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

None.

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.

Note: In order for officers to undertake any background research it would be helpful if questions were submitted at least one working day before the meeting.

No questions were received.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 July 2008.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 July 2008 be approved as a correct record, subject to the addition of Councillor David Brown to the list of those present.

To consider the rationale behind the development of the Cheshire East Interim Corporate Plan 2009/10.

Report attached.

Consideration was given to the rationale behind the development of the Cheshire East Interim Corporate Plan 2009/10.  The interim plan had been formulated from the plans of the existing Authorities for use as part of the budget setting process for the 2009/10 service year, to ensure that the Council’s key objectives and priorities were appropriately resourced.  The intention was that the one year interim plan would then be replaced by a plan produced on a three year rolling basis.

The Panel thanked all the officers involved in putting this plan together, and recognised that it would form an excellent guide to the choices to be made as part of the budget setting process.

RESOLVED

That approval be given to the rationale behind the development of the Corporate Plan, and that it continue to be developed to include the targets for 2009/10.

To receive an update on a number of matters in respect of governance.

Report attached.

Consideration was given to an update on work being carried out on a number of areas including the development of the Constitution, Scrutiny, Corporate Governance, the formation of an Independent Remuneration Panel, Appointments to Outside Bodies and Civic and Ceremonial matters.  

RESOLVED

That the report be noted and that a further update be given to the next meeting of the Panel.

To receive a report on progress to date in developing the Cheshire and Warrington Improvement and Efficiency Partnership.

Report attached.

Consideration was given to a report on progress to date in developing the Cheshire and Warrington Improvement and Efficiency Partnership.  It was reported that as part of the new performance framework Central and Local Government had committed to building a new joint approach to supporting excellent and efficient performance by local authorities and their partners through the development of a National Improvement and Efficiency Strategy.  In the North West this would primarily be through five sub-regional partnerships and the progress of developing these was reported including the financial and governance arrangements.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

The Chairman agreed to allow consideration of this matter as an item of urgent business as, following the launching of the brand on 15 September, immediate and clear guidance was needed on how to proceed.  

Andrew Arditti, Cheshire County Council Communications Manager, attended the meeting to report on the recent launch of the new Cheshire East Council logo.  Careful thought and planning now needed to be given to the process of re-branding the Councils many assets including such items as, for example, buildings, vehicles, recreation areas, wheelie bins, stationary, uniforms and road signs.  Priorities needed to be set for the first year, and then an ongoing rolling programme agreed upon.  A budget had been allocated for the work and a tendering exercise was to be undertaken in respect of those items that could not be dealt with by the Authority direct.

It was agreed that a Task Group be established to carry this work forward.

RESOLVED

That the following Members be appointed to the Logo Application Task Group:-

• Elsie Alcock
• Terry Beard
• David Brown (Portfolio Holder/non Panel Member)
• John Hammond
• Diana Thompson

The Panel received an update on the work of the ICT Task Group and the Customer Access Task Group.  A question was raised regarding the remit of the ICT Group and it was confirmed that its scope should be strategic in nature and concentrate on future and transitional change.  It was reported that the Customer Access Group had recommended that work should begin as soon as possible on the website and the Block Lead agreed to ensure that this was progressed.  Some concern was expressed that not all the Task Groups had yet met and the Block Lead agreed to ensure that the necessary arrangements were made as soon as possible. 

The Portfolio Holder (Performance and Capacity) reported on work being undertaken by the Neighbourhood and Area Working Group, which had been established at an early stage, after a Cheshire East Induction Day.  At present this Group did not feed back into any other Committee or Panel and it was suggested that it would be logical for it to be considered as one of the Performance and Capacity Advisory Panels.  This was agreed and it was noted that a further detailed report would be made to the next meeting of the Panel. 

Consideration was given to the most appropriate way of reporting back to the Panel on the work of the Task Groups.  It was agreed that the Lead Officer for each of the Groups would prepare a short report for each future meeting of the Panel and that the Chairman of that Task Group would then report further on it to the rest of the Panel.

Additions were made to the membership of the following Task Groups: -

• Finance – Les Gilbert and Don Stockton
• Corporate Development – Paul Edwards
• Parish and Town Councils – Paul Edwards

RESOLVED

1. That the update and arrangements for reporting to future meetings be noted.

2. That the Task Group memberships be added to as now detailed.

3. That the Neighbourhood and Area Working Group be added to the list of Task Groups reporting to the Performance and Capacity Advisory Panel.

The next meeting is programmed to be on 4 November 2008 at 2.00 pm.  Members are, however requested to consider changing the time at which it will start as a Cabinet meeting is due to be held at the same time and some Members will be involved in both. 

RESOLVED

That the next meeting be held on 4 November 2008, starting at 4.30 pm.