MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON THURSDAY, 27 JUNE 2002 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM

Present :

Mrs S A Smart (Chairman), Mr R R Barry, Mr E Fox, Mr P G Harris, Mrs B Lawson, Mr R G Mazillius, Mr H Rees, Mrs J L Wareham

Apologies :

M A Jarman, Mr D J Knowles

Also present non-voting :

Mr J R Adams, Mr A C Bartlett, Mrs T M Butchers, Mrs B D Clough, Mr M J Cunningham, Mrs D Gardiner, Mr J F Howe, Mrs M J Lloyd, Mr V J Morey, Mr A J Mundy, Mr I R Stephens, Mr R A Sutton

46. MINUTES

RESOLVED:

THAT the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 18 June 2002 be confirmed.

47. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations received at this stage.

48. CORPORATE SELF ASSESSMENT

Members were aware that the Government was to assess the performance of all Unitary and County Councils between April and September 2002. The Inspectors would draw on existing inspection evidence of service provision as well as an additional inspection of some service areas. Evidence provided by the District Auditor would also be considered. Central to the assessment was an inspection of ‘Corporate Governance’ which would be carried out between 15 and 26 July 2002. An important pre-inspection task for the Council was to write and submit a “Self-Assessment Document”. This would be used to guide inspection activity during the two-week visit. It was recognised that the document would need to be an honest appraisal of the Council’s strengths and weaknesses and was required to be ‘signed off’ by the Leader and the Head of Paid Service by 3 July 2002. The Leader thanked the staff involved in the production of the document for all their hard work.

The Head of Paid Service gave a short presentation on the Self Assessment Exercise and outlined the main features of the document; What the Council was trying to achieve, how it had set about delivering its priorities, what the Council had achieved / not achieved to date and in the light of what the Council had learnt, what it proposed to do next.

Members suggested a number of detailed alterations and asked a number of questions. Members believed that the self-assessment needed to demonstrate to the Inspectors the unique position of the Island both in geographic and financial terms. Mention was made concerning coastal management issues and the pressure tourism placed on the Islands infrastructure.

During discussion it was necessary for the Chairman to leave the meeting and Mr R Barry was elected Chairman for the remainder of the meeting.

Towards the end of the discussion, the Executive became inquorate and consideration on the Self Assessment document continued on an informal basis.

The Head of Paid Service thanked members for the detailed comments and agreed to incorporate them as appropriate before the document was “signed off” and submitted.

CHAIRMAN