Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes from the meeting held on 8^th January 2008 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

            It was noted that no public questions were received.

            The Minutes of the Executive Board and the Executive Board Sub-Committee relating to the work of the Corporate Services Policy & Performance Board since its last meeting were submitted for information.

 

            RESOLVED: That the Minutes be received.

            In May 2007, the Council applied and was accepted onto the Carbon Trust Local Authority Carbon Management Programme. As part of the programme, the Council had developed a Carbon Management Strategy and Implementation Plan, a copy of which had been circulated to Members.

 

            The baseline year for the programme was 2006/07 and emissions from Council buildings (including schools), street lighting, fleet transport, business travel and waste were included in the baseline. In 2006/07, the Council’s emissions from the activities produced 24,183 tonnage of CO². Total energy and fuel costs amounted to £4.4m. Assuming the Council took no action to reduce existing trends, based on conservative estimates for gas, electricity and fuel prices, it was estimated that these costs could rise to £5.3m by 2011/12 with emissions rising to 25,151 tonnes of CO².

 

            The Action Plan set out measures and sought to reduce the Council’s emissions by 20% over the next five years. If achieved, this would deliver cost savings of £480,000 per annum once all measures were implemented. The plan also established an aspirational 33% reduction by 2013/14. Cost savings in the region of £1.6m may be achieved if those targets were met.

 

            RESOLVED: That the Carbon Management Strategy and Implementation Plans be supported and submitted to the Executive Board for approval.

            At a previous meeting of the Board held on 8^th January 2008, the Board considered the work programme for 2008/09 and agreed the following topics to be considered as initial ideas to be included in the programme:-

 

(i)  Customer focus

(ii) Flexible Working Practices

(iii)       Market and Industrial Units

(iv) Access to Services; and

(v)  Transfer of Assets.

 

            It was agreed that as Performance Monitoring and Customer Complaints were to be rolled forward from this year’s work programme into next year’s work programme, only two of the above topics would be included in the work programme for 2008/09.Therefore, it was proposed that access to services and transfer of assets would be included as topics in the work programme for 2008/09.

 

            RESOLVED: That following topics be examined as part of the work programme for 2008/09:

 

(i)  Access to Services;

(ii) Transfer of Assets;

(iii)      Performance Monitoring; and

(iv) Customer Complaints.

            The Sub-Committee received a progress report on the implementation of the National Job Evaluation Scheme. The Council implemented the outcomes for the recent pay and grading review at the end of January 2008. All affected employees received a personal letter setting out full details of the new pay structure and their individual grade within that structure.

 

            An appeals process had been established and employees had until 31^st March 2008 to lodge an appeal. Thereafter, appeals would be heard by a joint union/ Management Appeals Panel on a priority basis, with posts that had gone down being heard first.

 

            Work was now being undertaken to update the payroll system with the new pay structure to enable employees’ pay to be adjusted accordingly.

 

            Arising from the discussion Members requested additional information on:-

 

-     the number of employees who had increased in grade, decreased in grade or stayed the same prior to the appeals process;

 

-     the percentage of employees who had substantially remained the same prior to appeals; and

 

-     the number of employees who had submitted appeals.

 

      RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board received a presentation from Nick Mannion, Neighbourhood Management Director, who provided a progress report on developing neighbourhood management in Halton over the past 12 months and on future challenges and opportunities.

 

            Recent developments included:

 

-      Neighbourhood Action Plans;

 

-      Development of Aim Higher;

 

-     Pilot Neighbourhood Charter on Liveability issues; and

 

-      Contributions towards Local Area Agreements and Community Safety Crime Reduction Partnership.

 

During the next 6 months it was anticipated that Neighbourhood Management would be involved in the following issues:

 

-     Actions around the external evaluation report;

 

-     Devolving the intervention fund to Neighbourhood Management Boards; and

 

-     providing support for Board Members, training etc.

 

            Members expressed concern that one Neighbourhood Management Board held some meetings during the daytime and they were unable to attend due to work commitments. They had submitted a request for later meetings but the Boards had made a decision to continue to hold meetings in the day. N. Mannion agreed to take the concerns back to the Board for consideration. He also agreed to ensure that the Councillors who were Members of the Neighbourhood Management Boards would be sent a paper copy of the agenda.

 

            RESOLVED: That the presentation be noted.

Councillor Dennett declared a personal interest in the above item as a member of the Co-op who funded the project.

            The Board considered a report which outlined the progress of the performance management second quarter against the service plan objectives and performance targets, performance trends/comparisons, factors affecting the services etc. for:

 

Exchequer and Customer Services

Financial Services

ICT Services

Legal and Member Services

Personnel Services

Policy and Performance

Halton Stadium

 

            RESOLVED: That the third quarter performance management reports be received.