Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made.

There were no questions from members of the public or the press.

Consideration was given to a report submitted by the Community Leadership Manager and presented by Andrea Peers, Area Partnership Manager, which provided a summary of spending activity around the Elected Members’ Community Leadership Fund for the year 2006/07.

The report examined the first twelve months of the Members’ flexibility to carry forward any underspend from one financial year to the next.

The Scrutiny Panel noted that during the financial year 2006/07 Members committed £20,163.50 representing 65% of the total budget allocation of £31,500, with Members choosing to carry forward £11,336.50 representing 36% of the budget.

Those Members carrying forward funding were surveyed and those eleven Members that carried forward their full allocation indicated that they had identified projects in their early stages of development requiring funding at a later date or had set aside funding to deal with any pressing or urgent issues that may arise.

In terms of 2007/08 the total spend as at 8^th January, 2008 stood at £26,355.15, representing 35.4% of the total budget allocation.  This compared with 44.4% of the budget spent at this time in the last financial year.

Reference was made to the Local Government White Paper “Strong and Prosperous Communities” which advocated the further devolution of budgets to a local level.  The Members’ Training and Development Panel suggested that these proposals be examined in light of the implementation of the White Paper and consideration be given to the future role of the Community Leadership Fund.  Whilst the increased allocation of £63,000 per annum for the Community Leadership Fund had been secured until the end of the financial year 2009/10, Local Authorities like Oldham delegated £3,000 per year to individual Ward Members with a further £3,000 per Ward to promote joint working.

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and clarified:-

·             Convening of the Members’ Focus Group set up by the Members’ Training and Development Panel to examine issues related to the Community Leadership Fund.

·             Funding security and indications that this was secured for three years until the 2009/10 financial year.

·             Publicity of the Community Leadership Fund to ensure community groups could access to prevent surplus going unused.

·             The Members’ Focus Group to meet as a matter of urgency to address any implications of the budget setting process.

·             Support of this Scrutiny Panel for the value and use of the Community Leadership Fund.

·             White Paper recommendations reinforcing budget allocation and spend by Members in the community.

·             Withdrawal implications of community/area based budgets.

·             The raising of expectations of funding in the community.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the performance of the Community Leadership Fund for 2006/07 be noted.

(2)  That the ability of Members to carry forward underspend from one financial year to the next be extended for a further year with a maximum carry forward of one year’s fund allocation (now £1,000) being imposed.

(3)  That the Members’ Focus Group nominated by the Members’ Training and Development Panel be convened as a matter of urgency to look  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Chief Elections and Electoral Registration Officer, which detailed how Section 16 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 made changes to Section 18 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 requiring a review of polling districts and polling places. The report outlines comments received during the consultation and changes to polling arrangements since the start of the review.

The report detailed how the present polling arrangements were publicised through the Council’s web pages, libraries and council offices. In addition political parties recently active in local elections, councillors, parish councils and members of parliament have been consulted direct. Meetings have been held with the Council’s Access Officer and with the Access Audit Group.

As a result of the review several changes to polling stations were proposed and these were referred to in detail, laid out in the report and had already been approved by the Cabinet.

It was also necessary to alter arrangements for the polling station in Civic Building by the moving of it into the Central Library, making it fully accessible by all.

A question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and clarified:-

·               The number of mobile polling stations and their locations.

·               Reasonable distances between polling stations for the electorate, especially in rural areas.

Resolved:-  That the changes outlined in the report be noted.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Chief Elections and Electoral Registration Officer, which detailed the timetabled arrangements for the scheduled elections for the Council on 1st May, 2008.

Specific detail was provided on when the nomination packs would be ready, arrangements for the correction of minor errors in nomination papers, the use of common names, distribution of polling cards, the processing of returned postal ballot packs, verification of signatures and dates of birth, the use of the Civic Building’s ground floor training room for processing returned postal ballots. burden placed on the Electoral Services Team and the intention to count on the Friday after the election.

A question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and clarified:-

·             Percentage of the returned postal ballot forms.

·             To what extent were errors considered to be minor.

·             Despatch dates for postal ballot papers.

·             Fragmented legislation and the complexity of processes.

·             Problems associated with a Parliamentary Election in the Autumn/Winter period.

·             Making Members of Parliament aware of the complexity in conducting elections.

Resolved:-That the contents of the report be noted.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel held on 13^th December, 2007 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

The Scrutiny Panel noted the minutes of the meeting of the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee held on 7^th December, 2007.

The Scrutiny Panel noted the minutes of the meeting of the Members’ Consultation Advisory Group held on 6^th December, 2007.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended (information relates to financial or business affairs).

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relates to finance or business affairs).

Consideration was given to report presented by the Director of Policy and Performance, which set out the current position in relation to proposals for the budget setting process for 2008/09.

A number of potential areas for efficiencies were highlighted, in addition to budget pressures which may need additional investment.

The report drew specific attention to proposed actions for efficiency and investment and the impact of these proposals.

A question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and clarified:-

·             The savings associated with the reducing of a Quality of Life survey for one year and the impact on data quality.

·             Diversification of resources to meet a budget pressure through the loss of some income.

·             Investment proposals and the carrying forward of the budget into subsequent years.

·             Increased International Link activity.

·             Actuarial savings in the Pension Scheme.

·             Proactive action on the reduction in printing budgets and the receipt of information by electronic means.

·             Making better use of clerical support.

·             Increases in staffing to meet changes in legislation.

·             Achievement of vacancy management targets.

·             Achievement of a balanced budget.

·             The delivering of efficiency proposals.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be received.

(2)  That the current potential efficiencies and investments for the Chief Executive’s Directorate proposed for the setting of the 2008/09 budget be noted.