Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests and for members to declare the existence of a party whip in relation to any item on the agenda.

Arthur Pritchard         Asset Manager

Lisa Quinn                  Borough Treasurer                                       

Vivienne Quayle        Head of Policy and Performance

Mark Nedderman      Senior Scrutiny Officer        

Charlie Wileman       Property Information Manager

Janet Ellison Jones   Category Manager

RESOLVED –

(a)   That subject to the date being amended to read 18 June 2010 in the second paragraph in minute 29,  the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 12 July 2010 be approved as a correct record;

(b)   That subject to the name of Councillor H Murray being added to list of Members present as substitute, the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 August 2010 be approved a s a correct record.

A total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit 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 members of the public contacted the Scrutiny officer listed at the foot of the agenda, at least one working day before the meeting to provide brief details of the matter to be covered. 

There were no members of the public present who wished to make a statement.

To consider a report of the Borough Solicitor.

The Committee considered a report of the Borough Solicitor setting out the 2010/2011 work programme.

The Committee was reminded that at its meeting held on 12 July 2010, it had indicated that it wished to set up Task and Finish groups in relation to the following items:

• ICT harmonisation
• Outsourcing of discretionary leisure facilities
• Assets

In connection with the ICT harmonisation group the Chairman recommended to the Committee that this should now be undertaken by a more informal monitoring group.

The report to Cabinet concerning the outsourcing of discretionary leisure facilities was now expected to be considered in October. There was a separate item on the agenda regarding the future management of the Crewe Lyceum Theatre and Knutsford Cinema. Likewise, there was a presentation on today’s agenda on the asset challenge.

The Committee considered whether the item relating to Local Transport Liaison and Local Highways Committees should be pursued and the Chairman undertook to write to the Environment Portfolio Holder to seek clarification about whether there were any plans to reconsider proposals to introduce formal committees to allow Members to be involved in local highway and transportation issues.

The Committee then reviewed items within the work programme that still required dates for completion.

RESOLVED –

(a)               That  the report be received;

(b)               That the work programme items listed below be  allocated the following completion dates:

·        Outsourcing of discretionary leisure facilities consideration of Cabinet report– 12 October 2010 (provisional)

·        Communications service – presentation 12 October 2010

·        Procurement – presentation including competitive dialogue 12 October 2010

·        Shared Services – presentation     12 October 2010

To set up a group to monitor the progress of the ICT harmonisation proposals.

The committee considered putting in place arrangements to monitor the ICT harmonisation proposals outlined by the ICT Manager at the meeting of the committee held on 12 July 2010.

Members agreed to focus attention specifically on the proposed Macclesfield Technical Centre. The Committee also indicated that it favoured a ‘light touch’ approach involving a small number of Members who would be given  responsibility to monitor progress and report back to this Committee as and when required throughout the harmonisation process.

RESOLVED – Councillors J Narraway and M Davies be appointed as members of the ICT Harmonisation group, and the Senior Scrutiny Officer be requested to write to the Committee to ascertain whether any other Members would like to join the group.

To receive a  presentation  in relation to securing new energy contracts for Cheshire East.  The Office of Government Commerce (Pan Government Energy Project) advise that improved prices can be achieved through adopting flexible, aggregated, risk managed energy contracts and the Cheshire East Procurement Recommendation is to enter into a fully flexibly contract with West Mercia Supplies, which is one of the accredited solutions. 

Janet Ellison-Jones attended the meeting and gave a presentation on Energy procurement in Cheshire East. The Council currently had joint contracts with Cheshire West and Chester for electricity and gas supplies and these were in place until 30 June 2011. The Council was considering moving away from a traditional fixed price contract to a more flexible, aggregated, risk managed energy procurement though a Central Purchasing Body (CPB)

The benefits of using this method would mean that the Council would have budget certainty with a published capped price, which would be the maximum amount the Council would pay for 12 months (April to March). An added benefit would be that if prices fell, trading gains would be secured.

The next steps in the process were to secure CMT and Cabinet approval. This would be followed with a consultation process with schools.

RESOLVED – That the presentation be noted.

Arthur Pritchard, Assets Manager to give a presentation on the Assets Register and on the Asset Challenge process, with a view to the Committee setting up a Task and Finish Group.

Arthur Pritchard Assets Manager and  Charlie Wileman – Property Information Manager attended the meeting and gave a presentation on the Asset Management and in particular provided a demonstration of the Council’s Property Information System .

RESOLVED – That consideration of this mater be deferred to a special meeting of the Committee on a date to be confirmed.

Guy Kilminster Head of Health and Wellbeing to give a presentation on consultation arrangements in respect of the future of Crewe Lyceum Theatre and Knutsford Cinema.

Guy Kilminster Head of Health and Wellbeing updated the committee on the report expected from Consultants on the future management of the Lyceum Theatre Crewe and Knutsford Cinema. The report, which was due to be received by the Council next week was expected to contain a number of options for the Council to consider, ranging from in house provision to various external options, including trusts. The report would also address the financial implications for the Council and implications for current and future customers, users, and staff. The Portfolio Holder was expected to refer the report to this Committee at its next meeting on 12 October 2010.

