Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2015 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered the report of the Strategic Director – Community and Resources, which provided an update on progress with the implementation of the Council’s Procurement Strategy 2013-2016, which included targets and measurements, as at 31 October 2015.

The Council’s Procurement Strategy 2013-16 provided a structured approach to procurement, in order to ensure efficient processes were followed which would deliver reduced costs whilst maintaining or improving service delivery.

Members were advised that the Strategy for 2016-2019 needed to reflect the changing local government landscape and the financial challenges being faced.  It would be underpinned by the current national direction of travel as highlighted in the Local Government Association’s National Procurement Strategy.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the content and position statement regarding progress towards targets and measures be noted;

2)    the creation of a strategy for 2016-2019 for approval by June 2016 be approved.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Community and Resources, on the progress of actions in the Corporate Risk Register for 2015/16.

          The report outlined actions taken in relation to corporate risks for this year. 

          The Board reviewed the robustness of the Corporate Risk Register and the adequacy of the associated risk management arrangements.

          RESOLVED:  That the progress on actions be noted.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Community and Resources, on the Information Governance (IG) Annual Report for 2014/15 which contributed to the Council’s assurance framework and good governance.

Members were advised that there were a number of pieces of legislation and good practice standards that govern the IG arrangements of the Council.  The work of IG was primarily based on the requirements of the Local Authority Data Handling guidelines, ISO27001 (standard for information security), Data Protection Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

RESOLVED: That the contents of the Annual Report for 2014/15 be noted.

The Board considered the report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, on the progress to date with the Efficiency Programme.

It was noted that since commencing in 2009, the Efficiency Programme, and activity associated with it, had identified savings in the region of over £12.5m.  This had assisted the Council in the difficult task of dealing with the budget gap.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

PART II

In this case the Board has a discretion to exclude the press and public and, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, it is RECOMMENDED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been satisfied that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

The Board considered:

1)        Whether Members of the press and public should be excluded from the meeting of the Board during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be considered, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972; and

2)        Whether the disclosure of information was in the public interest, whether any relevant exemptions were applicable and whether, when applying the public interest test and exemptions, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed that in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED: That as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed that in disclosing the information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

          The Board considered a report of the Operational Director – Finance, which provided Members with a summary of internal audit work completed since the last meeting of the Board.

          RESOLVED: That:

1)    the update on progress against the 2015/16 Internal Audit Plan be received;

2)    the completed internal audit reports be noted; and

3)    the progress made in regard to the implementation of previous internal audit recommendations be noted.