Minutes for Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Performance and Corporate Services) meeting, Sep 1 2009, 6.30PM official page

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Fenton and Councillor Weavers and his Substitute Councillor S. Mainey.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

No declarations of interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2009.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

Presentation to be made by the Finance and Information Services Director.

The Committee received a presentation from Mr. T. Crawford, Head of Procurement, Finance Department, on Equality and Diversity in Procurement.

Work on equality and diversity in procurement had been undertaken in a partnership approach between the Council’s Procurement function and the Merseyside Equalities Partnership, with the aim of aligning equality strategy with business needs.

The presentation covered the following areas:

Legal Governance and Compliance –

• Under the Single Equality Bill and the Equality Standard for Local Government

Challenges of –

• robust management of risk;
• avoiding ‘barriers to entry’ for small and medium business enterprises (SME’s);
• standardisation of approach;
• support for officers; and
• support for suppliers.

Comprehensive Suite of Documents and Guidance consisting of –

• Equalities guidance for suppliers/contractors;
• Equalities guidance for procurement/commissioning/contracting officers;
• Equal Opportunities monitoring form;
• Summary advice on equality considerations;
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s);and
• Document comments and change control form.

Training would be a key feature of Equalities in Procurement and relevant Council officers would be trained in the use of equalities impact assessments. 

Members commended the principle of introducing equality and diversity policy to procurement, but expressed:

• the importance of ensuring that small and medium local businesses were not excluded from the Council’s procurement process;

• the importance of approved suppliers being able to demonstrate how their businesses contribute to the economy of the Borough as a whole; and

• concern regarding current Council monitoring systems. 

RESOLVED: That

(1)

the Head of Procurement by thanked for his presentation; and

(2)

the Finance and Information Services Director be requested to consider more robust monitoring systems for ensuring compliance by suppliers in the implementation of equalities policy and submit a report to a future meeting of this Committee.

Report of the Finance and Information Services Director.

The Committee considered the report of the Finance and Information Services Director on the staffing arrangements and work of the Client Unit responsible for managing the contract with Arvato Government Services (Sefton) Limited.

The report indicated that the Strategic Partnership had contractually completed on 30 September 2008 and Arvato had taken operational control of the following services on 1 October 2009:

• Revenues;
• Benefits;
• Customer Services;
• ICT;
• Accounts Payable; and
• Payroll and Transactional HR (including pensions).

Members posed a number of questions in relation to penalties incurred by Arvato for non-delivery on critical key performance indicators, such as, Council Tax collection; the costs of staffing the Client Unit; and the difficulties experienced because of the short transition period between the Council’s signing of the contract with Arvato and the delivery of services. 

The Chair suggested the Committee might consider undertaking a review of the work of the Finance and Information Services - Client Unit with Arvato, for the adoption of good practice for future contracts.

RESOLVED: That

(1)

the contents of the report on the work of the Finance and Information Services Client Unit’s management of the contract with Arvato Government Services (Sefton) Limited, be noted; and

(2)

the Committee consider undertaking a review of the work of the Finance and Information Services - Client Unit with Arvato, for the adoption of good practice for future contracts.

Joint report of the Finance & Information Services Director and the Leisure Director.

Further to Minute No. 112 of the meeting of the Council held on 7 May 2009, the Committee considered the joint report of  the Finance and Information Services Director and the Leisure Director on issues associated with the introduction of a ‘payment by instalment plan’ by which grave plots could be purchased by residents spread over a 2 year period. 

The report indicated that support for the purchase of burial plots was already being provided by the Department of Work and Pensions for Sefton residents on low income, in the form of a Social Fund and Bereavement Benefits.

Members raised a number of issues in relation to the costs associated with the introduction of a payment by instalments plan, in particular the administration of non-payment / debt management; and considered that the private sector could be approached to provide such a service.

