If any

None.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Business Transformation Committee held on 26 October 2009.

(previously circulated)

RESOLVED:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 October 2009 were approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive petitions in accordance with the scheme of public participation set out in Annex 2 in Part 4 of the Constitution.

The Chairman announced that there had been no petitions referred to the Committee.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

The Chairman announced that no questions, statements or deputations had been received.

To consider any matter referred to the Committee for a decision in relation to the call-in of a decision.

The Chairman announced that no call-ins had been referred to the Committee.

To consider any items referred to the Committee at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

There were no requested items.

The report highlights the Quarter 2 performance for the Department.

The Committee received the second quarterly monitoring report from the Director of Business Transformation highlighting performance information for the Directorate.

Members in discussing individual performance indicators agreed in order that performance can easily be compared with others the quarterly performance indicator table should include a column listing average performance nationally and/or in the Council’s comparator group. 

In response to discussing and noting that the percentage of incoming calls handled via the contact centre had already increased the Director of Business Transformation advised that he would be in a better position to show just how well the aspiration to increase calls through the contact centre was improving in the next Performance Report for the third quarter.  Members agreed that it would be a good idea to obtain feedback from all Councillors regarding their experience of using the 0300 300 8000 contact centre number.

A discussion ensued regarding the indicator relating to the collection of council tax. Members asked that in future when providing information on this indicator that additional information be provided regarding debt profiles and amounts written off, as examples.  Concerning a recent article in BoS about the amount of council tax yet to be paid to the authority and the suggestion that the Council should respond with a press release, officers agreed to take the matter forward with  the Portfolio Holder for Business Transformation.

The Committee noted that that the CO2 reduction from the Council was an indicator calculated annually. Whilst there was little merit considering this indicator in detail at each meeting, actions the authority was putting in place to reduce its CO2 omissions, for example the Council’s street lighting policy aimed to deliver a 2% reduction in CO2, could be tracked by the Committee.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the second quarterly Performance Monitoring Report containing information in relation to the Business Transformation directorate be noted.

2.         To enable the Committee to monitor performance with others the quarterly performance indicator table in future Performance Monitoring Reports to the Committee should include a column listing average performance nationally and/or in the Council’s comparator group. 

3.         The Committee suggested that the possibility of a press release from the Council in response to a recent article in BoS about the amount of council tax yet to be paid to the authority be pursued by officers with the Portfolio Holder for Business Transformation.

The report sets out the Budget Management position as at September.

The Committee received and considered a report setting out the budget position as at 30 September 2009 and the forecast position at year end.  The Director of Business Transformation reported that the directorate continued to work on the Action Plans put in place to address the forecast overspend. It was noted that since the report had been drafted the October position showed that the actions had further reduced the overspend by £45k and now stood at £117k and with continuing actions was expected to be in budget by year end.

During consideration of the report a member complained regarding the very small print in the tables contained in the report which were very difficult to read and stated that to be DDI compliant all text must be in Arial 12.  

RESOLVED:

1.         That the content of the budget management report as at 30         September 2009 and the forecast position at year end be noted.

2.         That officers ensure that all future reports, including information contained in tables, are produced in Arial 12 to ensure that Councillors        and members of the public are not disadvantaged by not being able to read the text.

To receive a presentation regarding proposals to review support to Third Sector organisations.

The Committee received a presentation from Ian Porter, Assistant Director Policy, Partnerships & Performance on the review being carried out of Support to Third Sector Organisations.

The slides used in the presentation are attached as Appendix A to these minutes.

The Committee in noting that a desk top analysis carried out showed that there were currently 153 funding arrangements in place  totalling £5.35m. The analysis also showed that there were a variety of ‘legacy’ funding arrangements in place with inconsistent approaches for statutory and discretionary services.  It was noted that the result of the review would be used to support the Council’s budget setting work for 2010/11 and to develop a policy on future funding arrangements.

Members in noting that the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources had set up a Councillor Working Group to carry out the review questioned the fact that the review was being led by an Executive member and not the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  Whilst members noted that the outcome of the review including any recommendations would be brought to the Committee concern was expressed that the Working Group appeared to be set up outside of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee structure.

RESOLVED:

That the  presentation on the review being carried out of Support to Third Sector Organisations be noted.

The purpose of this report is to ratify the comments and recommendations arising from consideration of the Draft Single Equality & Diversity Scheme at this Committee’s last meeting.

The Committee considered a report seeking ratification of the comments and recommendations arising from consideration of the draft Single Equality & Diversity Scheme 2010/13 at the last meeting of the Committee (Minute BT/09/58 refers).

RESOLVED:

1.         That the comments and recommendations on the draft Single Equality & Diversity Scheme 2010/13 made at the last meeting of the Committee held on 26 October as outlined in Appendix A attached to the submitted report be ratified.

2.         That, following further consultation on the draft Scheme, the final draft be brought to the Committee in early 2010 prior to its submission to the Executive. 

The report provides Members with details of the currently drafted work programme.

The Committee received a report from the Overview and Scrutiny Manager regarding its Work Programme for 2009/10.

Members were advised that the draft revenue budget for 2010/11 would now be considered at the next meeting of the Committee in December and therefore there could be need to re-order the Committee’s Work Programme.

RESOLVED:

That the Work Programme for 2009/10 be noted.