Agenda and minutes

None.

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

A number of Councillors who were existing County Councillors, Borough Councillors and Town and Parish Councillors declared a personal interest in the business of the meeting en bloc.

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.

There were no members of the public, present wishing to address the Panel.

To approve the minutes as a correct record.

RESOLVED

That the minutes be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report updating the Panel on the Office Accommodation Strategy.

Consideration was given to a report updating Members on the Strategy for Office Accommodation.

In considering the report, Members of the Panel raised the following questions:-

(i)              What percentage of employees would be based at Crewe?

(ii)             Would Officers be taking into consideration the cost of renovation bearing in mind that Delamere House was due to be demolished?

(iii)            Which Officers would be abed in Bryons Lane?

(iv)           What services would be based in Delamere House?

(v)             Would a statistical breakdown of where employees would be based over the three areas be provided for Councillors?

(vi)           How much would the Accommodation Strategy cost the Council and was there sufficient finances to cover the costs contained within the budget?

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

To consider a report updating the Panel on the services to be shared with Cheshire West and Chester (CWACC) from 1 April 2009.

Consideration was given to a report updating Members on Shared Services.

Concerns were raised that too many services were being shared with Cheshire West and that the concept of Shared Services involving s minor number of small teams had been lost.  It was considered more appropriate if Shared Services had started with highways and education prior to looking at ICT.  There was concern that because of the location of the ICT shared service structure there might be a feeling that Cheshire County Council was running the service.  It was further suggested that it would have helped Members if the report had referred to those services not being shared out.

RESOLVED

That the update be noted.

To consider a report on the ICT Strategy.

Consideration was given to a report updating Members on the ICT Strategy.

There were a number of concerns raised over the ICT Strategy in particular the decision to share the service with Cheshire West and Chester.

RESOLVED

That the update be noted.