Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dr. D. W. P. Booth JP and Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP.

No declarations of interest were received.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 2nd June 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be approved as a correct record.

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

The minutes of the meeting of the Overview Board held on 1st June 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

The minutes of the meeting of the Audit Board held on 7th June 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the minutes be noted; and

(b)       that recommendations contained at Minute No 10/10 (a) to (e) relating to Protecting the Public Purse be approved.

(c)        that it be noted that recommendation Minute No 10/10(e) was a matter for the Cabinet to determine and therefore did not need to be referred to the Council.

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

The minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Board held on 10th June 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED:            that the minutes be noted.   

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Board held on 15th June 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED:            that the minutes be noted.

Councillor G. N.  Denaro as the Portfolio Holder for Resources referred to the Overview Board Task Group report on Community Involvement with Local Democracy and acknowledged the importance of increasing democratic participation, particularly in the light of recent events at both national and local level.

The increased level of public involvement in the democratic process through the work of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee in relation to petitions and task group exercises was acknowledged and welcomed.

Councillor Denaro welcomed the recommendations within the report, some of which complemented and extended the work already being undertaken by officers from a number of departments within the Authority and in partnership with colleagues from the County Council. Concern was expressed however regarding the current and forthcoming programme of work to be carried out by officers and the potential impact of the additional recommendations.

Councillor Denaro stated that having discussed the proposals with the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services he was satisfied that in the main, existing projects and programmes could be extended to include recommendations of the Task Group and that the resources required were largely internal with officer time and activity able to be re-directed. This would need close working between Heads of Service and their respective officers to extend existing work programmes to take account of additional projects.

Members also wished to see that the impact of the work to be undertaken was measured with an increase in the outturn figures in respect of the 2011 local elections. 

The Cabinet felt that there were significant resources implications which would need to be addressed in the way suggested by the Portfolio Holder.  

At the invitation of the Leader, the Chairman of the Overview Board Councillor S. R. Colella addressed the meeting and referred to the evidence base considered by the Task Group and the significant amount of work undertaken by Members and officers.   

The Leader thanked the Task Group on behalf of the Cabinet for their hard work in producing a very good report.  

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Community Involvement in Local Democracy Task Group be approved subject to the programme of implementation being drawn up in consultation with the relevant Heads of Service as referred to in the preamble.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Improving Residents’ Satisfaction Task Group. The Leader invited the Chairman of the Task Group, Councillor S. R. Colella to introduce the report.

Councillor Colella referred to the results of the latest Place Survey which had indicated a low level of satisfaction with services provided by the Council. The Task Group had looked in detail at the survey results and identified ways of improving residents’ perception, including highlighting areas where the Authority was performing well.

The Cabinet was in agreement with the recommendations but it was highlighted that there were financial implications in respect of some of the recommendations and these would need to go through the normal budget process.

As with the Community Involvement in Local Democracy Task Group, it was felt that there should be close working between relevant Heads of Service and their officers to extend existing work programmes in order to undertake the work arising from the recommendations.

The Leader thanked the Chairman of the Task Group for an excellent report.

RESOLVED  that the recommendations of the Improving Residents’ Satisfaction Task Group be approved, subject to items with direct financial implications going through the usual budgetary process and to the programme of implementation being agreed with Heads of Service.           

(a)       To receive and note the minutes

(b)       To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

It was noted that there were no recommendations arising from the meeting of the Shared Services Board held on 24th June 2010 and that the minutes would be submitted to the next Cabinet for noting.

The minutes of the meeting of the Bromsgrove Local Strategic Partnership held on 20th May 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

The minutes of the meeting of the Equality and Diversity Forum held on 15th April 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED  that the minutes be noted.

The Leader reported on the position in relation to the West Midland Leaders Board, Advantage West Midlands and the West Midlands Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership.

The Cabinet considered a report on financial information for the year ended 31st March 2010 together with a list of amendments to the Statement of Accounts arising from a single transaction. 

The Portfolio Holder and the Executive Director Finance and Corporate Resources responded to questions on the accounts from Members. Arising from the queries raised the Executive Director Finance and Corporate Resources undertook to provide additional financial training to all Members of the Council. 

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       that the unaudited Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2010 be approved;

(b)       that the increase in the 2010/2011 Capital Programme of £1.192m in relation to the carry forward requests as set out in Appendix 2 to the report be approved;

(c)        that the Annual Governance Statement be approved; and

(d)       that the outturn position on revenue and capital as detailed in the report be noted.   

The Cabinet considered a report on the proposed adoption of a Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Take Up Strategy to ensure that residents continue to receive advice and encouragement to claim any benefit to which they may be entitled. 

RESOLVED that the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Take up Strategy attached as an Appendix to the report be approved.          

The Cabinet considered a draft version of the Improvement Plan 2010/2011. 

RESOLVED  that the draft Improvement Plan 2010/2011 be approved.

The Cabinet considered a report on the Council’s performance as at 31st May 2010 (period 2).

RESOLVED:

(a)       that it be noted that 61% of Performance Indicators were stable or improving;

(b)       that it be noted that 45% of Performance Indicators which had a target were meeting their target as at the month end and that 85% were projected to meet their target at the year end;

(c)        that the performance figures for May 2010 as set out in Appendix 2 be noted;

(d)       that the particular areas of improvement as set out in section 4.2 of the report be noted; and

(e)       that the particular areas of concern as set out in section 4.3 of the report be noted.    

Consideration was given to a report on the National Indicator Performance Outturns in 2009/2010 for all National Indicators collected at a District level.

It was reported that a separate Annual Report would be submitted to Cabinet in September 2010 which would summarise achievements against Council priorities and targets.  

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the changes to the format and timing of the Annual Report as set out in section 3 be noted; and

(b)       that the performance outturns for all National Indicators as set out in the Appendix to the report be noted.