MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE RESOURCES SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON THURSDAY, 20 MARCH 2003 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM


Present :

 

Mr G S Kendall (Chairman), Mr M J Cunningham, Mr J F Howe, Mr P D Joyce, Mrs M J Lloyd, Mrs M J Miller, Mr V J Morey, Mr G P Price, Mr I R Stephens, Mr R A Sutton


Apologies :

 

Mr K Pearson


Portfolio Holder :

 

Mr R R Barry


Also Present (Non Voting) :

 

Mr A C Bartlett, Mr J A Bowker



 

 

61.      MINUTES


RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2003 be confirmed.

 

62.      DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST


There were no declarations made at this stage.

 

63.      URGENT BUSINESS - RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT WORKING PARTY


The Select Committee considered a recommendation from the Ecological Footprint Working Party that no further car parking badges would be issued to new members of staff working at County Hall, or its immediate environs, who were designated as non essential users.


The Chairman had spoken to Personnel Services and was advised if it was made clear at the interview stage that parking permits had ceased to be issued to non essential car users, then there would not be a problem. Members asked what the crime and disorder implications were and if any risk could be investigated. The Select Committee asked if any new councillors would be treated in the same way, but were advised that councillors were classed as essential users.


RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO EXECUTIVE :

 

THAT no further car parking badges be issued to new members of staff working at County Hall, or its immediate environs, who are designated non essential car users.

 

64.      BUDGET MONITORING REPORT AS AT THE END OF FEBRUARY 2003


The Strategic Director or Finance and Information and County Treasurer presented the report on the budget and spending position on both revenue and capital for the services within the remit of the Committee, as at the end of February 2003.


The Select Committee believed a permanent list, showing each heading was needed. Clarification was sought with regard to in-house printing as members believed that printing was still going to outside sources. It appeared that their recommendation, that all printing should go through the Print Unit, was being ignored. A review of the Print Unit was due to take place at the next meeting and members asked for background evidence to be sent to them before then. This should include figures for both 2002 and 2003 and outline the work and expenditure undertaken outside of County Hall.


Mention was also made of the accommodation review and members expressed concern that Select Committee Support and the Best Value Team had still not been relocated into the same room. The Select Committee was advised that a meeting of the Property Asset Management Task Group was to be held later in the day, where it was hoped that an appropriate solution could be found.


RESOLVED :

 

THAT the budget monitoring report be accepted.

 

65.      E GOVERNMENT TASK GROUP


The Select Committee received a report from Councillor Ian Stephens as Lead Member of the E Government Task Group. He advised the Committee that the Courier Service, which delivered to all Councillors, cost the Council £17,500 per annum on the present contract. It was suggested that all members of the Resources Select Committee experiment by collecting their own post from the post room and agendas and other paperwork sent through the electronic mail system. The post room could e mail members to advise them that their papers were in the post room ready for collection.


Although the Committee agreed the principle, it was pointed out that there were no power points to plug in lap tops in any of the Committee rooms and this would urgently need to be addressed. The Select Committee believed that as a temporary measure power points could be attached to the tables in the Committee rooms and instructions should be issued with immediate effect.


There was some discussion on the costs involved and whether it would be cheaper to send papers out via the Courier Service or for all members to come into County Hall and collect their own. There was also the cost of downloading, all of which needed to be taken into account before anything was decided. The Select Committee was advised that the Courier Service contract was due for renewal in September 2003. It was believed that a review of the service was needed and should be brought back to the Select Committee in May 2003.


RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO EXECUTIVE :

 

THAT the Executive examine the future use of the Courier Service 3 months prior to the existing contract expiring.


RESOLVED :

 

           (i)        THAT temporary portable power points be installed into all the Committee Rooms with immediate effect.

 

           (ii)       THAT further training be offered to members on the use of their ICT equipment.

 

           (iii)       THAT all members of the Resources Select Committee experiment by collecting their own post from the post room and undertake an analysis of the post received from the Courier Service.

 

66.      BEST VALUE REVIEW OF PROCUREMENT SERVICES - FINAL SCOPE


The Select Committee was advised that Councillor Patrick Joyce had indicated that he was willing to be the Lead Member for the review. An outline of the Best Value Review of Procurement Services was given. It was intended to cover the full range of procurement activities which included how the Council sourced procurement, how to progress collaborative working, individual projects, management information, E procurement, skills and training. An explanation on the collaborative approach to building contracting was given and members asked how budget inflation would be managed through the procurement budget. The Select Committee was advised that tenders for education establishments always appeared to come in over budget, but when forming a collaborative approach costs should be driven down but still enable the contractor to maintain a profit. Contractors would also be involved in the design of projects.


With regard to E procurement, all suppliers to the Council would be on the list and it was anticipated that the list could be expanded by offering the service to other public/private sector bodies.


The Select Committee was advised that the Authority would be undergoing a Procurement Fitness Check to be undertaken by the Improvement and Development Agency on 22 - 24 July 2003. It would involve an intensive series of interviews with officers and a report would be brought back to the authority on 25 July 2003. There was to be no charge for this check.


RESOLVED :

 

           (i)        THAT the Best Value Review of Procurement Services Scoping Document be approved.

 

           (ii)       THAT Councillor Patrick Joyce be appointed Lead Member for the Review.

 

           (iii)       THAT the outline on progress and of the IDeA Fitness Check requirements be noted.

 

67.      RESOURCES SELECT COMMITTEE WORKPLAN - 2003/04


The Head of Select Committee and Best Value Support presented a copy of the Resources Select Committee Workplan for the forthcoming months. Members agreed the content of the workplan but believed that an extra column for Lead Members should be added.


RESOLVED :

 

THAT the workplan be agreed with the addition of a column for Lead Members.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN