Agenda and minutes

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared to the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notifications of substitutes.

There were no apologies for absence.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2013.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive for information, the minutes of the Executive Board held on 18 December 2013.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Executive Board held on 18 December 2013 be noted.

To consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting Members with an opportunity to discuss trends and levels of performance by Directorates.

The Scrutiny Board (Resources and Council Services) previously requested a report on the People Plan indicators for the following three service areas:

·  Waste

·  Environmental action

·  Parks and Countryside

This report summarises performance against the five People Plan indicators for these three service areas as at 30 November 2013.

The Director of Environments and Housing submitted a report summarising performance against the five People Plan indicators for the following service areas; Waste, Environmental Action and Parks and Countryside.

The following were in attendance and responded to Board Members questions and comments:

-  Councillor Mark Dobson, Executive Member, Environment

-  Neil Evans, Director of Environment and Housing

-  Joss Ivory, Head of Human Resources.

In brief summary, the main areas of discussion were:

·  Staffing numbers and the reasons for increases and decreases within the three service areas.

·  Agency staff, the reasons for use, the actual reduced spend and initiatives such as ‘seasonal working’ in Parks and Countryside to reduce need.

·  Overtime and the initiatives to reduce spend including flexible working.

·  Appraisals and current completion rates.

·  Sickness absence, its impact on agency and overtime spend and initiatives to reduce current levels which were above the current corporate target.

·  Other initiatives to improve service delivery and reduce spend, including, in-cab technology, a more flexible workforce, the removal of outdated working practices and improved training.

Members acknowledged the successes achieved by the Directorate and reiterated the need to drive down absenteeism to produce real savings and the need to create a flexible workforce with a ‘one council’ attitude. 

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the contents of the report

(ii)  To monitor progress of the five People Plan indicators via the established Scrutiny working group.

To consider and comment on the initial 2014/15 budget proposals relevant to the Scrutiny Board’s portfolio.

In line with the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework, the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report setting out the Initial Budget Proposals for 2014/15 within the context of the Medium Term Financial Strategy for the period 2014/15 to 2015/16.

The following were in attendance and responded to Board Members questions and comments.

-  Councillor Keith Wakefield – Leader of Council

-  Alan Gay – Deputy Chief Executive

-  Lorraine Hallam – Chief Officer HR.

The main areas of discussion were:

·  Income generation.  The Board welcomed the creation of ‘Enterprise Leeds’ and fully supports the Council progressing opportunities to develop services with a range of markets.

·  Staffing.  The Board took the view that the level of external recruitment was too high and that continued efforts should be made to reskill existing staff wherever possible.  The Board strongly supports the concept of a flexible workforce and would wish to see staff with skills that can be moved between Directorates.  The Board continues to consider expenditure on agency staff to be too high.

·  Assets.  The Board concurred with the Leader that the issue of asset management remains a challenge. Scrutiny Board (Sustainable Economy and Culture) would be asked to look at this issue in greater detail.

·  Welfare Reform.  The Board acknowledges the pressures faced by families due to welfare reforms.  It welcomed the assumptions made in the budget over collection rates.

·  Grants.  Scrutiny Board will continue its work on grants particularly around value for money and the need to move away from grant giving towards commissioning.

The Board also considered the budget comments received from Scrutiny Boards (Housing and Regeneration), Sustainable Economy and Culture) and (Safer and Stronger Communities).  It was noted that Scrutiny Board (Resources and Council Services) had been asked to consider the following areas of work in 2014/15:

-  The living wage (referral from Sustainable Economy and Culture)

-  The management of vacant posts (referral from Housing and Regeneration)

-  Savings in procurement (referral from Safer and Stronger Communities)

RESOLVED –

(i)  To thank the Leader and officers for their attendance

(ii)  To submit the comments of the Board to the Executive in line with Council’s Budget and Policy Framework procedure rules

(iii)  To programme into the Board’s work schedule the areas of work referred by other Scrutiny Boards.

To consider the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the 2013/14 municipal year.

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented the draft work schedule for the forthcoming municipal year. 

RESOLVED – That the Board’s work schedule be updated to reflect the work areas identified during today’s meeting.

Monday, 24 February 2014 at 10.00am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30am)

Monday, 24th February 2014 10.00am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30am)

(The meeting concluded at 12.25 pm).