Agenda and draft minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th January, 2013 be approved as a correct record.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Anne Hawke, Performance Officer, which summarised the performance by the Resources Directorate against current measures and key service delivery issues during Quarter 3 across the areas of:-

·               Commissioning, Policy and Performance.

·               Financial Services.

·               Human Resources and Payroll.

·               Internal Audit and Asset Management.

·               Legal and Democratic Services.

A summary of the key points was provided in relation to each of the areas and the following issues were raised and clarified:-

·                On-going work to achieve financial efficiencies year on year in the high cost area of residential placements for looked after children.

·                Number of complaints received via the Councillors’ Surgery System and whether this incorporated queries via the telephone.

·                Council Tax collection rates – fifth best in the country.

·                Decisions on new benefit claims and the effective use of resources in light of welfare reform changes.

·                Positive outcome of the employee opinion survey.

·                Congratulations to Legal Services in achieving the Law Society’s Practice Management Standard Lexcel following the last annual maintenance inspection.

Discussion ensued on the presentation of the information and it was suggested that the layout be revised and a more narrative commentary with less statistics be supported.

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

(2)  That the layout of the performance report be revised to include a commentary section as to the variances.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Chrissy Wright, Strategic Commissioning Manager, which set out the progress to date on the development and implementation of an eMarketplace, Connect to Support (CtS) in Rotherham.

It was pointed out that Connect to Support was launched to the public on 29^th January, 2013, and a number of promotion and marketing activities had commenced to support the public launch and to raise awareness of the site both externally and internally, which would also be extended to include a Team Briefing Note.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the progress to date on the development and implementation of an eMarketplace, Connect to Support (CtS) in Rotherham be noted.

(2)  That the promotion and marketing campaign be noted and a Team Briefing Note be issued.

The following issues were raised:-

(a)          Phil Howe, Director of Human Resources, confirmed that preliminary discussions with the Trades Unions were to continue and a meeting was scheduled for later this week.

All letters regarding auto enrolment for the Local Government Pension Scheme had now been issued to all employees.

It was also noted that work was to commence in preparation for the submission of “Real Time Information” to the Inland Revenue from April, 2013.  This was being undertaken for both Doncaster and Rotherham Council as part of the new Shared Service arrangements.

(b)          Stuart Booth, Director of Finance, confirmed reports on the Revenue Budget, Capital Programme and Treasury Management were being prepared for consideration by the Cabinet on 20^th February, 2013.

Letters had also been issued to claimants regarding the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.  A massive increase in responses was expected.

(c)          Colin Earl, Director of Internal Audit and Asset Management, provided a summary of the current position with regards to Municipal Mutual Insurance.

The Corporate Risk Register was also being submitted to the Cabinet for consideration on the 20^th February, 2013.

Opportunities were also being explored to build on the shared service provision currently offered to other Councils.

(d)          Richard Copley, Corporate ICT Manager, provided an update on the current IPad provision and progress on access to restricted agenda documents.  An evaluation report on the electronic access trial would be submitted to the next meeting on the 11^th March, 2013, once those Members on the trial had been surveyed for their views.

Discussion ensued on the efficiencies and savings that could be achieved through electronic access and the choices that may be made available to Elected Members following the trial’s evaluation.

It was also noted that public WiFi was soon to be available at the Town Hall.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Richard Copley, Corporate ICT Manager, which detailed the Council’s current use of MapInfo Professional as its main Geographical Information System (GIS).

An exemption from Standing Orders was being sought on the basis that only the software supplier (Pitney Bowes) were capable of supporting this software and, therefore, the annual maintenance for the software costs was £8,900.

Resolved:-  That the contract for support and maintenance of the MapInfo Professional be exempt from the provisions of Standing Order 47.6.2 (requirement to invite at least two oral or written quotations for contracts with a value of £5000 but less than £20,000) and approved.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Richard Copley, Corporate ICT Manager, which provided details on the licences owned by the Council for SIMS and FMS (Schools Information Management System/Financial Management System) provided by Capita Education Services. 

The contract between the Council and Capita had been in place for ten years and originally set up to enable all schools in Rotherham to have the same management information system to enable collaborative working and data sharing with the Council’s core systems within Children and Young Peoples Service. 

The continuation of the cost of this support and maintenance contract for 2013/14 was £144,500 and adequate budget was available to cover this. The costs were recouped direct from schools as part of the Council’s Schools Connect ICT Service Level Agreement.

