Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the municipal year.  The Chair also welcomed Councillor Asghar Khan to his first meeting of the Scrutiny Board (Resources and Council Services).  The Scrutiny Board thanked Councillor Ron Grahame for his contribution to this Board over the past two years.

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.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor J L Carter.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th May 2013.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th May 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive for information the minutes of the Executive Board held on 9^th May 2013.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Executive Board held on 9^th May 2013 be noted.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development on the appointments of co-opted Members to Scrutiny Boards.

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development sought the Board’s formal consideration for the appointment of Co-opted Members.

The Board was informed that they could appoint the following:

-  Up to five non-voting co-opted members for a term of office that does not go beyond the next Annual Meeting of Council; and/or

-  Up to two non-voting co-opted members for a term of office that relates to the duration of a particular and specific scrutiny inquiry.

RESOLVED – To appoint co-opted members on an ad-hoc basis for any inquiries where it was deemed appropriate.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting the Council’s financial performance for the year ending 31^st March 2013.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which introduced the Council’s Financial Performance for the year ending 31st

March 2013.

Doug Meeson, Chief Officer (Financial Management) attended the meeting.

In summary, the main areas of discussion were:

• The makeup of the £6.7m General Fund underspend.
• Debt management.
• Risks associated with the assumed budgeted income from NHS Leeds.
• Risks associated with insurance claims.
• Vacant posts within Directorates.
• Income generation within Directorates.
• A request for additional information to be reported back to the Scrutiny Board.

  RESOLVED – To note the contents of the report and that the additional information requested be provided.

To receive and consider a report from the Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Services and Communities) / Deputy Chief Executive summarising the quarter 4 performance data relevant to the Scrutiny Board.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Access and Performance) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a joint report which provided a summary of performance against the strategic priorities for the council relevant to the Resources and Council Services Scrutiny Board. 

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Appendix 1a – Performance Reports for the 5 Cross Council Priorities which are based on the Council values

-  Appendix 1b – Resources Directorate Priorities and Indicators

-  Appendix 1c – Customer Access and Performance Directorate Priorities and Indicators

-  Appendix 1d – Other Directorate Priorities and Indicators relevant to the Board. 

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

-  Doug Meeson, Chief Officer (Financial Management)

-  Mariana Pexton, Chief Officer (Corporate Support).

In brief summary, the main areas of discussion were:

·  Progress on headcount reduction compared to vacancies.

·  The above target absence figures for 2012/13 and the need for a 2013/14 target.

·  Examples of consultation with local communities on key decisions and the dramatic improvement in performance in quarter 4 within the Resource Directorate.

·  Appraisal performance and the data used to report performance.

·  The levels of training given to appraising managers.

·  The performance of Children’s Services around the Treating people fairly value.

·  Performance around processing Housing benefit changes for existing claimants.

• A request for additional information to be reported back to the Scrutiny Board.

RESOLVED – To note the Quarter 4 performance report and to request that the additional information requested be provided.

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development on potential sources of work for the Scrutiny Board.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which provided information and guidance on potential sources of work to be developed within the Board’s Work Programme for 2013/14. 

Appended to the report was a copy of the Best Council Plan and the “Leeds: The Big Picture” report providing analysis of the data produced from the 2011 Census.

The Chair invited all Board Members to have an input in relation to their own preferred areas of work for the Scrutiny Board.

In summary, the following sources of work were put forward for consideration/discussion:

·  Progress on Community Right to challenge.

·  Progress on the Budget Plus Income generation review.

·  Preparation for, and impacts of, Universal credit.

·  Integration of face to face services.

·  HR recruitment practices.

·  Management of vacancies.

·  The management of insurance claims and insurance policies.

·  Progress on the review of community centre lettings.

·  Translation services.

·  Grants to third parties.

·  General monitoring of the people score card “Big 5”.

RESOLVED –

(a)   To confirm the areas of Scrutiny for the forthcoming municipal year.

(b)   To authorise the Chair, in conjunction with officers, to draw up a detailed work schedule.

To consider the Board’s work schedule for the forthcoming 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, 29^th July 2013 at 10.00am (Pre-meeting for Board Members at 9.30am)

Monday, 29^th July 2013 at 10.00 am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 am)

(The meeting concluded at 11.30 am).