Agenda item

To receive a presentation from the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Management providing a brief overview of the Portfolio followed by a wider question and answer session using the prepared question template.

(Oral report)

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Management, Councillor Braley, attended the meeting to provide the second Annual Report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair explained that as this was only the second time a Portfolio Holder had attended the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to provide their annual report, the most effective method of producing these reports was yet to be established.  The Chair apologised for the changes in format to the process. 

a) Roles and Responsibilities

Councillor Braley began his presentation by explaining to Members his role and responsibilities as a Portfolio Holder.  He explained that his Portfolio area did not relate to political policy but rather to supporting a well managed organisation. Members were informed that integral to working towards a well managed organisation was the theme of good governance.

The Portfolio Holder informed Members that he had relatively few decision making powers.  He explained that the decisions he was able to influence included; when to fly the flag on the Town Hall; when to grant concessionary use of the Civic Suite; and (in consultation with the Mayor and Group Leaders) when to suspend Standing Orders on contracts.  

Councillor Braley explained to Members that his role was to ensure that decisions were made and implemented following the correct Council procedures.  Members were informed that Councillor Braley was not opposed to many of the decisions made by the Council but that in the past he had been concerned about how decisions had been reached.

Councillor Braley stated that he agreed with the list of roles and responsibilities set out in the Portfolio Holder’s Terms of Reference.  However, he informed Members that he encountered difficulties due to his binary role as a Member of the Opposition and spokesperson for the Council, particularly when the Council’s decisions were subject to criticism. 

Councillor Braley further explained that his priority as a Portfolio Holder was to work towards a better managed organisation.   He informed Members that some of the key actions that had been achieved included: budget savings as a result of improved procurement processes; improved Member Development; use of performance management systems and improved monitoring of Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs).

Members referred to the Portfolio Holder’s Terms of Reference and queried the difference between “may” and “can” in relation to the duties of a Portfolio Holder.  The Chair requested that Officers provide a brief explanation of what these categories meant for future Portfolio Holder presentations. 

b) Key Issues for the Portfolio Holder

Members questioned why issues relating to IT at the Council were rarely discussed and were seemingly not at the top of the Council’s agenda.  In response to this, Officers explained that IT was given due consideration internally and at senior management level.  One of the elements identified recently by the Corporate Management Team was that the Council needed to identify leaders in this area and to learn from good practice.  Officers stated that the Council was committed to bringing in expertise in this area to help address some of the issues that had arisen in the past. 

Members queried the lack of IT support when utilising their own personal computers for Council business.  Councillor Braley explained that Members had formed negative perceptions about the Council’s IT based on their own personal IT experiences.  Councillor Braley noted that there was a lack of IT skills amongst Councillors.  Members agreed that a Member training event in relation to the use of IT systems would be useful.

Members commented on overspends and discussed the need to identify ways of minimising the risks associated with IT projects.  Members agreed that examining good practice elsewhere and instigating systems through joint ventures would help to tackle these issues. 

Councillor Braley commented on risk management procedures at the Council and explained that assessing risk was a difficult science.  Councillor Braley explained that both Members and Officers required more training on managing risks and suggested that Officers needed to be reminded to address risks more thoroughly in reports and other forms of communication to Members.  Councillor Braley informed Members that he felt Council reports should be robust and should demonstrate consideration of alternative forms of action. 

Members discussed the recent restructuring of the organisation and the consequences for the Council.  Councillor Braley noted that the capacity for Officers to complete reports for the Executive Committee within stipulated timeframes was of concern to him.  Councillor Braley acknowledged that Officers had suggested that a more realistic timeframe would be six-eight weeks.  Councillor Braley pointed out to Members that in his opinion setting realistic timeframes for the production of quality reports was imperative to good decision making. 

Councillor Braley explained that staffing issues such as recruitment of Officers and sickness absences were also of concern to him.  Members requested that Officers provide further information relating to sickness absence figures, including a break down of figures relating to short term and long term sickness; figures according to service area; and information detailing reasons for sickness absence.

Councillor Braley briefly discussed Member training.  He explained to the Committee that he felt that Members needed more regular training sessions; to be trained in specific skills, and that there should be independent assessments to monitor the progress of individuals.  Members approved this suggestion.

c) Improvements to the Portfolio Holder Role

In conclusion to his presentation, Councillor Braley summarised some key improvements he felt could be made to the role of Portfolio Holder and to his Portfolio.  Councillor Braley explained that he felt that Portfolio Holders should meet on a regular basis to discuss issues affecting them in their role as Portfolio Holders.  Councillor Braley also suggested that the Portfolio Annual Reports to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee should take place every six months instead of once a year. 

Members queried whether Portfolio Holders should deliver more presentations to ensure that all non-executive Members might be fully briefed on decisions made by the Executive Committee.  Councillor Braley agreed that additional feedback mechanisms should be put in place to enable Executive Councillors to report back to Members but further consideration was needed on how to achieve this.   Members noted that all Members could attend the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to observe the Portfolio Holders’ Annual Reports.

In terms of improving his Portfolio, Councillor Braley expressed his opinion that the remit of his Portfolio was too large.  Councillor Braley suggested that there might be scope to revise it, with the possibility of removing the IT function from his jurisdiction. 

Councillor Braley was thanked for attending the meeting and was asked to provide a copy of his written slides for reference purposes (Appendix A).  Members requested that the content of Councillor Braley’s presentation should be considered at the following Executive Committee meeting. 

RECOMMENDED that

the Executive Committee be asked to consider and comment on the content of Councillor Braley’s presentation.