Venue: Civic Suite, Town Hall, Runcorn
Contact: Lynn Derbyshire on 0151 511 7975 or e-mail lynn.derbyshire@halton.gov.uk
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MINUTES Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2014 were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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Efficiency Programme Update PDF 34 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and
Resources, which gave Members an update on the progress made to date on the
Efficiency Programme set out in Appendix 1 to the report. The Board noted the progress in relation to the review of:- ·
Adult
Social Care (Intermediate Care) (Wave 4); ·
Library
Services (Wave 5); ·
Learning
and Achievement (Wave 5); ·
Halton’s Supported Housing Network (Wave 5; ·
The
Supplier Relationship Review (Wave 5); ·
Highways
Services (Wave 5); and ·
Premium
Pay, use of Agency Workers and use of Casual Staff (Wave 6). The Board noted the challenges in respect of pursuing outstanding
library fines and that the new service arrangement would help to address this
matter. It was reported that a Working
Group had been established to consider the Corporate Policy for setting fees
and charges across the Borough and this was one of the issues that they were
considering. The Board noted that the review of the library services would affect
staff and was currently under
negotiation. It was requested that
further information be provided to Members on the number of staff affected. It was noted that it was anticipated that the Library Review would
achieve savings in the region of £450,000.
Clarity was sought on the number of support and casual workers employed
by the Council in each department. It
was suggested that they proved to be costly and in some instances it could be
cheaper to hire a permanent member of staff.
It was agreed that a summary of the cost would be circulated to Members
of the Board. The Chairman reported that it was important for Members to attend
training on the efficiency programme in order to fully understand the
process. He reported that training would
be arranged for January 2015 and he encouraged all Members to attend. RESOLVED: That the report and comments raised be noted. |
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2013-16 Procurement Strategy Update PDF 78 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and
Resources, which provided an update regarding the progress with the Council’s
Procurement Strategy 2013-16 targets and performance measures. The Board was advised that evidence on the Council’s achievements in the
procurement arena in 2013 had been presented to the House of Commons Select
Committee in October 2013 to inform the inquiry into Local Government
procurement. The Board was further advised that the key areas identified by the
Select Committee Inquiry confirmed that the Council’s approach had been and
remained appropriate, and was delivering savings as well as wider social value
gains. The Procurement Division, it was reported, remained engaged with the
Cabinet Office and was in a strong position to adopt Lord Young’s Procurement
Reforms in early 2015. In addition, it
was reported that the Procurement Division had developed
a Social Value Procurement Framework, which had been aligned to the Council’s
Social Value Strategy. The Division
would also remain engaged with the Cabinet Office, effectively adopting
the upcoming procurement reforms, and revised Public Contract Regulations 2015,
into the prevailing business model. Furthermore, it was reported that the Procurement Division
had continued to deliver three support service commissions, delivering
consultancy support in two other Councils, as well as delivering a procurement
support service to Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). It was reported that an event would take
place at The Heath next week to raise awareness on the procurement rules.
Several Halton businesses had been invited.
