Best Value and Corporate Services Committee

Thursday 18 May 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, Depute Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer, Solicitor to the Council, Head of Housing Services, Head of ICT Services, Head of Personnel Services, Head of Property Services, Acting Head of Transportation and Roads Service, Building Services Manager, Revenues and Benefits Manager and Managing Solicitor (Litigation/Advice).

The following paragraphs are submitted for information only, having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

411

Building Services Business Plan 2006-09

411

There was submitted a report dated 5 April 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Environment and Regeneration Committee of 4 April 2006 seeking approval of the Building Services Business Plan 2006-09.

Decided:  that the Building Services Business Plan 2006-09 be approved.

412

Cleaning Services Business Plan 2006-09

412

There was submitted a report dated 5 April 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Environment and Regeneration Committee of 4 April 2006 seeking approval of the Cleaning Services Business Plan 2006-09.

Decided:  that the Cleaning Services Business Plan 2006-09 be approved.

413

Transportation and Roads Service’s Trading Account Business Plan 2006-09

413

There was submitted a report dated 5 April 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Environment and Regeneration Committee of 4 April 2006 seeking approval of the Transportation and Roads Service’s Trading Account Business Plan 2006-09.

Decided:  that the Transportation and Roads Service’s Trading Account Business Plan 2006-09 be approved.

414

Refuse Collection Service Business Plan 2006-09

414

There was submitted a report dated 11 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Community Committee of 4 May 2006 seeking approval of the Refuse Collection Service Business Plan 2006-09.

Decided:  that the Refuse Collection Service Business Plan 2006-09 be approved.

415

Refuse Collection Service:  Commercial Waste Business Plan 2006-09

415

There was submitted a report dated 11 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Community Committee of 4 May 2006 seeking approval of the Refuse Collection Service:  Commercial Waste Business Plan 2006-09.â

Decided:  that the Refuse Collection Service:  Commercial Waste Business Plan 2006-09 be approved.

416

Burial and Cremation Business Plan 2006-09

416

There was submitted a report dated 11 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Community Committee of 4 May 2006 seeking approval of the Burial and Cremation Business Plan 2006-09.

Decided:  that the Burial and Cremation Business Plan 2006-09 be approved.

417

Education and Welfare Catering Business Plan 2006-09

417

There was submitted a report dated 11 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Community Committee of 4 May 2006 seeking approval of the Education and Welfare Catering Business Plan 2006-09.

Decided:  that the Education and Welfare Catering Business Plan 2006-09 be approved.

418

Environmental Health and Trading Standards Service Plan 2006-07

418

There was submitted a report dated 11 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Community Committee of 4 May 2006 seeking approval of the Environmental Health and Trading Standards Service Plan 2006-07.

Decided:  that the Environmental Health and Trading Standards Service Plan 2006-07 be approved.

419

Housing Service Plan 2006-07

419

There was submitted a report dated 17 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on a remit from the Environment and Regeneration Committee of 16 May 2006 seeking approval of the Housing Service Plan 2006-07.

Decided:  that the Housing Service Plan 2006-07 be approved.

(Councillor Moran left the meeting following consideration of this item of business).

420

Council Property Enquiry Certificate Service

420

There was submitted a report dated 2 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on the provision of the Property Enquiry Certificate Service.

Decided:

(1)   that the Council continue to provide a Property Enquiry Certificate Service;

(2)   that determining the level of charges in future be delegated to the Solicitor to the Council on the proviso that any action will be managed within the Service’s bottom line budget;  and

(3)   that it be remitted to the Solicitor to the Council and the Chief Financial Officer together with other appropriate Officers to continue to explore the medium and long term delivery of the Property Enquiry Certificate Service and to report on the feasibility of re-engineering the service.

421

Performance Management Framework - Out-turn 2005/06 and Targets 2006/07

421

There was submitted a report dated 2 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council presenting the Corporate Services Performance Management Framework Quarterly Update to 31 March 2006.  There was also circulated, additional paper providing performance information relative to Personnel Services.

Decided: 

(1)   that the targets set for 2006/07 be approved;  and

(2)   that otherwise,  the contents of the report and the additional paper be noted.

422

Scottish Executive - Joint Staffing Watch -  March 2006

422

There was submitted a report dated April 2006 by the Head of Personnel Services on the number of Council employees as at 11 March 2006 which had been reported to the Scottish Executive under the Joint Staffing Watch arrangements.

Decided:

(1)   that the report be noted;  and

(2)   that it be remitted to the Chief Executive, in consultation with other appropriate Officers, to devise an alternative reporting format which would include information on trends in recruitment, retention and vacancies in particular service areas for consideration by the Committee.

423

Managing Attendance - Pilot Programme

423

There was submitted a report dated April 2006 by the Head of Personnel Services on the outcome of the pilot programme designed to test the revised Attendance Management procedure in areas where high levels of absence had been historically reported.

