Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Angela Lawrence.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Executive meeting held on 7 August 2009 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the Executive’s meeting held on 7 August 2009 were adopted and signed as a correct record. 

To receive any declarations of Personal or Personal and Prejudicial Interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

Any Member with a personal interest or a personal and prejudicial interest in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct, in any matter to be considered at a meeting, must declare the existence and nature of that interest as soon as the interest becomes apparent in accordance with the provisions of the Code.

When a Member declares a personal and prejudicial interest he shall also state if he has a dispensation from the Standards Committee entitling him/her to speak, or speak and vote on the matter concerned.

Where any Member has declared a personal and prejudicial interest he shall withdraw from the room while the matter is under consideration unless

(a)                his/her disability to speak, or speak and vote on the matter has been removed by a dispensation granted by the Standards Committee, or

(b)                members of the public are allowed to make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter by statutory right or otherwise.  If that is the case, the Member can also attend the meeting for that purpose.  However, the Member must immediately leave the room once he/she has finished; or when the meeting decides he/she has finished whichever is the earlier and in any event the Member must leave the room for the duration of the debate on the item in which he/she has a personal and prejudicial interest. 

None.

To receive notification of any matters which the Chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the Chair.

None.

Any statements and/or petitions from the public under Standing Order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting. 

One member of the public had given notice that she wished to make a statement at the meeting concerning report 50/09 – community grants.  However, she was unable to attend and therefore the statement was read out in her absence. 

The statement was from Kate Sankey of Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) asking the executive to support a grant application.  She stated that she believed that all young children had the right to access enjoyable recreational activities that supported them and developed their skills.  KEEN had been effective in allowing children to do this, something that was evident from the children’s sense of pride, self-confidence and belonging created at the sessions.  She asked the Executive to consider awarding a grant to KEEN to enable it to continue to offer these sessions to children. 

Any questions from members of the public under Standing Order 32 will be asked at the meeting.

None.

Appended to the agenda is a schedule of requests for virements.  Table 1 sets out virement requests for approval by the Executive.  Table 2 sets out virements approved under delegated authority by the Strategic Director. 

Recommendation

that the virements set out in table 1 of the agenda report be approved. 

(Time: 3.31pm to 3.32pm)

The executive received and considered an agenda report setting out requests for virements.  The report also separately set out the requests approved by the strategic director under delegated authority.  Councillors approved the requests. 

RESOLVED

that the virements set out in table 1 of the agenda report be approved. 

To receive and consider report 50/09 of the Head of Corporate Strategy. 

(Time: 3.32pm to 3.39pm)

The executive received and considered report 50/09 of the head of corporate strategy.  The report set out the executive’s community grants budget position and detailed four grant applications. 

Previously, the budget was split in to different agendas: economic, environmental, social and a discretionary proportion.  This guided the executive and the area committees in the allocation of the budget.  However, the executive noted that as the community grants scheme was discretionary, the executive or area committees should not have to apportion the budget this way.  Instead, councillors considered that the budget should support the corporate plan and the sustainable community strategy. 

It was noted that there was a £12,000 deficit in the community grants budget.  This was due to inflationary increases of grant payments to the Abingdon Citizens’ Advice Bureau and the Wantage Independent Advice Centre.  As the council was facing a difficult financial situation, councillors decided to reduce the community grants budget by £15,000.  This addressed the deficit of £12,000 and provided an allowance of £3,000 for any unforeseen costs.  Councillors apportioned the reduction between the executive and the area committees. 

Councillors considered each application, mindful of the limitations on the budget.  Councillors also took into account the statement recorded from the member of the public earlier in the meeting.  Grants were awarded to all four applicants. 

RESOLVED  (by six votes to nil)

(a)       that the remaining budget for 2009/10 for Vale-wide grants be noted;

(b)       that the apportioning of the budget into different agendas be no longer required when the Executive or an area committee is considering or determining community grant applications;

(c)        that the executive’s community grants budget for 2009/10 be reduced by £15,000 and be apportioned between the executive and area committees as follows:

(d)       that the following grant applications be approved: -

(e)       that the executive’s remaining community grants budget for 2009/10 of £2,814 be returned to the council’s general balances. 

To receive and consider report 51/09 of the Head of HR, IT and Customer Services. 

