Agenda and minutes

Vivienne Quayle – Head of Policy and Performance

Guy Kilminster – Head of Health and Wellbeing

Caroline Simpson – Head of Regeneration

Paul Bayley – Customer Services Manager

Lynda –Cotterill - Community Libraries Manager

Mark Nedderman – Senior Scrutiny Officer

Councillor R Menlove – Environment Portfolio Holder

Councillor D Flude

RESOLVED – That subject to it being recorded that Councillor S Conquest was present at the meeting held on 14 December 2010 the minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2011, be approved as an accurate record of the meeting and signed by the Chairman.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

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 joint report of the Head of Wellbeing and Head of Policy and Performance.

Note: With the permission of the Chairman, Councillor D Flude attended the meeting and addressed the committee in respect of this matter.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Head of Health and Wellbeing and Customer Services Manager, relating to changes in provision of customer access in libraries, achieved by the creation of single Council access points.

Between April and September 2010, the first phase of the transfer of customer points had taken place in Alsager, Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Middlewich and Knutsford. This had been achieved by making better use of staffing and property resources and transferring the former district Council Customer Service points into libraries.

The second phase was now under consideration, following a review of the lessons learned in phase 1.

The main additional demand from customers visiting libraries had been identified as:

• Taking Council tax payments in former Congleton Borough locations
• Issuing concessionary travel passes
• Providing advice and support for benefits applications and receiving and verifying evidence relating to a benefits claim

There had been a small number of complaints received relating to the lack of privacy, particularly when customers wished to discuss a sensitive issue, such as a benefits claim. Library staff were addressing this in the short term by taking customers to a more suitable location within the library to hold such conversations. In the longer term, the new library design would remove the traditional counter and there would be greater use of customer self service which in turn, would reduce queues.

In response to Members questions relating to the new self service arrangements and payment methods such as ‘Paypoint’ and other automated payment methods, the Head of Policy and Performance informed the Committee that a considerable amount of data had been collated by the former district Councils that would provide evidence to support the economic case for this type of payment method and would also show that there was now also greater choice for customers.

The Council’s Customer Services Strategy was currently being reviewed  which would allow Customer Service Centres in Crewe and Macclesfield to provide customers with a one stop shop service including access to specialist staff on an appointment basis. Libraries and other community hubs where appropriate, would provide an information point service in other locations. The information points would be able top provide information and signpost customers to self serve. Work was ongoing to describe the role that libraries would play in the community hub, learning from the lessons of the initial transfer of Customer Service Points.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

Caroline Simpson to provide an oral report on proposals to involve LAP’s in Local highways/Transportation arrangements.

Caroline Simpson Head of Regeneration attended the meeting and updated the Committee on developments that had taken place to increase Member engagement in Highways and Public Transportation issues since the Members briefing held in February 2011. The Council had announced that a budget of £350,000 had been allocated from the 2011/12 programme to deliver ward list priorities or ‘minor improvement works’.  The process of identifying the detailed programme would be simplified for the new financial year to ensure that the maximum amount of resource was directed to front-line delivery of projects rather than allocated to officer time, and to reflect a move from ward-based lists to lists based on the LAP (Local Area Partnership) geographical boundaries.

The £350,000 budget would be allocated per LAP area, based upon the length of the highway network in each LAP.

It had been recognised that there was a wider need for Members to be involved at ward level in decisions relating to the overall maintenance programme.

Caroline informed the Committee that each LAP Manager would shortly be arranging meetings of local highways groups involving local ward members to discuss local highways programmes.

In connection with Transportation issues, the Public Transport Forum which had now met twice, had agreed to increase elected Member representation, by inviting a Member from each of the 7 LAP’s to sit on the forum.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

To consider any significant changes to the schedule of fees and charges.

Note: With the permission of the Chairman, Councillor D Flude attended the meeting and addressed the committee in respect of this matter.

The Committee considered a schedule containing the current and proposed fees and charges for all Council Services.

RESOLVED – That the list of fees and charges be noted, and referred to all other Overview and Scrutiny Committees for consideration.

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 listed in the current Forward Plan.

RESOLVED – That the Forward Plan be received and 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.

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 informed that the Budget Consultation Group had concluded its consideration of the draft budget proposals on 11 February 2011 .At that meeting the group had considered the capital programme proposals for the 3 year period 2011-1014. Representatives from Cabinet and Corporate Management Team had attended the meeting to answer Members questions.

The Business Generation Task and Finish Group had undertaken site visits to a variety of business generation facilities. These included, ‘Regenerate Pennine Lancashire’ in Blackburn, an independent company run on behalf of a consortium of 6 East Lancashire authorities; a national private sector operator in the business centre and flexible workspace industry in Stockport; and finally an independent private sector operator in Macclesfield. The group had arranged a series of meetings to interview a number of internal and external stakeholders in March and was on course to report back its findings to this Committee in April 2011.

            The Committee then reviewed each item in the work programme. The Committee noted that the final report on depot rationalisation was due to be considered by the Committee in April.

RESOLVED –     (a)       That the report be received;

   (b)       That the Committee consider making a recommendation on the future of the Budget Consultation Group at its next meeting;

   (c )       That the Business Generation Task and Finish group be requested to undertake site visits to the Council’s depots in advance of the report on rationalisation being considered by the Committee at its next meeting.

To consider changing the date of the next meeting.

RESOLVED – That the next meeting of the Committee be changed to Thursday 14 April 2011 at 2.00pm.