Schools were aware of the Capita Annual Maintenance agreement and communication had been sent informing them of the charges for 2013/14.

It was estimated that the cost of changing system would be over £400,000 and take over eighteen months to complete and not something schools wished to pursue.

Resolved:-  That the contract for licencing, support and maintenance of the Capita Schools Information Management System/Financial Management System be exempt from the provisions of Standing Order 48.1 (requirement to invite three to six tenders for contracts with a value of over £50k) and the contract be awarded to Capita.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Richard Copley, Corporate ICT Manager, which sought approval to an exemption from Contract Standing Orders and to grant the contract for the support and maintenance of the CAPITA ONE Education Case Management system to CAPITA Business Services Ltd, being the propriety system owner and the only company able to provide support and maintenance.

Resolved:-  That the contract for support and maintenance of the Education Case Management System be exempt from the provisions of Standing Order 48.1 (requirement to invite three to six tenders for contracts with a value of over £50k) and the contract be awarded to Capita.

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 they involve 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 Anne Hawke, Performance Officer, which summarised the performance by Community Engagement against current measures and key service delivery issues during Quarter 3.

A summary of the key points was provided on the areas outlined in the report.

Resolved:-  That the report be received and the performance noted.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Colin Earl, Director of Internal Audit and Asset Management, which outlined the work which had been undertaken to date by Children and Young People’s Services, Neighbourhoods and Adult Services and Resources to jointly re-procure a Social Care Case Management System.

The current supplier of the system had confirmed it could maintain and enhance the system and provided indicative costs for this.

Other suppliers submitting reliable information could implement a new system, although this would cost around £1 million more than the current proposal as well as requiring additional ICT hardware, training (external and internal) and substantial staff time associated with implementation. There was no budget to provide for any of these additional requirements.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the actions taken to date be noted.

(2)  That the continuation of the current supplier be approved and negotiations take place on contract terms and conditions to include additional Functionality and Product Set.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Stuart Booth, Director of Finance, which detailed information that would require the need to use the Northgate software functionality enhancement to enable the Council to implement the Housing Benefit Social Sector Size Criteria legislation from 1st April 2013.

An exemption from Standing Orders for procuring this new software licence key was sought as the provision of the Housing Benefit software could only be supplied by Northgate.   

Resolved:-  That the contract for the purchase of a software licence key be approved and be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order 47.6.2 (requirement to invite at least two oral or written quotations for contracts with a value of £5k but less than £20k) and the purchase be made from Northgate.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Stuart Booth, Director of Finance, which detailed the need to have a Support and Maintenance agreement with the software supplier to enable the Council to ensure ongoing use and reliability of the Civica Electronic Document Management and Workflow System functionality from 1st April, 2013 to 31st March, 2014.

Maintaining the reliability Electronic Document Management and Workflow System was essential in maintaining an excellent customer service in the administration of benefits, ensuring efficient billing of Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates and ensuring that income collection was maximised.

Exemption from Standing Orders was, therefore, sought, for procuring this software support and maintenance as the provision of the document management and workflow software support could only be supplied by Civica.   

Resolved:-  That the contract for the purchase of annual Support and Maintenance for the Civica System be approved and be exempt from the provisions of Standing Order 47.6.3 (requirement to invite at least three written quotations for contracts with a value of £20k but less than £50k) and that the purchase be made from Civica.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Stuart Booth, Director of Finance, which detailed the need for the Council to ensure ongoing use and reliability of the Northgate Revenues and Benefits System functionality from 1st April, 2013 to 31st March, 2014 and the need to have a Support and Maintenance agreement with the software supplier.

Maintaining the reliability Revenues and Benefits System was essential in maintaining an excellent customer service in the administration of benefits, ensuring efficient billing of Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates and ensuring that income collection was maximised.

Exemption from Standing Orders was, therefore, sought, for procuring this software support and maintenance as the provision of the document management and workflow software support could only be supplied by Northgate.   

Resolved:-  That the contract for the purchase of annual Support and Maintenance for the Northgate Revenues and Benefits System be approved and be exempt from the provisions of Standing Order 48.1 (requirement to invite three to six tenders for contracts with a value of £50k or more) and that the purchase be made from Northgate.

Resolved:-  That a further meeting be held on Monday, 11^th March, 2013 at 9.30 a.m.