Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Brian Moss

The methodology of assessing social value and the drafting of any clauses for inclusion in the contracts are due to be  considered in 2014/15 with colleagues in Policy and Legal. Proposals will be discussed with Overview & Scrutiny.

This methodology will be developed in parallel to assessment of social value and will similarly be discussed with Overview and Scrutiny.

Where there is potential for conflict we will endeavour to ensure that smaller firms are not disadvantaged by tender assessments.

The action plan has been amended to show the actions linked to the Strategic plan and the Sustainable Community Strategy; and the savings in Section 5 have been described as “verified”.

Agreed, and action plan amended.

Agreed. To be reported to a future committee meeting.

Following the introduction of further measures to encourage the use of local suppliers, the amount of spend will continued to be monitored and reported to Members on a regular basis.

Agreed, and strategy amended.

Q2/3

2014/15

Q2/3

2014/15

Q2

2013/14

Q2

2013/14

Q2

2013/14

Q4

2014/15

Q3

2013/14

Q2

2013/14

David Tibbit/

Stephen Trigg

It was resolved that:

a)  The report be noted.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Chris Garland

The Leader of the Council Considered the report and the views of the committee by 19 August 2013

21/08/2013

Paul Riley

b) All proposed awards in column L of Appendix A be recommended to the Leader of the Council for funding from the revenue underspend 2012/13 and the balance of the unused underspend from 2011/12 subject to the following:

    Item 15 – A further assessment of the need taking into account increased income from the facility.

    Item 16 – The deletion of this item if funding is secured through the completion of a S106 agreement to mitigate the impact of application MA/12/2314 on the town centre with the monies being used towards public realm improvement projects in the town centre and to fund the programme of the Town Team.

Item 17 – The deletion of this item if funding is secured through the completion of a S106 agreement to mitigate the impact of application MA/12/2314 on the town centre with the monies being used towards public realm improvement projects in the town centre and to fund the programme of the Town Team.

Item 23 – A view being taken on the preferred option having regard to the differential in the technical costs of options 1 and 2 and the potential availability of   additional resources contingent on the completion of the S106 agreement referred to above.

Item 34 – The deletion of this item if it is found that a S106 contribution has been secured for this work.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Chris Garland

The current income levels are above budget expectation however the income is intended to fund the cost of major maintenance of the cremators which is essential. Resources for the Crematorium gates will be considered from the under spend.

This scheme will be considered at a future date subject to the overall environmental improvements to Gabriel’s Hill being approved for inclusion in the capital programme and the conclusion of decision making on application MA/12/2314.

The funding requested for the Town Team is not linked to the s106 agreement and is required to ensure a medium term future for the Town Team. A minimum of £20,000 per annum for two years will be approved.  Any funding secured via the S106 agreement is required specifically to mitigate the impact of that development.

The scheme is complementary to the regeneration work completed so far in the town centre and has the effect of linking the different areas of the town centre together. While the scheme is expensive the proposal is an important next step for the town centre’s vibrancy.

This is a small scheme to be completed by s106 resources if available.

21/08/2013

Paul Riley

c) In the event of item 17 going forward, the Leader of the Council be recommended to take a view on the inclusion of taxi marshalling at an additional cost of £10,000, in the interests of safety.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Chris Garland

The funding for the town team will be available to the town team to consider appropriate uses and prioritise including funding all or making a contribution to the taxi marshalling scheme costs. Hopefully businesses benefitting from town team initiatives will work with it to provide the appropriate levels of service including through joint funding.

21/08/2013

N/A

d) If, following investigation, it is found that item 12 is not to be funded from the Play Area Capital Programme, the Leader of the Council be recommended to take a view on this project being taken forward with funding from the under spends.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Chris Garland

The proposal will be considered in light of the finally agreed play area strategy. As that strategy will not be developed until later in the year this scheme will be brought forward at that time for consideration.

By December 2013

Jason Taylor

e) Given its importance, the Leader of the Council be recommended to take a view on item 36 being taken forward with funding from the under spends.                 

Leader of the Council, Councillor Chris Garland

Agreed

21/08/2013

Paul Riley

f) When considering the proposals, the Leader of the Council be recommended to have regard to the fact that the land referred to in item 27 may not be available in future.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Chris Garland

Noted.

21/08/2013

g) When considering the proposals, the Leader of the Council be recommended to have regard to the ongoing commitment to the projects and possible exit arrangements.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Chris Garland

Agreed. Evaluation criteria required that the schemes have no ongoing revenue impact.

21/08/2013

Paul Riley

h) That the Head of Finance and Resources be recommended to group connected proposals in future reports.

Agreed, for any possible future reports the information will be provided in a revised format.

July 2014

Paul Riley

RESOLVED:

(a) That the progress and out-turns of the Council’s Key Performance

Indicators in quarter 1 of 2013/14, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications, be noted;

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

(b) That the areas where performance is strong and on track to achieve

annual targets be noted;

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

(c) That the areas where performance has declined and performance

requires further monitoring be noted;

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

(d) That the action plan to address the decline in the overall employment

rate, attached as Appendix C to the report of the Head of Policy and Communications, be noted;

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

(e) That the action being taken to manage and reduce absence due to sickness be noted;

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

(f) That the Officers be requested to arrange for Members to have an

input into the Parking Manager’s plans to mitigate the impact of the continuing decline in Park and Ride on-board transactions on income targets;

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

(g) That the following information be provided for the Committee before the next quarterly report:

(i) An update on the performance in relation to the waste and recycling indicators having regard to the launch of the new waste collection contract; and

(ii) An update on the performance in relation to the housing

indicators taking into account the funding allocated from the

revenue underspends to schemes promoted by the Head of Housing and Community Services and the fact that some of the indicators have been rated red.

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

h) That an update be provided for the Committee in two months’ time

on the action being taken to resolve the difficulties experienced in recruiting suitably qualified Planning Officers to join the Development

Management team, the report to include details of the administrative work associated with the role, including responding to Freedom of

Information requests and complaints etc., and the time and costs

involved; and

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

i) That the following information be provided for Members as specified:

(i) An update for Councillor Black on the recovery rate in respect of

benefits overpayments which have arisen as a result of fraud;

(ii) An update for Councillor Mrs Grigg on the reasons for the

increase in the average wait times for calls into the Contact

Centre during the last quarter, including the impact of the new

automated telephone system; and

(iii) An update for Councillor Mrs Grigg on the work of the

Employability and Skills Officer in facilitating employer

engagement with NEETs.

Brian Moss

Agreed

Clare Wood

Recommendation

Cabinet

Member

Response

Timetable

Lead Officer

RESOLVED:

RESOLVED:

(a) That the Council’s performance in relation to complaints be noted;

Brian Moss

Noted

Sam Bailey

(b) That the teams and individual Officers within the Council be congratulated on the compliments received; and

Brian Moss

Compliments published in Wakey Wakey- the staff newsletter

Sam Bailey

(c) That the following information be provided for the Committee in the quarter 2 report for 2013/14:

(i) An update on the action taken to improve the effectiveness of

the complaints handling satisfaction surveys; and

(ii) An update on the way in which complaints filtered by Members are recorded.

Brian Moss

Updates for these will be brought along with the q2 report

10^th December 2013

Sam Bailey

Recommendation[i]

Cabinet

Member[ii]

Response[iii]

Timetable[iv]

Lead Officer[v]

a)    That there be member involvement in consultation meetings with businesses as part of the development of the budget strategy; and

Brian Moss

Paul Riley

b)    That the Council considers reviewing its banking investments in three months time.

Brian Moss

Paul Riley