Agenda, decisions and minutes

Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder's Meeting - Thursday, 14 January 2010 11.00 a.m.

Venue: ICT Training Room - South Cambs Hall. View directions

Contact: Patrick Adams 03450 450 500

Items
No.	Item
1.	Declarations of Interest View the background to item 1. Minutes: None.
2.	Minutes of Previous Meeting PDF 88 KB View the background to item 2. The Portfolio Holder is asked to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2009 as a correct record. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2009 were agreed as a correct record.
3.	Capital & Revenue Estimates for the Policy and Performance Portfolio 2010/11 PDF 151 KB View the background to item 3. View the decision for item 3. Additional documents: Agenda Item 03 Revenues and Estimates Appendix A , item 3. PDF 10 KB Decision: The Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder RECOMMENDED TO CABINET the Revenue Estimates as laid out in Appendix A of the report. Minutes: The Principal Accountant Finance & Systems presented this report on the Revenue Estimates up to the year 2010/11. She explained that overall the estimate had been £360 within the approved target. ICT estimates The Policy and Performance Portfolio holder suggested that in future the ICT budgetary figures be included with this portfolio’s estimates, as well as those of the Finance and Staffing portfolio. The Principal Accountant Finance & Systems explained that this would require the ICT estimates to be completed a month earlier than usual to allow them to be discussed at both portfolio holder meetings. The Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder RECOMMENDED TO CABINET the Revenue Estimates as laid out in Appendix A of the report.
4.	Draft ICT Service Plan 2010/11 PDF 120 KB View the background to item 4. Additional documents: Agenda Item 04 ICT OperationalPlan1011 Draftv3 , item 4. PDF 269 KB Minutes: The Head of ICT presented this report on the Draft ICT Service Plan for 2010/11 and he made the following points. ICT Review The ICT Review would be concluded by the end of March, with all the new post holders in place on 1 February 2010. ICT XP Upgrade 30 more units needed to be replaced to complete the ICT upgrade to MS Windows XP. It was noted that the current windows package would be supported by Microsoft until April 2014. Disaster Recovery Strategy A disaster recovery strategy was in place that would ensure that the Council would be able to receive replacement units in 4 hours and then set them up with the backed-up data in 24 hours. Government Connect programmes The Government Connect programme (v3.0) had been successfully implemented and that a revised compliance requirement (v.4.x) would soon have to be introduced to meet the required target date of August 2010. Shared service Extra ICT resources might be required to facilitate the proposed shared Revenues and Benefits service. Service Plan format The Corporate Manager for Community and Customer Services explained that the format for Service Plans for 2011/12 would use a different template, as recommended by Improvement East and the Audit Commission. The Policy and Performance portfolio holder NOTED the draft ICT Service Plan 2010/11.
5.	Draft Community and Customer Services Service Plan PDF 198 KB View the background to item 5. Additional documents: Draft CCS Operational Plan 2010-11 v.1 , item 5. PDF 190 KB Draft CCS service plan v.3 , item 5. PDF 397 KB Minutes: The Corporate Manager for Community and Customer Services introduced the draft Community and Customer Services Service Plan. Satisfaction rates The Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder expressed concern at the reality gap between the public’s high satisfaction rate for the Council’s services and the disappointing satisfaction rate with the Council. The following explanations for this were provided: There was a similar discrepancy for other authorities. There was a lack of awareness of the different responsibilities for district and county councils Media influence Many did not understand that the authority which collected the Council Tax did not receive it all. The disparate population made it harder to communicate. Comprehensive Area Assessment The Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder stated that he was pleased with the narrative of the CAA, but disappointed with the 2 out 4 scores. The Corporate Manager for Community and Customers Services suggested that the Council needed to be more proactive in promoting its achievements and achieving its targets. The Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder supported the idea of carrying out a self-assessment. It was noted that the Conservative Party had stated that they would replace the CAA with a different assessment system if elected. CorVu It was hoped that all Cabinet members would become regular users of the CorVu system and it was suggested that this could be achieved by making the CorVu site their homepage when they log into Insite. The Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder NOTED the report.
6.	Forward Plan PDF 8 KB View the background to item 6. The Portfolio Holder will maintain, for agreement at each meeting, a Forward Plan identifying all matters relevant to the Portfolio which it is believed are likely to be the subject of consideration and / or decision by the Portfolio Holder, or recommendation to, or referral by, the Portfolio Holder to Cabinet, Council, or any other constituent part of the Council. The plan will be updated as necessary. The Portfolio Holder will be responsible for the content and accuracy of the forward plan. Minutes: The Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder stated that writing a job description for portfolio holders would help with succession planning and so would remain on the Forward Plan. The following items were added to the Plan: The ICT Strategy for March The ICT Security Policy for September Customer Satisfaction Survey Results for November CAA framework for March’s meeting With these amendments the Policy and Performance Portfolio Holder NOTED the report.
7.	Date of Next Meeting View the background to item 7. The next meeting will be held on Thursday 11 March at 11am in the Jeavons Room. Minutes: It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Thursday 11 March at 11am in the Jeavons Room.