Agenda and minutes

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14^th September, 2009.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th September, 2009, be approved as a correct record.

Phil Howe, Assistant Chief Executive (Human Resources), presented the updated Electronic Communications Policy which incorporated modern technology changes and the inclusion of access to social networking sites for business purposes.

Changes had been adopted following consultation with the Corporate Management Team, members of the E-Gov Board, Trade Unions, the Corporate Information Governance Group, Communication Officers and HR Business Partners which included home working and social networking websites, personal blogs etc.

A team briefing had been issued on 10^th September drawing attention to the Policy changes and that employees would receive a direct e-mail on the subject with read receipts being monitored.  To date, 3,027 had read the e-mail out of approximately 4,000 active e-mail addresses.

Discussion ensued on the Policy with a number of issues highlighted which were not applicable to Elected Members.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the progress made on the revision of the Electronic Communications Policy, including its circulation to employees and Elected Members, be noted.

(2)  That a meeting be held between Therese Caswell, Sarah Corbett, Tracey Holmes and Mark Gannon to consider a Social Networking Policy.

AsifAkram, Project Development Officer, submitted an update with regard to the Council’s provision of a budget to cover ‘third party’ funding for Rotherham generated landfill grant applications.

At the start of the 2009/10 financial year, the total budget was £45,464.97 (including carry forward from 2008/09 of £28,818.97). During the current financial period, a commitment of £10,890 had been made but no actual payments.

Given the slow rate of project submission, it was anticipated that there would be a substantial underspend by the year end.  The situation had been made worse by 1 of the main grant operators, WREN, having stopping receiving applications from organisations in the Rotherham area (excepting activities in Swinton and Wath) as a result of WRG having no landfill operations in the area.

The Chairman reported a suggestion made by Councillor Mannion, in light of a letter sent to all Members of the Council, that all the schools in Rotherham be provided with wormeries.  Although it was felt to be a worthwhile suggestion, if a Member provided funding through their Community Leadership Fund, the Member would have a relationship with that school as well as some Members had already committed their funding to the initiative

It was suggested that contact be made with projects that had previously received WREN funding and ascertain if they had any sustainability issues and thereby keeping it within the principles of Landfill Tax.

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

(2)  That Asif Akram contact David Wilde, Local Agenda 21 Community Worker, to discuss previous WREN funded targets.

(3)  That a further report be submitted in due course.

Joe Johnson, Principal Accountant, presented briefly the submitted report relating to the above.

The report showed that the Chief Executive’s Directorate was forecasting currently a break-even position against a net revenue budget of £9M by the end of March, 2010.

Areas highlighted in the report covered:-

-                      Transport

-                      Vacancies and secondments

-                      Rotherham newspaper

The report set out the summary year to date and projected outturn position for the Chief Executive’s Directorate as at the end of August, 2009.

Resolved:- That the latest revenue forecast outturn position for the Chief Executive’s Directorate for 2009/10 be noted.

Joe Johnson, Principal Accountant, presented briefly the submitted report relating to the above.

The report showed that the Financial Services Directorate was forecasting a break-even position against a net revenue budget of £10.5M by the end of March, 2010.

The report set out the summary year to date and projected outturn position for Financial Services as at the end of August, 2009.

Resolved:- That the latest revenue forecast outturn position for the Financial Services Directorate for 2009/10 be noted.

Mark Gannon, Transformation & Strategic Partnerships Manager, presented the submitted report which summarised RBT’s performance against contractual measures and key service delivery issues for August, 2009, across the areas of Customer Access, Human Resources and Payroll, ICT and Procurement.

Key points for this period included:-

-        All contractual targets had been achieved in Customer Access, ICT and Procurement

-        Average wait time for face-to-face customers continued to improve.  In August over 75% of customers were seen within 5 minutes

-        5% reduction in volumes across the Customer Access portfolio of services in comparison to August, 208

-        Supplementary Yourself release went live on 10^th August, 2009

-        The Service Centre continued to provide temporary management cover for the Millside Learning and Development Centre

-        Corporate VOIP proposal agreed by CMT in August

-        Meetings with Thales to discuss the planned migration of the RMBC network to Digital Region circuits

-        Work progressing on the redevelopment of the RMBC website

-        Former BVP18 achieved 93.78%, an improvement on August, 2008.  Average performance to date stood at 94.64%

Resolved:-  That RBT’s performance against  contractual measures and key service delivery issues for August, 2009, be noted.

- minutes of meeting held on 7^th September, 2009

Consideration was given to the minutes of the Complaints Forum held on 7th September, 2009.

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

- minutes of meeting held on 16^th September, 2009

Consideration was given to the minutes of the Website Strategy Group held on 16th September, 2009.

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

- minutes of meeting held on 21^st September, 2009

Consideration was given to the minutes of the Customer Access Group held on 21st September, 2009.

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

Mark Gannon, Transformation & Strategic Partnerships Manager, presented a report which summarised RBT’s performance in respect of Procurement savings achieved and in respect of the Revenues and Benefits Service for August, 2009.

The following issues were highlighted:-

-        £307,000 procurement savings for the period to the end of July, 2009

-        As at the end of August, 2009, Council Tax Collection rate of 46.69%  - slightly down on the corresponding point in 2008/09 (46.99%)

-        The average number of days taken to action a Council Tax Change of Circumstances was 12.89 days as at the end of August, 2009

-        67.50% of people paid their Council Tax by direct debit as at the end of August, 2009.  At the same point in 2008 the figure was 66.82%

-        48.36% NNDR collection rate compared with 50.32% as at August, 2008

-        The HB/CTB New Claims and Change Events had worsened and now stood at 15.33 days against the local interim target of 15 days.

Resolved:-  (1)  That RBT’s performance against contractual measures and key service delivery issues for August, 2009, be noted.

(2)  That details of deferments be included in future reports.

Phil Howe, Chief Executive (Human Resources), reported that the 2008/09 pay claim had been settled and was to be paid into October’s pay together with arrears backdated to April, 2009.

Discussion had now commenced with regard to the 2009/10 pay award.

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.