Copies of Service Area Half Year Reports, covering the period 1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008, have already been circulated to members of the Executive and all members of Scrutiny Committee. Members of the Executive are asked to report back to this meeting (a template has been provided) on any significant issues for the service areas for which they are responsible.
All Members of the Executive are asked to bring their copies of the reports to the meeting.
Minutes:
(Time: 3.00pm to 3.30pm)
The Executive received and considered service area half year reports for the period 1 April to 30 September 2008. Also circulated at the meeting were copies of the Executive portfolio holders’ commentaries on the half year reports. These highlighted their observations on any significant issues from the first six months of the financial year. In addition to these commentaries, the portfolio holders added the following:
Waste Procurement and Reprographics
The portfolio holder, Councillor Jenny Hannaby, reported that work on the joint waste contract had taken much of the Deputy Director’s time. However, waste collection performance had continued to be excellent. She expressed concern at the targets for cleaning detritus from streets and was discussing this with the County Council. She thanked all officers involved in the waste service for their hard work.
She had found nothing negative about the proposals to reorganise the Reprographics unit but thanked its staff for their work.
Leisure
Councillor Jerry Patterson, portfolio holder, reported that the council had been successful in its applications for two lottery grants. The performance indicator results were respectable and the bar services at the civic halls had been taken back in-house. However, he was concerned that there was a shortfall of income in too many cost centres.
Environmental Health
Councillor Richard Webber reported that the council was leading the way with the development of the Air Quality Action Project for the centre of the town and performance across the service area was good. He thanked the staff for their work. The service had high employee costs but savings had been made where possible.
Planning
The major concern was the reduction in planning fee income and car parking income. However, Councillor Mary de Vere, the portfolio holder, looked forward to the rural economic development funding.
Organisational Development
Councillor Richard Farrell reported on the successes of this service area and the progress against priorities. He considered that the budget variances were minor.
Communications
Councillor Tony de Vere, the portfolio holder, reported that there was a need to understand the reasons for a drop in the council’s overall and positive coverage in the media. Comparisons with other councils were needed. However, it was noted that in the first week of December all five articles/news stories about the council had been positive. This showed the benefit of introducing media briefings.
Democratic Services
Councillor Angela Lawrence reported that all seemed to be going well in Democratic Services. All staff in that service area were congratulated for their work and the high number of compliments.
Legal Services
Councillor Jenny Hannaby congratulated the staff for their work in recovering £250,000 of debts owed to the council. Noisy neighbour actions, environmental crimes and the bank contract were all further examples of successes as well as the work to improve the smooth running of the office by Carol Moody. However, the portfolio holder warned that Freedom of Information Act requests were taking up much officer time; this was unavoidable but consideration would be given to introducing a charging mechanism. The Legal Services budget would be the subject of close scrutiny in future months. The staff were thanked for their work.
Finance
Councillor Jerry Patterson thanked the staff involved in the shared service partnership with South Oxfordshire and Capita and he also thanked staff for their work on implementing the new Agresso financial management system software upgrade. However, there was concern at the likelihood of recovering the council’s £1M investment in an Icelandic bank.
Commercial Services
Councillor Richard Farrell reported that Building Control had an adverse variation in its budget but this was cancelled out by the Building Control Trading Account and so was not of major concern. The Property Trading Accounts also showed a projected full year variance of £132,000 but this was considered to be meaningless as there was no original budget for this.
Housing
Councillor Angela Lawrence, portfolio holder, reported that the variances in budgets HE21, HE31 and HP01 related to the same staff and therefore balanced out. The temporary accommodation budget showed the only significant variance for reasons reported earlier in the meeting (minute Ex.96 refers).
Community Safety
Councillor Richard Webber reported that there was to be a news conference to publicise the air quality improvement work. This service area was so successful that it was difficult to keep improving. The service was very popular and worthwhile; he had no anxieties about it.