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To Members of the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee

Notice of Meeting

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

25 February 2004

Membership

Chair – Councillor Ken Harper

Councillors:

AGENDA

Addenda

1. Apologies for Absence and Temporary Appointments
2. Declarations of Interest
3. Minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18 December 2003 (CG3(a)) and 20 January 2004 (CG3(b)) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4. Petitions and Public Address

EXECUTIVE FORWARD PLAN

5. Review of Property Assets

(Ref 2003/231)

10:10 On 27 January the Executive considered a report (EX10) which updated progress with the Review of Property Assets and resolved to:

1. authorise further work to test the office hub and service cluster options in the northern part of the County, to allow a more detailed assessment of the robustness of the options and the extent to which the success criteria were being met, the work to include a financial appraisal of the preferred options;
2. invite the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee to consider and comment on:
   
   

1. the findings of the further work; and
2. the specific reviews of smallholdings, staff and fire service housing, traveller sites, leasing policy and composite sites;
   
   
3. consider the outcome of the further work and specific reviews, together with any comments from the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee, in June 2004;
4. agree to the principle of taking a 10 year lease on office accommodation in Abingdon to meet the short and medium term Social & Health Care office needs and other corporate needs on the basis that the capital receipt from the sale of Champion House should be used to part fund these proposals.
   
   

The report (CG5) advises the Scrutiny Committee of the work undertaken so far, the work to be undertaken between now and May and sets out proposals arising from four specific reviews which have been undertaken as part of the Review.

The purpose of the report therefore is to inform the Scrutiny Committee of work undertaken so far on the Review of Assets and the work to be undertaken between January and May 2004 and to invite the Scrutiny Committee to consider and comment to the Director for Resources on the proposals arising from the four specific reviews undertaken as part of the Review of Property Assets.

6. Treasury Management Strategy for 2004/05

(Ref 2003/181)

11:10 On 17 February the Executive considered a report (CG6) which set out a Treasury Management strategy for the authority for the financial year 2004/05.

The Council has customarily considered an annual Treasury Strategy Statement under the requirement of the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management, which was adopted by this Council on 1 April 2003. The Prudential Code for Capital Finance in local authorities has introduced new requirements for the manner in which capital spending plans are to be considered and approved, and in conjunction with this, for the development of an integrated treasury management strategy.

The proposed strategy covers: the current treasury position; proposed changes to the Councils debt portfolio; prospects for interest rates; the borrowing strategy; and the investment strategy.

Regulations under the Local Government Act 2000 reserve the approval of any "… plan or strategy for the control of the authority’s borrowing …" to the full Council. This description applies to a substantial part of this report, which should accordingly be referred for comment to the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee for comment before the Executive makes a formal recommendation to Council, in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules set out in the Constitution.

The Executive resolved:

1. subject to (b) below, to endorse the proposed Treasury Management Strategy 2004/05 set out in the report and in particular the proposals for:
   
   

1. an increase in external debt by up to £53m to finance the capital programme;
2. the addition of the named banks in paragraph 20 of the report to the Council’s lending list;
3. the use of Lenders Option/Borrowers Option loans to finance the capital programme, with a maximum limit of £10m in 2004/05;
4. utilisation of accumulator deposits to improve investment returns subject to a £10m limit; and
5. the Prudential Indicators in Annex 1 of the report;
   
   
2. to refer the report to the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee for comments with a view to making a recommendation on the strategy to the April 2004 Council.
   
   
7. Oxfordshire Community Strategy

(Ref. 2203/223)

11:25 On 16 March the Executive will consider the report (CG7) on the outcome of consultations on the draft strategy prepared by the Oxfordshire Community Partnership.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment to the Executive on the strategy prior to its formal adoption by Council.

8. Social Inclusion and Equalities

(Ref. 2003/201)

11:40 The Equality Standard for Local Government was launched in October 2001 and became a statutory Best Value Performance Indicator in 2002/03. The Executive adopted the Equality Standard for Local Government on 28 October 2003. This is now the key driver and framework for developing the Council’s performance in equalities.

The next step in progressing the Standard is for the Executive to adopt a Comprehensive Equality Policy, covering service delivery and employment. A draft policy (CG8) (download as .pdf file) was subject to internal and external consultation from 19 January 2004 to 27 February 2004.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment to the Executive on the Consultative Draft Comprehensive Equality Policy.

SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMME

9. ‘Do Partnerships Deliver?’

12:00 The Chair will give a brief oral update prior to the substantive discussion at the 20 May meeting.

10. Social Inclusion Review

12:05 Progress report by the Social Inclusion Review Group (CG10). (Members are invited to give any detailed comment on the draft outline of the report to the Scrutiny Review Officers for consideration by the Review Group prior to its final report to the May meeting.)

11. Job Evaluation Review

12:10 The Scrutiny Committee is RECOMMENDED to approve the Job Evaluation Review scoping document (CG11) (download as .rtf file) and forward it to the Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group for approval.

12. Councillor Role Descriptions

12:30 In December 2003 the Scrutiny Committee gave consideration to a set of role descriptions for Councillors. The Committee’s view was that a description should be included for each role which currently attracts a Special Responsibility Allowance. The descriptions were approved by Council on 13 January 2004 with some amendments for finalisation by the Head of Democratic Services subject to any further amendments by the Scrutiny Committee and the Reference Group.

The descriptions as amended by Council are attached (CG12). The amendments made by Council are shown in bold italics.

MONITORING

13. Financial Monitoring

12:35 At the July 2003 meeting the Scrutiny Committee agreed to consider the latest Financial Monitoring report considered by the Executive with a view to identifying any matters arising.

On 17 February the Executive considered a report (CG13) which set out the budget monitoring position to the end of December 2003. The report shows an improvement in the Council’s overall key reserves since the last report; mainly in the Directorate carry forward reserves. The balance on the carry forward reserves represents in part timing delays in delivering projects. Directorates are entitled to carry forward these balances to spend in the next financial year. As usual the carry forward reserves will be closely scrutinised as part of the closedown process. The paper includes at Annex 2 (download as .rtf file) the quarterly staffing reports to December 2003.

14. Best Value Review – Property Services

12:45 The Best Value Committee has considered an implementation report (a copy of which has been placed in the Members’ Resource Centre).

15. Tracking Scrutiny Outcomes
    
    (See also Addenda)