(Time: 3.39pm to 3.48pm)

The executive received and considered report 51/09 of the Head of HR, IT, and Customer Services.  The report monitored the council’s performance from April to June 2009.  It set out:

·        how the council had performed against the national indicators which applied to district councils, ten of which were local area agreement 2 targets;

·        how the council performed against the local performance targets, set by the council ;

·        a summary of sickness and turnover; and

·        a financial commentary.

The executive considered that after the first quarter, it was too early to form opinions on performance.  The known issues of benefits administration and the low number of house completions were being tackled.  However, councillors asked that where it was difficult to show performance outcomes, in future heads of service should provide a commentary on their perception of performance so far. 

The executive considered the need for improvement in the planning enforcement service.  Councillors had often been concerned at the length of time it took to take enforcement action against planning breaches.  Councillors considered that the scrutiny committee should be asked to investigate the process involved and make recommendations back to the executive. 

RESOLVED

(a)               that the council’s progress and the end of year predictions be noted; and

(b)       that the scrutiny committee be requested to consider the performance of the council’s planning enforcement service and make recommendations back to the executive. 

To receive and consider report 52/09 of the Head of HR, IT and Customer Services. 

(Time: 3.48pm to 3.50pm)

The executive received and considered report 52/09 of the Head of HR, IT, and Customer Services.  The report proposed a new tender evaluation policy which had been jointly prepared with South Oxfordshire District Council to harmonise tendering processes with the Vale.  Officers had drafted the policy, incorporating best practice from both councils.  The draft policy:

·        ensured that the council bought supplies, services and works that best met the needs identified;

·        enabled the council to select the quote or tender which offered best value for money;

·        required that price formed at least 60 per cent of the evaluation criteria and award decision; and

·        made the tendering process open, transparent, fair and objective. 

The executive welcomed the policy, believing it would provide a more robust approach to evaluate tenders in the current financial climate. 

RESOLVED

thatthe tender evaluation policy be approved. 

To receive and consider report 53/09 of the Head of Corporate Strategy. 

(Time: 3.50pm to 3.53pm)

The executive received and considered report 53/09 of the Head of Corporate Strategy.  The report proposed a new policy to support children and vulnerable adults.  This had been jointly prepared with South Oxfordshire District Council. 

Section 11 of the Children Act 2007 widened the council’s responsibilities in relation to children.  As well as protecting children from harm, the council had a responsibility to promote their welfare.  The Act applied to a range of public bodies, including district councils, whose housing, environmental health, leisure and licensing teams all had a role to play.  The Act required the council to:

• produce a clear statement or policy on the council’s responsibilities and communicate these to staff;

• allocate clear lines of responsibility on safeguarding issues and identify a designated officer to ensure the duties were carried out and to be the first point of contact for staff;

• provide training for all staff and councillors appropriate to their roles and the level of contact with children; and

• ensure it had safe recruitment practices, including Criminal Record Bureau checks appropriate to the level of contact staff and councillors had with children.

Proposals to achieve these were set out in the draft policy, including guidelines on Criminal Records Bureau checks.  The executive supported the policy.  Councillors noted that councils across the county would be working towards a joint training programme for councillors and officers. 

RESOLVED

that the safeguarding children and vulnerable adults policy be approved. 

The Chair to move that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public, including the press, be excluded from the remainder of the meeting to prevent the disclosure to them of exempt information, as defined in Section 100(I) and Part 1 of Schedule 12A, as amended, to the Act when the following items are considered:-

Item 13     Restructuring the Council's Direct Service Organisation

(Category 2 - Information which is likely to reveal the identity of any individual.)

(Category 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information.) 

RESOLVED

that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public, including the press, be excluded from the remainder of the meeting to prevent the disclosure to them of exempt information, as defined in Section 100(I) and Part 1 of Schedule 12A, as amended, to the Act when the following item is considered:

Restructuring the Council's Direct Services Organisation

(Category 2 - Information which is likely to reveal the identity of any individual.)

(Category 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information.) 

Summary of the items considered in the exempt part of the meeting

To receive and consider report 54/09 of the Head of Commercial Services.  REPORT TO FOLLOW

The executive considered a report on the possible restructuring of the council’s direct services organisation.  Councillors agreed to investigate restructuring the service.