(Councillor Moran returned to the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee note the outcome of the pilot programme;

(2)   that when the pilot programme is completed within Social Work Services, a further report on the outcome be submitted to the Committee with recommendations as to which Services should be included in the next stage of the exercise;

(3)   that continuing work be undertaken on the Occupational Health requirements for the Council and that it be remitted to the Head of Personnel Services to report on the progress of the review;

(4)   that it be remitted to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the appropriate Officers, to report on possible options for a reward scheme for employees with perfect attendance;  and

(5)   that the Committee note the effort of all those involved in the pilot exercises and the contributions made.

424

Investors in People Programme - Roll Out to All Services

424

There was submitted a report dated May 2006 by the Head of Personnel Services providing an update on the progress being made in rolling out the Investors In People (IIP) Quality Management Programme to all Council Services to assist culture change.

Decided:  that the Committee note the revised timetable and progress made in the roll out of IIP to all Council Services.

425

Revenues Performance for the Year Ended 31 March 2006

425

There was submitted a report dated 19 April 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer (1) on the Council Tax and Rates performance for the 2005/06 financial year and (2) highlighting a number of other relevant issues.

Decided:

(1)   that the report be noted;

(2)   that the Revenues Team be commended for their continuing improved performance;  and

(3)   that the Committee’s thanks be extended to Mr Denis Moore, Revenues Manager, who would be leaving his post to take duties in relation to the Education PPP Project, for his contribution towards the improved performance within the Revenues Team.

426

Benefits Service Performance 2005/06 to 31 March 2006

426

There was submitted a report dated 20 April 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer (1) on the processing performance of the Benefits Service for the quarter ended 31 March 2006 which showed that the Service had continued to improve performance throughout 2005/06, (2) advising of the level of work in progress within the Service, (3) giving an update on the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate Action Plan and (4) providing information on the current staff training project within the Service.

Noted

427

Treasury Management Monitoring Report - Fourth Quarter 2005/06

427

There was submitted a report dated 19 April 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer on matters relating to the Treasury Management function during the fourth quarter 2005/06.

(Councillor Hunter left the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Noted

428

Developments in Procurement

428

There was submitted a report dated 25 April 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer providing an update on a number of strategic developments which were taking place within Procurement nationally and the action to be taken by the Council to respond to these developments.

Decided:  that the developments set out in the report and action proposed to ensure that Procurement within Inverclyde Council meets best practice be noted.

429

ICT Service - Progress Report

429

There was submitted a report dated 27 April 2006 by the Head of ICT  Services providing an update on progress in taking forward the Service Delivery Model for the new ICT Service.

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.

430

ICT Capital Programme

430

There was submitted a report dated 27 April 2006 by the Head of ICT Services on the status of the 2005/08 ICT Capital Programme.

Noted

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)

Planning Services - Building Standards:  Review of Structure             1

Use of Powers Delegated to the Chief Executive                                    6

Approval to Use Specialist Consultants - Actuarial Services                 6

Finance Services:  Revenues and Benefits:   Review of Structure      1

431

Planning Services - Building Standards:  Review of Structure

431

There was submitted a report dated 16 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council advising that the Environment and Regeneration Committee at its meeting of 16 May 2006 had approved changes to the staffing establishment within the Building Standards Section of Planning Services subject to the matter being referred to the Best Value and Corporate Services Committee to consider the grading issues.

Decided:  that the Committee approve the gradings of the posts within the Building Standards Section of Planning Services as set out in the report by the Head of Personnel Services to the Environment and Regeneration Committee of 16 May 2006.

432

Use of Powers Delegated to the Chief Executive

432

There was submitted a report dated 3 May 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council advising of the use of the powers delegated to the Chief Executive (1) to award the contract for the supply of PC’s and Peripherals to Hewlett-Packard Ltd and (2) to invite tenders from specialist consultants for civil and structural engineering services.

Noted

433

Approval to Use Specialist Consultants - Actuarial Services

433

There was submitted a report dated 3 April 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer seeking approval to invite specialist consultants to tender for actuarial services to review the insurance funds operated by the Council.

The Chief Financial Officer advised the Committee of a further company which was able to provide the requirements of the review and requested the company’s inclusion in the tender list.

The Committee agreed to invite tenders from the consultants set out in the report and the additional company referred to by the Chief Financial Officer in his oral report, all as detailed in the appendix.

434

Finance Services:  Revenues and Benefits:  Review of Structure

434

There was submitted a report by the Head of Personnel Services recommending a revised structure for the Revenues and Benefits Section of Finance Services.

Decided:  that subject to consideration of the submission to be made by UNISON to the Chief Financial Officer and Head of Personnel Services, the revised staffing structure for the combined Revenues and Benefits Service as shown in appendix 1 to the report and the proposal to introduce the requirement for new employees to obtain a SVQ3 qualification to progress to salary grade AP1 be approved.