Agenda and minutes

To declare any personal / prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81 (3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors D Blackburn, A Lowe, N Taggart and L Carter.

Councillors R Grahame (A Lowe), T Hanley (N Taggart) and V Kendall (L Carter) were in attendance as substitute Members.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development informed Members of the Call In arrangements in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and the options of action available to the Board.  It was reported that only the two following options were applicable to the Board:

• Release the decision for implementation
• Recommend that the decision be reconsidered

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented the background papers to the following Executive Board decision that had been called-in in accordance with the Council’s Constitution:

• Executive Board, Minute No 158: Design and Cost Report: The Web and Internet Replacement Project – 5 January 2011.

The following information was appended to the report:

• A copy of the completed Call-In request form
• Report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement)
• Relevant extract of Executive Board Minutes of 5 January 2011

Members of the Board were also issued with a copy of the Web and Intranet Replacement Project Board Business Case which was listed as a background paper under the Executive Board report.

The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting:

• Councillor J Monaghan – Call-in Signatory
• Councillor M Lobley – Call-in Signatory
• James Rogers – Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement)
• Dylan Roberts – Chief Officer (ICT)
• John Thompson, Senior Project Manager, ICT Services
• Elizabeth Sanderson, Web Content Manager, Corporate Communications

The Call-in request stated that the Executive Board report did not provide satisfactory assurance that the significant investment required for this project would result in the desired outcomes.

Councillor Lobley and Monaghan were invited to address the Board with their reasons for the Call-in of the decision.  The following issues were raised:

• The need to highlight business transformation in several areas affected by the project.
• Would the new system reduce the need for the number of staff across different departments of the Council to upload information to the intranet/internet?
• Could it be more beneficial to have the system produced by an external partner?
• The timescale for the project was felt to be too ambitious and would not allow for proper testing.
• Concern regarding other ICT systems produced internally including the Elected Members’ Casework system.
• The case did not outline the benefits for the public.
• Concern that the Council should be making use of the new technology and multimedia industry that currently operated in Leeds.
• How to integrate the Council websites that operated externally from the Council’s main website and whether this was appropriate in all cases.
• Was it now the right time to develop a new website, particularly in relation to the investment involved?
• Would it meet the future needs of the Council?
• Would it support mobile browsing?
• Search facilities – were new search facilities necessary when popular search engines such as Google could provide the necessary service?

In response to the issues raised and other questions and comments by Members, the following issues were discussed:

• The new website would provide improved content management which in turn would make more information and knowledge available and improve communication with the public.
• Although it was recognised that the website had been revamped only 4 years ago, the infrastructure was over 10 years old and advancements in technology had moved on.  The site had to be taken down for 20 minutes each day to be updated which was not sustainable for a 24 hour  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

In accordance with Scrutiny Board Procedure Rules, to consider the Board’s formal conclusions and recommendation(s) arising from the consideration of the called-in decision

Further to the Board’s discussion on the Call In of Executive Board Minute No 158, Design and Cost Report: The Web and Intranet Replacement Project,  Members were asked to make a formal decision in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and the options of action available to the Board as reported earlier.

Following a vote by Members, it was

RESOLVED – to release the decision for implementation.

To note that the next meeting of the Board will be held on Monday, 7 February 2011 at 10.00 am with a pre meeting for Board Members at 9.30 am.

Monday, 7 February 2011 at 10.00 a.m. (Pre-meeting at 9.30 a.m. for all Board Members)

The meeting concluded at 11.35 a.m.