Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda.

No Member made any declaration of interest in respect of any item of business on the agenda.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos. 11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the Committee.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.  It is not required to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision but, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice is encouraged.

In order for an informed answer to be given, where a member of the public wishes to ask a question of a Cabinet Member three clear working days notice must be given and the question must be submitted in writing

There were no questions from members of the public and Cabinet, therefore, proceeded to its next item of business.

To approve as a correct record, the Minutes of the Meeting held on 19 July 2010.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2010 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report which gives detailed information about the Council’s financial and non-financial performance in the first quarter of 2010-2011.

Consideration was given to the joint report of the Borough Treasurer and Head of Assets and the Head of Policy and Performance.

The report gave summary and detailed information about the Council’s financial and non-financial performance in the first quarter of 2010-2011. It contained the first projections of financial performance for 2010-2011 for the period to 30 June 2010 and highlighted the key emerging financial pressures, facing the council, of over £13m, and where possible, outlined potential remedial actions.  The report focused on areas of high financial risk to the Council and included updates on the Capital Programme, Treasury Management, Debt, and in-year collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates.

Cabinet was asked to note the report and to make comments as appropriate –

RESOLVED

(a)       That the following be noted -

·                    emerging pressures on the Council’s revenue budget in the first quarter of 2010-11, and remedial actions detailed in Annex 1 Sections 2 and 3;

·                    a further report on remedial action plans and capital programme update would be submitted to Cabinet in September;

·                    the Treasury Management update detailed in Annex 1, Section 5 be noted;  

·                    the Council’s in-year collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates, detailed in Annex 1, Section 6;

·                    the Council’s invoiced debt position as shown in Annex 1, Section 7;

·                    progress to date on delivering the 2010-11 capital programme, detailed in Amnex 1, Section 8 and Appendix 1;

·                    Delegated Decisions approved by Directors, as shown in Annex 1 Appendix 2a;

·                    Delegated Decisions to be approved by Directors in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder and the Portfolio Holder for Resources for Supplementary Capital Estimates (SCE) and virement requests over £100,000 up to and including £500,000 as shown in Annex 1,  Appendix 2b.

·                    the successes achieved during the first quarter 2010/11 as outlined in Annex 2;

·                    the issues raised in relation to underperformance against targets and how these would be addressed; and

(b)       That reductions in approved budgets as shown in Annex 1, Appendix 3 of the report, be approved.  

The Treasury Management Policy requires the publication of an annual report on the performance of the Council’s treasury management operation.  The attached report contains details of the activities in 2009-2010 and Cabinet is requested to receive the report.

The Treasury Management Policy required the preparation of an annual report on the performance of the Council’s treasury management operation.  Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Treasurer and Head of Assets which contained details of the activities in 2009-2010 for Cheshire East Borough Council. 

The production of an annual report met the requirements of the CIPFA Code of Practice for Treasury Management in the Public Services and the Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities.

RESOLVED

That the Treasury Management Annual Report for 2009-2010, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, be received and noted.

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy document which was published in 2009-2010 has been updated and Cabinet is asked to approve the ICT Strategy 2010-2011.

The Strategy sets the corporate direction for ICT within the Council and supports corporate priorities.

Consideration was given to the report of the ICT Strategy Manager.

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy had been published in 2009-2010 and had been updated for 2010-2011.  The revised Strategy, which set the corporate direction for ICT within the Council and supported corporate priorities, summarised how the ICT Strategy Team, in conjunction with ICT Shared Services, partners and external providers, contributed to the success of Cheshire East.   

RESOLVED

That the Corporate ICT Strategy 2010-2011 be approved for publication and implementation.

The attached report presents the following updated policies and procedures for approval –

(a)               Cheshire East Policy and Procedures for Surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA);

(b)               Cheshire East Policy and Procedures for the Acquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

The Council was required to have in place clear and robust policies and procedures to guide Officers in carrying out their investigatory functions. Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Policy and Performance which presented the following updated policies and procedures for approval –

(a)               Cheshire East Policy and Procedures for Surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).

(b)               Cheshire East Policy and Procedures for the Acquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

RESOLVED

That the updated policies and procedures (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000), identified above, be adopted with immediate effect.

The reports relating to the remaining items on the agenda have been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the matters may be determined with the press and public excluded.

The Committee may decide that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item, pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and the public interest would not be served in publishing this information.

To consider the report of the Head of Health and Wellbeing.

Consideration was given to a report which identified options for the future delivery method of  Council-owned golf courses.

RESOLVED

(a)               That, to reduce the Council’s on-going liability, a formal tender process be commenced offering an operational lease on Malkins Bank Golf Course; and

(b)               That specialist golf advisers be commissioned to assist with the tender process in order to secure the best financial terms and commercial operator.

To consider the report of the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development.

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development which provided financial details of posts where the post-holders had applied for voluntary redundancy. All applications were recommended for approval by the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet support the decision of the Chief Executive to release the employees whose roles were listed 1-20 at Appendix A of the report, under arrangements agreed in relation to voluntary severance provisions for employees in the Council.