Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no announcements from the Leader.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 9^th April 2013.

(Minutes attached)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 9^th April 2013 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive a presentation on the Corporate Dashboard.

(No separate report)

Officers introduced the Committee to the new Corporate Dashboard which was to be rolled out as part of a pilot later in the year. The Dashboard would allow Officers and Members to view data on a range of Council services and determine whether the Council was effectively meeting its Corporate Purposes. The benefit of the new system would be the availability of live, useable data.

It was anticipated that this system would provide the Council with a bigger picture and allow Officers and to identify correlations. Data which was gathered on an annual basis would be used to compile a context document which would sit behind the live data.

Officers explained that it would be possible to interrogate the data on a Ward by Ward basis and it was hoped that, over time, this could be refined to allow interrogation by locality. The Committee was informed that the exercise relied in part on external agencies providing the Council with the relevant data and Officers were presently discussing with various partner organisations our requirements and, more importantly, the longer term benefits for them from the effective use of this data.

Members welcomed this development. They were keen to seek assurances on a number of points. The Committee expressed its hope that the data gathered would be of real use and was not to be gathered simply because it could be, that this would not result in Officers being distracted from other activities to bring this about and that the data would assist the Council in avoiding service failures in future. Officers were able to assure the Committee that the system would be largely automated and that the data gathered would be changed over time, where necessary, according to the experiences of the Services using it.

The Council was ahead of partner organisations in its thinking on this system and so they were largely involved in data provision alone at present, but it was anticipated that the data would be shared between partners in due course and available to members as well. Potential public availability was an area which had not been discussed to date.

RESOLVED that

the presentation be noted.

To consider a report detailing the earmarked reserves for the year ending 2012/13 and to seek Members’ approval for any movements in reserves.

(Report attached)

Members received a report which advised them of the earmarked reserves for the year ending 31^st March 2013 and sought approval for various movements in reserves as specified in the report.

RECOMMENDED that

1)         the movement in reserves as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

2)         additional General Fund Reserves of £1,084K be approved;

3)         the use of General Fund Reserves of £435K be approved;

4)         additional HRA Reserves of £27K be approved; and

5)         the use of HRA Reserves of £15K be approved; and

6)         movement in Capital Reserves of £72K be approved.

(Councillors Juliet Brunner and Brandon Clayton requested that it be recorded that they abstained on this item)

To consider the preferred option for moving forwards the Council’s  participation in the Green Deal and ECO (Energy Company Obligation) as our main delivery mechanism for the Council’s previously agreed Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) aims.

(Report attached)

The Committee considered a report on the preferred option for participating in the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) as the Council’s main delivery mechanism for its Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) aims.

Officers had explored the available options in some depth and were recommending that the Council engage in the Birmingham Energy Savers procurement option. This option presented the Council with no up-front costs. Officers had also identified that the funding for a number of existing schemes could more usefully be exploited in supporting this new initiative and it was therefore proposed that the existing schemes by ceased with immediate effect.

In response to members’ queries, it was clarified that Officers could not guarantee that specific scheme or areas would benefit from this initiative, there was scope for the Council to shape the work that was carried out on its behalf by Carilliion, the service provider under the Birmingham Energy Savers contract.

Members welcomed the report and initiative, recognising that it presented the Borough with opportunities to provide economic and environmental benefits.

RESOLVED that

1)         working with Carillion in partnership with Bromsgrove District Council via the Birmingham Energy Savers procurement route, and formalisation of this arrangement by entering into a contract with Carillion, be agreed;

2)         authority be delegated to the Head of Environmental Services and the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder, to negotiate the contract and to finalise the contract documents and any other associated legal documents;

3)         it be noted that discussions are on-going between Carillion and the other Worcestershire authorities.  In pursuing the negotiations for the contract Officers will in the first instance be aiming to secure an agreement with Carillion that is County-wide.  In the event that this does not prove possible, that Members authorise Officers to enter into a contract with Carillion on behalf of Bromsgrove and Redditch Councils;

4)         all historic/existing energy efficiency and conservation schemes currently available through the Council’s capital budget be formally suspended to avoid conflict with the incoming Green Deal initiative and the remaining funding is redeployed to support the Affordable Warmth initiatives, Green Deal incentives and general Energy Efficiency initiatives; and

5)         the Council record its thanks to the Climate Change Manager, Ceridwen John, on the occasion of her departure from the Council, for the excellent work that she had carried out on behalf of the Council during the previous 10 years.

