Agenda, decisions and minutes

None.

The Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        the emerging priorities set out in the Appendix to the report as the basis of the development of the Corporate Services service plan for 2013/14, noting that resource requirements will be incorporated as part of the review of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and development of detailed estimates.

The Executive Director presented this report which set out the service priorities for Corporate Services for 2013/14 and invited the Portfolio Holder to approve these as the basis for the development of the full service plan. It was noted that any resource requirements would be included in the review of the Medium Term Financial Strategy by Cabinet on 8 November 2012.

The bringing of the Contact Centre back under the sole control of the Council was praised in the expectation that it will improve communication within the authority.

The Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        the emerging priorities set out in the Appendix to the report as the basis of the development of the Corporate Services service plan for 2013/14, noting that resource requirements will be incorporated as part of the review of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and development of detailed estimates.

The Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        that a questionnaire should be sent to all Councillors asking them about their training needs in order to update/create Personal Development Plans for all councillors on the understanding that the resulting data will then be collated and used to inform the Member Development Programme for 2013/14.

The Senior Democratic Services Officer presented this report on the Member Development Programme for 2012/13, which invited the Portfolio Holder to agree the process for collating information to inform the preparation of the Member Development Programme for 2013/14.

It was recognised that there were 14 councillors who had not attended any training in the first six months of the current municipal year and it was suggested that the group leaders should be instrumental in encouraging their members to attend training courses.

It was noted that the Council would receive an eighteen month interim assessment in the summer of 2013 to check that the authority was continuing to meet the requirements for Charter Status.

The Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        that a questionnaire should be sent to all Councillors asking them about their training needs in order to update or create Personal Development Plans for all councillors on the understanding that the resulting data will then be collated and used to inform the Member Development Programme for 2013/14.

The Executive Director presented this report, which demonstrated that the Procurement Officer post continued to be an overall significant cost benefit to the Council, by outlining the new procurement savings achieved in 2011/12, together with related procurement activity.

It was noted that the net direct financial benefit to the authority of the Procurement Officer post in 2011/12 was £81,301. It was further noted that colleagues valued the assistance and support of the Procurement Officer, who won the Employee of the Year award.

The Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Holder NOTED the continuing significant financial benefit to the authority of the Procurement Officer post.

The next meeting will be held on:

·         Thursday 24 January 2013 at 10am

It was NOTED that the next meeting will be held on Thursday 24 January 2013 at 10am.

The Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        The Strategic Risk Register and Matrix.

The Executive Director presented this report, which invited the Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Holder to perform the quarterly review and approval of the Strategic Risk Register.

Minor amendment

It was noted that the date in Appendix A for the risk STR12 – Supported Housing was February 2013 not February 2014.

Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)

The Executive Director explained that, with regard to the MTFS risk, the impact score had been increased from 4 (high) to 5 (extreme) and the likelihood had been increased from 3 (possible) to 4 (likely). This was due to uncertainty regarding welfare reform, the Government’s financial settlement to local authorities and the setting of Council Tax. The Welfare Reform Bill was expected to become an Act in November and an announcement on the Council’s settlement from the Government was expected on 20 December 2012.

Housing Revenue Account Business Plan

It was noted that the likelihood score for the HRA Business Plan had been reduced from 3 (possible) to 2 (unlikely). It was suggested that the Government’s welfare reforms could have an impact on homelessness in the District.

The Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        The Strategic Risk Register and Matrix.