The event had been arranged in order to build up the supplier base and to
target local businesses. It was also
reported that further events and activities would be arranged. The Board took the opportunity to place on
record their congratulations to the team for the excellent work that had been
undertaken on the procurement service. It
was noted that Halton was further ahead than other authorities in respect of
procurement as the process had commenced in 2008. It was suggested that Halton could look for
opportunities to disseminate best practice for a financial reward. RESOLVED: That the position statement and comments raised be noted. |
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Corporate Risk Management Policy and Risk Register - Progress Commentary PDF 19 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and
Resources, which provided progress on the actions in the Corporate Risk
Register for 2014/15. The Board was advised that the Risk
Management Policy, attached as Appendix 1 to the report had been reviewed and
updated in line with the revised arrangements for Directorate Business Plans
requiring annual reviews of the plans at Directorate level to take place in
conjunction with Directorate Risk Registers. The Board was
further advised that the implementation of high-risk mitigation measures on the
Directorate Risk Registers were reviewed at mid-year and progress on these
would be reported to Management Team and Policy and Performance Boards. This, it was reported served to inform the
Corporate Risk Register that ensured that the Council maximised its
opportunities whilst minimising and controlling the associated risks in
delivering the council’s vision and services for Halton It was reported that the Corporate
Register had been reviewed and updated in consultation with internal
stakeholders. The risks had been
grouped in order of priority; in the first instance pertaining to ‘Unmitigated
Risk Scores’ and then ‘Mitigated Risk Scores’. The headings in order of
priority are as follows:- ·
Budget Reductions; ·
Capacity and
Resilience; ·
Safeguarding
Children and Adults; ·
Mersey Gateway; ·
Community
Expectations; ·
Architectural
Landscapes; ·
Partnerships; ·
Funding and Income
Generation; and ·
Fraud. Members were advised that the Board, could undertaker further in depth
work in the New Year on the Corporate Risk Register. RESOLVED: That (1)
the
progress of action be noted; (2)
the
robustness of the Corporate Risk Register and the adequacy of the associated
risk management arrangements be reviewed; (3)
recommendations be presented to the
Executive Board as is necessary and appropriate. |
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Fraud and Corruption - Annual Update PDF 59 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and
Resources, which gave Members an update on the developments in regard to the
Council’s anti-fraud and corruption arrangements The Board was advised that each year the Council submitted a return to
the Audit Commission providing details of fraud and corruption identified
against the Authority. A summary of the
2013/14 return was provided in the report. It was reported that two of the bids
had been successful and further information would be presented to the Board in
due course. RESOLVED: That (1)
the
report be noted; and (2)
the actions being taken to counter fraud and
corruption be endorsed. |
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External Audit - Update Report PDF 21 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance,
which provided an update from Grant Thornton (External Auditors) regarding the
following:- ·
the
progress made in delivering their responsibilities as the Council’s external
auditors; and ·
a summary of emerging national issues and
developments that may be relevant to the work of the Board. The 2020 Vision booklet was circulated at the meeting and it was reported
that it was available on the website The Board noted the update in respect of the following:- ·
2014-14 Accounts Audit Plan; ·
the interim accounts audit; ·
the 2014-15 final accounts audit; ·
the value for money conclusion; ·
other areas of work – certification work
under the Audit Commission Regime; and ·
other
activity undertaken in respect of claims and returns and tax. The Board discussed and noted the level of reserves held by the Council in comparison
with other Authorities and the factors that could affect the reserves. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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SCHEDULE 12A OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) ACT 1985 PART II In
this case the Board has a discretion to exclude the press and public and, in
view of the nature of the business to be transacted, it is RECOMMENDED
that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been
satisfied that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in
maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the
information, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the
following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely
disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 of Part 1 of
Schedule 12A to the Act. Minutes: The Board considered: 1)
Whether
Members of the press and public should be excluded from the meeting of the
Board during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with
Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that,
in view of the nature of the business to be considered, exempt information
would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph
3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972; and 2)
Whether
the disclosure of information was in the public interest, whether any relevant
exemptions were applicable and whether, when applying the public interest test
and exemptions, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed
that in disclosing the information. RESOLVED: That as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public
interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed that in disclosing the
information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting
during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with
Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in
view of the nature of the business, exempt information would be disclosed,
being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of
the Local Government Act 1972. |
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Note: The following
Councillors declared a Discolsable Other Interest in the following item of business:- Councillor M Lloyd
Jones, as a governor of St Edwards Catholic Primary School; Councillors: McDermott
and Joe Roberts as a governor of St Michael’s Catholic Primary School; and Councillor
J. Stockton as a governor of St Martins Catholic Primary School. |
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Internal Audit Progress Report Minutes: The Board considered a report of the
Operational Director, Finance which provided Members with a summary of internal
audit work which had been completed since the last progress report to the Board
on 6 June 2014. RESOLVED; That the
internal audit work that had been completed since the last report to the Board
on 6 June 2014 be noted. |