To consider a proposal to declare the REDI Centre as a surplus asset.

(Report attached)

Members considered a report which enabled them to consider the proposal to declare REDI Centre as a surplus asset. It was noted that the business had ceased operation in 2010 and Members were disappointed that it had taken so long to bring matters to this stage. It was hoped that, in future, plans could be developed in a more timely fashion to determine what to do with surplus property.

RESOLVED that

1)        the REDI Centre be declared as a surplus asset; and

2)        Officers be instructed to review the opportunities available for the centre in conjunction with Property Services and to report back to Members with options by September 2013.

To consider the latest Customer Services quarterly monitoring report.

(Report attached)

Members considered the latest Customer Services monitoring report for the final quarter of 2012/13. A number of the headlines were reported to the Committee, such as an improvement in response times in responding to queries and the reduction in complaints that could be evidenced following the introduction of transformed methods of working. The trend in increasing numbers of payments being made online was continuing.

The Committee was also informed that the Head of Customer Services and Leader of the Council had recently met with the officers responsible for the Hub and the Highways Team at the County Council to outline the Council’s concerns and it was hoped that positive measures would flow from this. A request was made for members to be made aware of the Report It function on the Council website and Officers undertook to provide this following the meeting.

RESOLVED that

the update for the period 1^st January – 31^st March 2013 be noted.

To consider a referral from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following on from  the Access for Disabled People Task Group Monitoring Update.

(Report attached)

Councillor Andy Fry presented a report on behalf of the Access for Disabled People Task Group and Overview and Scrutiny Committee in respect of a referral concerning the erection of a canopy over the entrance ramp access to Shopmobility. It was noted that there was sufficient money available through the Shopmobility Donation Reserves to more than adequately fund this and members were happy to support the proposal. The referral was therefore agreed on the basis that the money be made available from the Shopmobility Donation Reserves rather than being released from balances.

RECOMMENDED that

funding of £5,000 be released from the Shopmobility Donation reserves to meet the costs associated with the installation of a canopy over the access ramp to Shopmobility.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 2^nd April 2013.

There are recommendations to consider but these are included elsewhere in a separate report on this same agenda.

(Minutes attached)

The minutes of a recent meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were received by the Committee.

RESOLVED that

1)        the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 2^nd April 2013 be received and noted; and

Access for Disabled People Task Group – Monitoring Update Report  

2)        disability awareness training be delivered as part of the overall Member induction process at Redditch Borough Council.

To consider the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Shared Services Board.

(Minutes attached)

The Committee received the minutes of the meeting of the Shared Services Board held on 15^th April 2013.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Shared Services Board on 15^th April 2013 be received and noted.

There were no minutes or referrals to consider under this item.

The latest report on the activity of the Committee’s Advisory Panels and similar bodies was considered.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

The Committee received the latest Action Monitoring report and were informed that the protocol for the provision of accommodation for homeless people was nearing completion.

RESOLVED that

under S.100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following matters on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) of the said Act, as amended:

Minute 17 – Compulsory Purchase Order – 11 Clent Avenue, Redditch; and

Minute 18 – Restructure – Enabling Heads of Service.

To consider a report seeking to provide officers with delegated authority to negotiate a purchase of a property and to compulsorily purchase the property if a purchase by agreement cannot be agreed.

(This report contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended. For this reason it has been circulated to Members and relevant Officers only.)

(Report attached)

The Committee received an update report on the possible Compulsory Purchase of 11 Clent Avenue, Redditch following recent developments in the case. Since the previous report, the Council had confirmed the identity of the individual who had legal title to the property and proposals were considered for proceeding with the acquisition of this property.

[During consideration of this item Members discussed matters that necessitated the disclosure of exempt information. It was therefore agreed to exclude the press and public prior to any debate on the grounds that information would be revealed which would identify an individual or relate to the financial or business affairs of a particular person (including the authority holding that information).]

To enable Members to consider a proposed restructure of a number of Heads of Service roles and responsibilities within the Finance and Resources Directorate.

(This report contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended. For this reason it has been circulated to Members and relevant Officers only.)

(Report attached)

The Committee considered a report which set out proposals for a restructuring of the management arrangements for the enabling services of the Council.

[During consideration of this item Members discussed matters that necessitated the disclosure of exempt information. It was therefore agreed to exclude the press and public prior to any debate on the grounds that information would be revealed which would identify an individual or relate to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with labour relations matters.]