Best Value and Corporate Services Committee

Thursday 23 March 2006 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Councillors Fyfe, Hill, Hunter, McCabe, McCormick (M), McCormick (P), Moran, Nimmo, Snoddy and Stewart.

Chair:  Councillor Snoddy presided.

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer, Solicitor to the Council, Head of ICT, Head of Personnel Services, Head of Property Services, Head of Revenues and Customer Centres, Head of Implementation Team and Managing Solicitor (Litigation/Advice).

With the exception of the decision marked "C" which is open for confirmation or otherwise, the following paragraphs are submitted for information only, having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

257

Remits from Committees

257

There were no remits from Committees.

258

ICT Services - Progress Report

258

There was submitted a report dated 2 March 2006 by the Head of ICT providing an update on progress in taking forward the Service Delivery Model for the new ICT Service.  (Councillor McCormick (P) entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided: 

(1)   that the Committee note the progress made against the Transition and Transformation Programme: and

(2)   that it be noted that further progress reports will be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.

259

ICT Capital Programme

259

There was submitted a report dated 2 March 2006 by the Head of ICT on the status of the 2005/08 ICT Capital Programme.

Noted

260

Scottish Executive - Joint Staffing Watch - December 2005

260

There was submitted a report dated 1 March 2006 by the Head of Personnel Services on the number of Council employees as at 10 December 2005 which had been reported to the Scottish Executive as required under the Joint Staffing Watch arrangements.

Noted

261

Managing Attendance (Corporate Services) -

Absence Statistics 3 October 2005 to 31 December 2005 (Period 4)

261

There was submitted a report dated 13 February 2006 by the Head of Personnel Services on absence statistics for employees within Corporate Services for the period 3 October 2005 to 31 December 2005 (Period 4).

Noted

262

Managing Attendance (for the Council) -

Absence Statistics 3 October 2005 to 31 December 2005 (Period 4)

262

There was submitted a report dated 13 February 2006 by the Head of Personnel Services on the Council's absence statistics for the period 3 October 2005 to 31 December 2005 (Period 4).

Decided:

(1)   that the report be noted; and

(2)   that it be remitted to the Head of Personnel Services to make recommendations to the Committee in respect of a reporting framework for absence statistics which would demonstrate the effectiveness or otherwise of the policies and procedures in place and which would incorporate an analysis of current trends.

263

Revenue Budget 2005/06 - Period 10

263

There was submitted a report dated 24 February 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer on the position of the Revenue Budget 2005/06 as at Period 10 (31 January 2006) which showed a projected underspend of £827,000, a £63,000 increase in the underspend since the last report to the Committee.

Decided: 

(1)  that the current budget projection for the 2005/06 Corporate Services Budget be noted; and

(2)  that it be noted that the Solicitor to the Council will report to the next meeting of the Committee on the future provision of the Property Enquiry Service.

264

Performance Management Framework - Period to 31 December 2005

264

There was submitted a report dated 28 February 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer on the Performance Management Framework quarterly update for Corporate Services for the period to 31 December 2005.

Noted

265

Council Tax Benefit Take Up Project 2005/06

265

There was submitted a report dated 27 February 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer on the outcome of the first phase of a joint Council Tax Benefit take up project completed by the Council's Benefit Staff and the DWP Pensions Service over the last twelve months.

Noted

266

Fair Trade "Town" Status

266

There was submitted a report dated 7 March 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council advising that following the remit from the meeting on 26 January 2006 (Para 100), the local Fair Trade Steering Group had advised that the Council was entitled to have one Elected Member and one Officer representative on the Group.   The report suggested that as an interim measure, pending the examination of the Council's management structure, the Council nominate the Senior Purchasing Officer within Finance Services as its Officer representative on the Steering Group. 

Following discussion, Councillor Snoddy moved that Councillor Stewart be the Council's Elected Member representative on the Fair Trade Steering Group.   As an amendment, Councillor McCabe moved that the representative be Councillor Moran. On a vote, 3 Members voted for the amendment and 4 for the motion which was declared carried.

Those Members who had voted in favour of the amendment then requested in terms of the relevant Standing Order that the matter be referred to The Inverclyde Council for decision in terms of the amendment.

Decided:

C

(1)   that the Elected Member representative on the Fair Trade Steering Group be Councillor Stewart;

C

(2)   that it be remitted to the Solicitor to the Council to request the Steering Group to consider increasing the Council's Elected Member representation to two and also to clarify the position regarding substitutes and that a report thereon be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee; and

(3)   that the Senior Purchasing Officer within Finance Services be nominated as the Council's Officer representative on an interim basis.

267

Changing Children's Services Fund

267

There was submitted a report dated 1 March 2006 by the Head of Personnel Services on the staffing requirements for the Integrated Children's Services.

Decided:

(1)  that a new post of Child Protection Lead Officer be established at salary grade PO8 (£31, 860 - £34,173); and

(2)  that the post of Children's Rights and Information Officer established on a temporary basis since 7 February 2005 be made permanent at salary grade PO2 (£27,054-£29,541).

268

Grounds, Transport & Cleansing Service - Review of Structure

268

It was noted that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda at the request of the Chief Executive.

It was agreed in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the respective paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act as are set opposite each item.

Item                                                                                                                      Paragraph(s)

Finance Services: Revenues and Benefits - Review of Structure     1

Use of Powers Delegated to the Chief Executive                                 6

Approval to Use Specialist Consultants                                                  6

List of Tenderers - Asset Management System                                     6

Provision of Recruitment Services                                                         6

269

Finance Services: Revenues and Benefits - Review of Structure

269

It was noted that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda at the request of the Chief Executive.

270

Use of Powers Delegated to the Chief Executive

270

There was submitted a report dated 9 March 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council advising of the use of the powers delegated to the Chief Executive since the last ordinary meeting of the Committee (1) to approve the issuing of tenders to consultants not on the approved list for the Robert Street feasibility study and (2) to approve  the issuing of tenders to consultants not on the approved list for the services of a Programme Manager in relation to the stock transfer project.

Noted

271

Approval to Use Specialist Consultants

271

There was submitted a report by the Depute Chief Executive seeking homologation of decisions to invite tenders from specialist consultants in respect of (1) a Planning Supervisor term contract and (2) two Housing Services projects, being the door replacements Phase 3 project and the  kitchen and bathroom upgrade Phases 4 and 5 projects.

Noted

272

List of Tenderers - Asset Management System

272

There was submitted a report dated March 2006 by the Depute Chief Executive requesting authority to invite certain specialist contractors not on the Council's approved list to tender for the provision of an asset management system for the managing of assets within Housing Services.

Decided:  that approval be given to invite tenders for the provision of an asset management system from the companies listed in appendix 1 to the report.

The Convener being of the opinion that the undernoted report by the Solicitor to the Council was relevant, competent and urgent moved its consideration to allow the Committee to homologate the issue of tenders to specialist consultants for recruitment services in connection with the forthcoming management restructure.  This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

273

Provision of Recruitment Services

273

There was submitted a report dated 22 March 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council requesting the Committee to homologate the issue of tenders to specialist consultants for recruitment services in connection with the forthcoming management restructure in implement of the decision of the Policy & Strategy Committee of 9 March 2006.

Decided:  that the Committee homologate the decision to issue tenders to the consultants listed in appendix 1 to the report.