RESOLVED –That arrangements be made for a committee site visit to Crewe Lyceum and Knutsford cinema, and the Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder be requested to refer the consultants report to this committee as soon as possible.

The Borough Treasurer to give a brief overview of the Capital Strategy.

Please note that a the Cabinet  report on this matter which is expected on the agenda for the 20 September meeting, will be available from Friday 10 September 2010.

Lisa Quinn, Borough Treasurer updated the committee on the Capital Strategy. The Capital Strategy set out Cheshire East’s approach to capital investment and disposals and how it made decisions in respect of all types of capital assets.  The document linked closely with the Council’s Corporate Asset Management Plan (AMP) and showed how the Council was prioritising, targeting and measuring the performance of its limited capital resources so that it maximised the value of that investment to support the achievement of its key cross-cutting activities, initiatives and local and national priorities.  

The Capital Strategy was intended to:

·                    Ensure that the investment of capital resources contributed to the achievement of the authority’s key objectives and priorities that were detailed in their community plans and strategies

·                    Influence and encourage partnership working, both locally and nationally

·                    Reflect the visions and aspirations of local people for service delivery and recognise the potential for others to contribute ideas and resources

·                    Determine priorities between the various services and look for opportunities for cross-cutting and joined-up investment

·                    Encourage improvement and innovation in asset use, procurement and disposal

·                    Ensure revenue, capital and whole life costs were fully considered

·                    Describe how the deployment of capital resources contributed to the achievement of the described goals

·                    Encourage the consideration and use of a wide range of funding sources

·                    Promote, in conjunction with the AMP, corporate ownership and prudent consideration of property issues.

            The Capital Strategy set out:

·                    The link to key corporate documents, in particular the Corporate Plan, Sustainable Community Strategy, Local Transport Plant, ICT Strategy, Procurement Strategy, Housing Strategy, Economic Development Strategy and the Asset Management Plan.

·                    How the authority’s plans were influenced by partners, and details of key partners

·                    How capital schemes were identified to meet those priorities

·                    How the choice was made between schemes competing for limited resources

·                    The framework for managing and monitoring the capital programme

·                    The process for post implementation review

·                    A summary of the Council’s approved Capital Programme

·                    Sources of external funding and the impact of the programme on the revenue budget

  The Capital Strategy formed an integral part of the Councils Medium Term

Financial Strategy which provided the financial interpretation of the Councils Corporate Plan.

RESOLVED – That the update be received and noted and that a standard item be included on all future agendas of this committee.

The Borough Treasurer to provide a verbal update on the current position as reported in the quarter one financial performance report considered by Cabinet on 16 August 2010.

Lisa Quinn the Borough Treasurer reported on the details of the quarter 1 projected overspend which was reported to Cabinet in August 2010. The worst case scenario pointed to a potential overspend of £13.6million. The most significant pressure related to the Childrens and Adult Services.

The overall level of projected service overspending was significant, and  extensive remedial measures and actions would need to be taken to drive this down towards a balanced outturn position wherever possible.        

The 2010-11 budget contained a central inflation contingency provision of £1.6m to cover in-year increases in prices during the year.

Further work would be undertaken to review corporate budgets, central provisions, earmarked reserves and the potential overall impact on general balances, and reported to Members in September, alongside the remedial action plans.     

RESOLVED – That the report be received.   

The Chairman to update the Committee on formal consultation arrangements expected to be referred to this Committee regarding new Executive arrangements.

The Senior Scrutiny Officer informed the Committee that Members would be given an opportunity at the next meeting of this Committee to comment upon  a report due to be considered by the Constitution Committee on the  Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. This act required local authorities to choose one of two new models of executive leadership: either a directly-elected Mayor and Cabinet, or a strong Leader and Cabinet style of governance. The report would, amongst other things, also explain arrangements for the election of mayors.

RESOLVED – That a report be submitted on the new Executive arrangements to the next meeting of the Committee on 12 October 2010.

To update the committee on the response of the Highways Transformation sub-committee to the advice offered to it by this committee at the meeting held on 26 August 2010.  

The Senior Scrutiny Officer informed the committee that the Highways Transformation Sub-committee had referred to Cabinet, the advice given to it by this committee following the meeting of this committee on 26 August. However, the Sub- committee had  immediately agreed to open dialogue with the Corporate and Environment and Prosperity Scrutiny committees by setting up a monitoring group consisting of 3 Members from each committee.

RESOLVED – That Councillors J Narraway, P Edwards and D Brickhill be appointed as this Committee’s representatives on the Highways Contract Monitoring Group.

To note the current forward plan, identify any new items, and to determine whether any further examination of new issues is appropriate.

The Committee considered items currently listed in the forward plan.

RESOLVED – That the Forward plan be noted.

To note any consultations referred to the Committee from Cabinet and to determine whether any further action is appropriate.

There were no consultations from Cabinet.