RESOLVED: That

(1)

the Cabinet Member – Corporate Services be recommended not to agree the introduction of a 2 year ‘payment by instalment plan’ for the purchase of grave plots by Sefton residents; and

(2)

subject to (1) above, the Cabinet Member – Corporate Services be requested to give consideration to recommending the investigation of private sector funding sources for the purchase of grave plots by instalments.

Report of the Legal Director.

The Committee considered the report of the Legal Director on the outcome of the Council's consultation process as a result of the statutory requirement to review the Council's governance arrangements and to move to either a directly elected Mayor and Cabinet, or a new style Leader and Cabinet.

RESOLVED:   That the Cabinet be recommended to:

(1)       note the report and the responses received as a result of the public consultation exercise;

(2)       determine that the proposals for a new Constitution should be based on the new style Leader and Cabinet model; and

(3)       note that a further report will be submitted to the Cabinet on 1 October 2009 and the Council on 22 October 2009, setting out the necessary changes to the Council's Constitution.

Report of the Legal Director.

The Committee considered the report of the Legal Director attaching the latest Key Decision Forward Plan which contained all the Key Decisions which the Executive was anticipated to take during the above period. The Committee was advised of its right to pre-scrutinise any Key Decision which fell under its remit.

The Chair outlined proposals for the Committee’s Work Programme for 2009/10, in respect of the following key areas:

1.

The future of the Council, including: -

• Strategic Budget Review;
• Senior Management Structure;
• Pay and Grading Review; and
• Governance Review.

The Chair suggested the establishment of breakout groups to examine an issue in more detail, depending on complexity and time available. 

2.

Performance of the Council, including: -

• the results of the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA);
• preparing effectively for CAA, including better communication of what the Council does;
• how effective are the Council’s budgetary control mechanisms? ;
• how well does the Single Capital Pot align to corporate priorities?;
• managing risk in terms of performance; and
• making the most of procurement.

Evaluation reports on the impact of the out-sourcing of services to Capita Symonds and Arvato and reports on the Council’s use of the Regulation and Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), would also be required.

3.

Equalities

The membership of the Equalities Working Group established to support the achievement of Level 5 of the Equalities Standard, would need to be reviewed to enable the Group to continue its work. 

Reports on Equalities Week and the new Single Equalities Duty would also be required.

4.

Performance of Partners, including: -

The work of Sefton’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP); progress against relevant Local Area Agreement Indicators around Crime and Communities; and the effectiveness of Area Based Grant investment. 

The Perceptions of Crime Working Group would need to re-convene Further working groups could consider Integrated Offender Management and review the effectiveness of Fixed Penalty Notices.

The Chair also suggested that the Committee would need to continue its role in having oversight of the Local Area Agreement.

RESOLVED: That

(1)

the contents of the Forward Plan, together with the report, be accepted; and

(2)

the Work Programme for this Committee  be agreed as follows:

(a)

The Chief Executive be requested to submit a series of reports in relation to the future of the Council, on the related and interlinked issues of:

• Strategic Budget Review;
• Senior Management Structure;
• Pay and Grading Review; and
• Governance Review.

(b)

the relevant Service Directors be requested to submit reports / give presentations relating to the Performance of the Council as listed in (2) (a) above;

(c)

a replacement Member for the Equalities Working Group be sought;

(d)

subject to (2) (c) above, work be undertaken by the Equalities Working Group on the Council’s performance under the Single Equalities Duty;

(e)

the Chair to liaise with the Chair of Sefton’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership for the production of a detailed work plan on this area and the review of progress against relevant Local Area Agreement indicators;

(f)

the Working Group previously established for the consideration of Perceptions of Crime be re-convened with administrative support provided by the Community Safety Team;

(g)

subject to completion of (2) (f) above, the establishment of a further working group for the review of Integrated Offender Management be considered;

(h)

time allowing, the Committee to consider the effectiveness of Fixed Penalty Notices; and

(e)

the Committee to have continued oversight of progress against the broader Local Area Agreement.