Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th April, 2012 be approved as a correct record.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Richard Copley, Corporate ICT Manager, which provided an update on structure proposals for the ICT function following a review carried out after the return of the function from RBT to the Council.

The proposals would achieve some £694k of savings (equivalent to 15% of costs transferred from RBT). This was in addition to the loss of BT resources and contractors who were part of the former RBT ICT service, with an implementation of the structure by 1st June, 2012.

The proposed structure provided for three key service areas:-

·              Business ICT Systems Support and Development.

·              Corporate ICT Infrastructure and Applications Support and Development.

·              Corporate ICT Governance and Change Management.

and a description of the main responsibilities for each was provided.

Further information was provided on the savings that would be made through the reduction in posts, many of which would be achieved through the voluntary severance scheme and the impact that may have on service delivery.  Contact had been made with other Local Authorities to ascertain their ICT provision and the devices used by officers and Elected Members.  A full briefing note would be provided to the Deputy Leader in due course.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the ICT structure proposals be supported.

(2)  That the proposed timetable for implementation be supported.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Phil Howe, Director of Human Resources, which provided details of the new timescale option available for IiP accreditation re-assessment.

Under IiP regulations this Council’s accreditation had to be re-assessed within a three year period meaning the re-assessment was due at the latest in August this year. Plans were in hand to run the corporate employee opinion survey (last run in 2008) in 2012 and it was the intention to utilise the IiP interviews to follow up areas of strength and weakness highlighted by the survey. This resulted in a tight timeframe between running of the Survey (in-house) and the feeding of these results into the IiP assessment, despite having negotiated an extension for IiP re-accreditation until October, 2012.  In addition, there was also some discomfort about the timing of an IiP review in the midst of the re-shaping of the Council and how useful the findings would be at this time.

It was proposed that the assessment be delayed until 2013 as this would enable further work to be delivered and provide valuable information in terms of what the Council had achieved in terms of re-shaping and the involvement, development, understanding, ownership etc. of staff.  This did not affect the Council’s current status.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the strategic review process for IiP be undertaken and official re-assessment be delayed for up to one year

(2)  That the re-assessment for re-accreditation in May/June next year be undertaken to enable maximum capacity for interview attendance.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Anne Hawke, Performance and Improvement Manager, which summarised the performance by RBT and the Resources Directorate against current measures and key service delivery issues during March, 2012 across the areas of:-

·              Customer Access.

·              Human Resources and Payroll.

·              ICT.

·              Procurement.

·              Revenues and Benefits.

The Resources Directorate was currently in the process of determining its key priorities and service plans for 2012/13.  Once completed, regular updates on progress and performance would be provided to the Deputy Leader in all areas including the former RBT service.

Full details of performance against operational measures for March, 2012 for all workstreams were set out in detail as part of the report and further explanations provided on various matters.

Reference was also made to the opening of Rawmarsh Customer Service Centre, whether consideration be given to updating offices at Swinton and the request by St. Alban’s School to transfer their HR and Payroll Service from April, 2012.

Further information was provided on the transfer of employees from Doncaster, the shared arrangements and the changes to terms and conditions at Doncaster that was creating an increase to manual workload for the transferred team.  Changes to the Pension Scheme, Auto enrolment and HMRC Real Time Information will also have an impact on the HR and Payroll Section as the rules and regulations are communicated.

Resolved:-  That the very good service performance achieved against key measures be noted.

There were no reports to consider as the Cabinet had been cancelled on the 6^th June and the next meeting would take place on 20^th June, 2012.

Updates were provided on the following:-

·              The Children’s commissioning priorities were currently being worked on and would be provided to the next meeting for information.

·              The Health and Wellbeing Board was also receiving a report on Health Watch at its meeting on the 6^th June, 2012, which currently did not include children and young people’s issues.  Further information would be provided once the relevant guidance was received.

·              The Health and Wellbeing Board was due to sign off the Health and Wellbeing Strategy which set out the commissioning priorities across Health and the Local Authority.

·              The review of Commissioning, Policy and Performance was nearing completion with an appeal/interviews pending.  A further review of Commissioning would take place later this year following the integration of Procurement.

·              Increment Freeze Proposals – Following the recent UNISON Ballot the discussions with Trades Unions to progress this matter were nearing completion with a view for all parties to reach a Collective Agreement.

·              Further information was provided on the proposed benefit changes which were being worked on as part of the welfare reform.

The following items are 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 March 2006 – information relates to finance and business affairs).

Resolved, that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act (as amended March, 2006 (information relates to finance and business affairs).

Consideration was given to a report presented by Colin Earl, Director of Internal Audit and Asset Management, which detailed the current contract delivering annual I.T. support and maintenance and with the seeking of new contracts the requirement to comply with EU procurement rules now the partnership with RBT had been brought to an early conclusion. 

Consequently, it was recommended that the current contractor be awarded a short-term contract of twelve months’ duration whilst a market review of ICT case management systems could be completed and a procurement under the EU procurement rules carried out.

Resolved:-  That, the contract for the supply of ICT case management systems to Adult Services and Children’s Services for a term of twelve months be exempt from the provisions of Standing Order 48.1 (requirement to invite between three and six tenders for contracts with an estimated value of £50k or more) and the contract be awarded to the current contractor, be approved.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Colin Earl, Director of Internal Audit and Asset Management, which provided an update on the re-integration of former RBT services into the Council, following the signing of a legal agreement by the Council and BT on 1st February, 2012 to end the RBT partnership.

The former RBT services were currently being reviewed while being re-integrated, in order to ensure they could meet current and future expectations and achieve savings that would contribute to the Council achieving its 2012/13 budget.  Good progress was being made on the reviews and identification of savings.

The area of Commissioning, Policy and Performance was nearing completion and a report would be submitted to the next meeting for information.

Resolved:-  That the positive progress being made in reviewing and re-integrating former RBT services and the associated identification of savings be noted.

Resolved:-  That a further meeting be held on Monday, 2^nd July, 2012 at 9.30 a.m.