Agenda and minutes

To receive the apologies of any Member who is unable to attend this meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Carole Gandy.

To invite Councillors to declare any interests they may have in items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

1.         To give notice of any items for future meetings or for the Forward Plan, including any scheduled for this meeting, but now carried forward or deleted; and

2          any other relevant announcements.

(Oral report)

1)         The Chair advised that he had accepted the following matter as Urgent Business:

Shared Service Board Minutes – 30th June 2011.

2)         The Chair also informed members that the Council had been advised by UFI Ltd that the current Learndirect contract operating from the Greenlands Centre was to be terminated.  The current contract was due to expire on 31st July 2011 but an extension had been awarded until 30th September 2011.

Learndirect had contacted all existing learners in Redditch to advise them that there would no longer be provision at the Centre beyond September and that they were not able to advise them of who would provide a service in the forthcoming academic year.

Officers had been asked to prepare an urgent report for consideration by this Committee.

Members expressed their concerns at the loss of the contract for both students and staff.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 21st June 2011

(Minutes attached)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 21st June 2011 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider the Council’s overall financial outturn for the 2010/11 financial year.

(Report attached)

The Committee considered a report which outlined the Council’s overall financial outturn for the 2010/11 financial year.

Members were informed that the report showed the actual income and expenditure for 2010/11 financial year and compared it to the budget for General Fund Services and the Housing Revenue Account.

RECOMMENDED that

1)         the movement in reserves, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, be approved; and

RESOLVED that,

2)         the report be noted.

To consider the Council’s actual expenditure and funding of the capital programme for 2010/11.

(Report attached)

The Committee considered a report on the actual expenditure and funding of the capital programme for 2010/11.

Officers reported that the figures included in the report would be subject to examination by the Audit Commission as part of the final accounts audit.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider a referral from the Shared Service Board regarding the Shared Service Business Case for a Land Charges.

[The report may contain exempt information as defined in S.100 of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, as they may contain information relating to contemplated consultations or negotiations in connection with labour relation matters arising between the authority and employees of the authority.  In view of this it is anticipated that discussion of these matters will take place after the exclusion of the public.]

(Report attached – minutes of the meeting of the Shared Services Board to follow.)

The Committee received a report on the Shared Services Business Case – Land Charges, which had been considered by the Shared Services Board on 30th June 2011.

Members noted the recommendations of the Shared Services Board.

RECOMMENDED that

the delivery of a Shared Local Land Charges Service provided by a single team hosted by Bromsgrove District Council, as detailed in Option 4 of the report, be approved.

(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 relating to consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations in connection with labour relations matters arising between the authority and employees of, the authority.  However, there is nothing exempt in this record of the proceedings.)

To consider a referral from the Shared Service Board regarding the Building Control Shared Service Business Case.

[The report may contain exempt information as defined in S.100 of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, as they may contain information relating to contemplated consultations or negotiations in connection with labour relation matters arising between the authority and employees of the authority.  In view of this it is anticipated that discussion of these matters will take place after the exclusion of the public.]

(Report attached – minutes of the meeting of the Shared Services Board to follow.)

The Committee received a report on the Shared Services Business Case – Building Control to provide a shared service for Bromsgrove District Council, Redditch Borough Council and Wyre Forest District Council, which had been considered by the Shared Services Board on 30th June 2011.

Members noted the recommendations of the Shared Services Board.

RECOMMENDED that

1)                 in accordance with the agreed PID dated 9^th December 2010, the three partner Councils proceed with the creation of the shared service in accordance with recommendation 6 of the report: the delivery of Shared Building Control Services, provided by a single Team, hosted by Bromsgrove District Council;

2)                 implementation costs be shared on the same basis as the total revised service costs amongst the three Councils to reflect the percentage of the initial budget allocation into the service (as detailed at Appendix 5 to the report); this to be subject to final financial agreements being in place between the partner authorities; and

3)                 the new service be known as ‘NorthWorcestershireBuilding Control’ and use a service specific logo and document templates, the design of which is to be formally agreed before the completion of this project.

(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 relating to consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations in connection with labour relations matters arising between the authority and employees of, the authority.  However, there is nothing exempt in this record of the proceedings.)

To consider an update with regard to all elements of the Shared Services work involving Bromsgrove and Redditch Councils.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a progress report, which provided an update with regard to all elements of Shared Services work, together with the minutes of the Shared Services Board on 30th June 2011.

Members were informed that the Shared Services Board had considered an option to bring forward a Single Business Case to their August meeting for all remaining services to be shared.  Officers reported that the recommendation referred to ‘moving the remaining services into a shared environment by the end of the calendar’.  This should have read ‘ financial year’.

RECOMMENDED that

1)                 Members note progress to date, as detailed in the report: and

2)                 Officers be tasked with producing, for the August meeting of the Shared Services Board, a Single Business Case that will identify benefits and risks associated with moving the remaining services into a shared environment by the end of the calendar financial year, in so far as this is currently achievable, between Bromsgrove District and Redditch Borough Council.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 14th June 2011.

There are no recommendations to consider.

(Minutes attached)

The Committee received the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 14th June 2011.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 14th June 2011 be received and noted.

To receive and consider any outstanding minutes or referrals from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Executive Panels etc. since the last meeting of the Executive Committee, other than as detailed in the items above.

There were no minutes or referrals under this item.

To consider, for monitoring / management purposes, an update on the work of the Executive Committee’s Advisory Panels and similar bodies, which report via the Executive Committee.

(Report attached)

The Committee received an update on the work of the Advisory Panels and similar bodies.  It was noted that the Procurement Steering Group would be meeting the following day.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider an update on the actions arising from previous meetings of the Committee.

(Report attached)

The Committee received an Action Monitoring report and requested that Officers provide an up-date to the next meeting of the Executive Committee on the Single Equalities Scheme in respect of what the Council, as Community Leader, expected to receive in terms of education provision for the Borough and its children and young people.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

Should it be necessary, in the opinion of the Chief Executive, to consider excluding the public from the meeting in relation to any items of business on the grounds that exempt information is likely to be divulged it may be necessary to move the following resolution:

“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 matter(s) on the grounds that it/they involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs (to be specified) of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) of the said Act, as amended.”

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 matter on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) of the said Act, as amended:

·        Shared Service Business Case – Land Charges (as detailed at Minute 34 above

·        Shared Business Case – Building Control (as detailed at Minute 35 above).