MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE RESOURCES SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON THURSDAY, 24 JULY 2003 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM

 

Present :

 

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

 

Apologies :

 

Mrs B Lawson, Mr D T Yates

 

Portfolio Holder :

 

Mr R R Barry

 

Also Present (Non Voting) :

 

Mr A C Bartlett, Mrs M A Jarman, Mr R C Richards

 

 

 

22.              MINUTES

 

            RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2003 be confirmed.

 

23.              DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

Mrs M J Miller declared a personal interest in Minute 25 as she was Chairman of the Development Control Committee.

 

Mr I R Stephens declared a personal interest in Minute 25 as he was Chairman of the Social Services Housing and Benefits Select Committee, and in Minute 27 as he was a former employee of BT.

 

Mr M J Cunningham declared a personal interest in Minute 25 as he was a member of the Board of Directors for the Riverside Centre.

 

Mr R A Sutton declared a personal interest in Minute 25 because of his wife=s employment and in Minute 27 as he was a member of the Programme Board.

 

24.              BUDGET MONITORING REPORT AS AT THE END OF JUNE 2003

 

The Chief Financial Officer 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 June 2003.  Included in the tables were the percentages of expenditure and income received.

 

The Select Committee were advised that there could be a potential problem with the land charges budget as it appeared they were unlikely to meet their target on the current level of activity.  Members asked why ICT Software Development payments were shown under the >Local Tax Collection= heading rather than under >Support Services - ICT=.  It was explained that the maintenance payments related directly to the Local Taxation computer systems and it was therefore appropriate for the budget and costs to be included under that heading.  The value of those payments would be shown on future reports.

 

Members asked why the ICT Strategy was being partly funded from reserves.  The Select Committee were advised that the ICT Strategy covered more than one financial year and the reserves were from an under-spent budget in 2002/03.  It was clarified that this was an earmarked reserve and not from the Council=s General Fund Reserve.

 

The cost of the Surestart refurbishment of a bungalow was to be met from SRB Funding although the costs were initially charged to the Council, as was the case for the Coastal Management Centre at Salisbury Gardens.

 

The Select Committee commented that it was sometimes unclear as to which budgets sat below the general headings and that a more detailed analysis was required to enable the Select Committee to fulfill its scrutiny role.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(i)                  THAT the budget monitoring report be noted.

 

(ii)                THAT the budget headings provide an improved description to enable all members to scrutinise the budget in a transparent fashion.

 

25.              COUNCIL CARE HOMES PROPERTY REVIEW

 

The Select Committee had been invited to consider the proposals approved by the Executive, at its meeting on 18 June 2003, in relation to the future leasing and sale arrangements of Council owned homes.

 

The Head of Property Services introduced Mr Mark Batchelor and Mr John Prince, two surveyors who had been working with the Council on this issue.

 

Mr P Joyce had received a letter from the District Auditor and believed that the Select Committee should see copies of the correspondence that had been written to the District Auditor and the Secretary of State.  The Select Committee believed that they were unable to scrutinise the report properly without sight of that correspondence.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the debate be terminated until all the facts were known and a report be brought back to the Select Committee at a later date.

 

26.              COMMUNICATIONS AND PR STRATEGY

 

Members were reminded that the CPA inspection in 2002 had highlighted the need for the council to improve both internal and external communications.

 

The Select Committee discussed various ideas including distribution of leaflets in local supermarkets, wider coverage by TV and radio, county hall notice boards being tidied up, graphic design and print unit being joined, community languages being on the agenda in those languages, front line staff being able to use sign language and reinstating translation service onto the Council=s web site.

 

The Communications and PR Manager advised the Select Committee that media training would be offered to all councillors.  A further suggestion from members was that regular breakfast meetings should take place with the political leaders and the media.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(a)               THAT the following actions be considered for inclusion within the strategy :

 

(i)         Council leaflets being distributed in supermarkets.

 

(ii)                Wider coverage by Solent TV be encouraged.

 

(iii)       The graphic design and print unit being joined be supported.

 

(iv)       Notice boards around County Hall being tidied up and used properly.

 

(v)        Community languages being made more widely available.

 

(b)               THAT regular breakfast meetings take place with the political leaders and the media.

 

27.              RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE E-GOVERNMENT TASK GROUP

 

The Chairman of the E-Government Task Group advised the members that representatives from BT had given an informal presentation to all members of the Council.  Members of the Task Group believed that the Council would achieve greater impetus for change if it could identify and then work closely with an experienced partner organisation.

 

The Select Committee questioned if all possibilities had been explored by the Programme Board.  Members were not convinced that an in-house venture was the most beneficial way to proceed and suggested that joint venture partnership working should be explored.  The Head of Organisational Development advised the Select Committee of a range of proposals the Programme Board had discussed.  He advised members that he believed the Chief Executive Officer was to look at joint venture partnership working assisted by two officers and two councillors.  Angus Doulton was visiting the Council on 11 August 2003 and it was suggested that he make a presentation to the E-Government Task Group.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE EXECUTIVE :

 

(i)                  THAT a further exploratory meeting be set up with BT.

 

(ii)                THAT more work be undertaken to explore how >cost neutral partnerships= operate.

 

(iii)               THAT a number of Service Improvement Plans be developed.

 

(iv)              THAT further negotiations take place to determine the most appropriate framework for the Isle of Wight Council to achieve its E-Government targets.

 

(v)                THAT the Council agrees a customer contact strategy in order to deliver its GAGS agenda.

28.              EXTRACT FROM THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL FORWARD PLAN - MAY TO AUGUST 2003 (RESOURCES SELECT COMMITTEE ITEMS ONLY)

 

The Select Committee was made aware of items that appeared in the Executive=s Forward Plan for July to October 2003 relating to Resources items.

The Select Committee were advised that an item on Prestwood Farm would be scrutinised by the Select Committee at its meeting in September 2003.  Members asked why the consultation process did not include seeking comments from Select Committees.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Forward Plan be noted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN