Minutes for Cabinet Member - Corporate Services meeting, Apr 29 2009, 10.00AM official page

No apologies for absence were received.

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 *

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on held on 4 March 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Legal Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Legal Director regarding the Legal and Administrative Services Delivery Plan for 2009/10.

The Departmental Action Plan 2009/10 was attached as an annexe to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the Legal and Administrative Services’ Service Delivery Plan for 2009/10 be approved.

Report of the Finance and Information Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Finance and Information Services Director to present his Department’s Service Delivery Plan for 2009-2010 and to seek approval for the targets for the future annual performance for key areas of the Department’s activities.

The Departmental Service Plan 2009/10, Departmental Structure and Risk Register were attached as annexes to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the Finance and Information Services Department’s Service Plan 2009/10 be approved.

Report of the Personnel Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Personnel Director regarding the Personnel Department’s Service Plan for 2009/10.

Attached as an annexe to the report was a copy of the Personnel Department’s Services Delivery Plan 2009/10.

RESOLVED:

That the Personnel Department’s Service Plan for 2009/10 be approved.

Joint report of the Leisure Director and the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Leisure Director and the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director outlining the refreshed key objectives for Grants to Voluntary Organisations – Community Grants to enable both the Council and local residents to get the maximum benefits from the resource. The report also detailed a revised and simplified grant process and criteria, and a much more robust reporting back process to enable the Cabinet Member to be better placed to determine value for money, measurable outcomes and benefits and the change in management arrangements from Leisure Services to Planning and Economic Regeneration to facilitate the grants process.

This was a key decision and was currently included on the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the refreshed key objectives for Grants to Voluntary Organisations- Community Grants and the implementation of a revised criteria and grants process be approved;

(2)       the implementation of a robust reporting back process to enable a more thorough assessment of effectiveness and value for money be approved;

(3)      a review of its effectiveness on an annual basis and to trial the introduction of a minimum (£500) and a maximum (£10,000) grant per annum subject to a risk assessment, with individual problems being reported to the Cabinet Member – Corporate Services be approved;

(4)      the awarding of grant to an individual organisation be subject to a review of activities and outcomes at least once every three years;

(5)      the last year of any grant support to be tapered to ensure that organisations are looking for other sources of funding before the last year;

(6)      all organisations in receipt of grant for more than one year to be subject to an annual review of performance including those with existing Business Partnership Agreements; and

(7)      the transfer of responsibilities for the management of the grants to the Neighbourhoods Division in Planning and Economic Regeneration Department as part of the new area management arrangements, be approved.

Report of the Personnel Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Personnel Director seeking approval to vary the Council’s Grievance Appeal Procedures to expedite the processing of claims relating to equal pay.

RESOLVED:

That the proposal to vary the Council’s appeal arrangements in respect of equal pay grievance appeal hearings in accordance with the proposals set out within the report be approved.

Report of the Personnel Director

Further to Minute No. 75 of 7 January 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Personnel Director providing information on sickness absence levels for all Council staff including those based at schools for the 3rd quarter of 2008/2009, together with proposals on improvements in sickness absence management and current initiatives.

RESOLVED:

That the report, particularly in respect of current management action and initiatives in relation to sickness absence, be noted.

Report of the Finance and Information Services Director

Further to Minute No. 35 of the Audit and Governance Committee held on the 25 March 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Finance and Information Services Director advising of the controls put in place to address concerns raised by the Audit and Governance Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the actions taken to safeguard the Council’s I.T systems when used by the External Auditors be noted.

Report of the Finance and Information Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Finance and Information Services Director updating of the usage of the Oracle E-Procurement software solution across the Authority and informing of the intention to extend usage across all Council departments.

RESOLVED:

That the report regarding the re-launch of Oracle E-Procurement Software Solution be noted.

Joint report of the Finance and Information Services Director and the Director of Equalities

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Sefton Equalities Partnership Director that provided information on the creation and adoption of a suite of documents incorporating Equality and Diversity issues within all procurement activity across the authority.

RESOLVED:

That the Adoption of ‘Equality and Diversity in Procurement’ Documents report be noted.

To consider passing the following resolution:

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 Paragraph …. of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the 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 items of business on the grounds that they may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test had been applied and favoured exclusion of the information from the press and public.

Report of the Finance and Information Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Finance and Information Services Director seeking approval to waive the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules and formalise the current arrangement with NTL: Telewest for the supply of Centrex telephone lines for a period of one year.

RESOLVED:

That the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules be waived to allow the implementation of a one year agreement with NTL: Telewest for the supply of Centrex telephone lines for a period of one year.

Joint report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services and the Personnel Director

Further to Minute No. 165 of the Cabinet Member – Children’s Services of 14 April 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services that informed of the implications of changes in budgetary provision for 2009/10 relating to the Sefton Schools Music Services.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the Strategic Director of Children’s Services be authorised to review and revise, as appropriate, the contractual hours of staff affected by the changes in school requirements; 

(2)       the financial implications arising from the terminations of employment for those volunteering for redundancy and thus negating the impact across defined areas of provision be noted; and

(3)       the actions detailed within paragraphs 3.1 to 3.5 of the report be approved.

To receive a presentation from Mr Jeff Kenah, Corporate Manager, Finance and Information Services Department.

The Cabinet Member received a presentation from Jeff Kennah, Corporate Finance Manager and Tom Warmsley, Group Accountant – Treasury Management.

The presentation gave an introduction to the team and their roles, a detailed description of the work undertaken within the section, which included the management of the Authority’s investments and borrowing requirements.

RESOLVED:

That Mr Kennah and Mr Warmsley be thanked for their interesting and informative presentation.