MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE RESOURCES SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, 10 OCTOBER 2001 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM

Present :

Mr G S Kendall (Chairman), Mr M J Cunningham, Mr P D Joyce, Mrs M J Lloyd, Mr R G Mazillius, Mrs M J Miller, Mr A J Mundy (deputising for Mr R A Sutton), Mr G P Price, Mr I R Stephens, Mr A F Tiltman, Mrs J L Wareham

Spokesperson :

Mr R R Barry

Also Present (non voting) :

Mr A C Bartlett, Mrs S A Smart

Apologies :

Mr D J Knowles, Mr R A Sutton

RESOLVED :

THAT the Minutes of the last meeting held on 24 September 2001 be confirmed.

8. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Mrs Miller declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute 9 as a fund finder for HECK

Mrs Lloyd declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute 9 as a member of East Cowes Enterprise

Mr Mundy declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute 9 as a co-opted member for IOW Sports

Mr Kendall declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute 9 as a member of Bembridge Youth and Community Centre

Mr Cunningham declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute 9 as a member of Homestart and the Newport District Community Association.

9. REVIEW OF THE COUNCIL'S GRANT PROCEDURES

During the course of the debate Cllr Mrs S A Smart declared a non-pecuniary interest in all matters relating to the Riverside Centre and the Real World Trust.

The Corporate Policy Manager presented his report on a Review of the Council's Grant Procedures. Members were advised of the current system for providing grant aid to voluntary, sporting, recreational bodies and individuals. Grant aid was dealt with in two different ways, centrally funded aid and Directorate funded aid. The evaluation principles for each varied.

The central grant funding was taken up with Service Level Agreements. In order to continue considering grant applications an appropriate ongoing budget availability needed to be agreed. The report outlined 3 main options of doing this.

Members felt a Task Group should be established to investigate the matter further and report back to this Select Committee with their findings.

RESOLVED :

(i) THAT Service Level Agreements and Contracts be treated differently from grants.

(ii) THAT a Task Group be established to investigate the matter further and report back to the meeting of the Select Committee due to be held on 14 November 2001. The Task Group would consider;

(1) The need for a grants budget.

(2) How much money would be needed

(3) The mechanics of how it would be distributed

10. BEST VALUE REVIEW OF PERSONNEL SERVICE

Members were advised that due to the belated elections the Steering Group for the Best Value Review of Personnel Services had been established later than planned. The progress made on the Review was outlined. It was suggested by the Personnel Services Manger that there was a need to revise the timetable to enable the Review to be fully undertaken.

RESOLVED :

THAT the revised timetable for the Best Value Review of Personnel Service be accepted.

11. DISPOSAL OF LAND AT SEAVIEW ROAD, COWES

Members were advised of the background to the disposal of an area of land at Seaview Road Cowes. The sale of the land had been approved by the former Personnel and Sourcing Committee in July 1998 but had only been completed in September 1999. A short report on this matter was submitted to the Resources Select Committee on 16 February 2001. Following a request from Cllr Mazillius the Director of Corporate Services had prepared a more detailed report which included external valuation advice.

The Committee was advised that after seeking external valuation advice, the Council had been advised that it did receive proper market value for the land at that time. It had been recognised that there had been deficiencies in some areas of the transaction and new procedures had been put in place to eradicate these.

RESOLVED :

(i) THAT there be a formal review of the new procedures to assess their effectiveness

(ii) THAT the formal review be made up of the Director of Corporate Services and the Property Services Manager with input from one member or members of this Select Committee. (Councillors Joyce and Mazillius were nominated.)

(iii) THAT the review should;

(1) Identify the procedures

(2) Ensure that the procedures are applied and acted upon with material evidence to show this.

(3) Ensure that the procedures are adequate.

CHAIRMAN