Agenda and draft minutes
Venue: Committee Room 1 - Wallasey Town Hall. View directions
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Members Code of Conduct - Declarations of Interest Members are requested to consider whether they have a personal or prejudicial interest in connection with any of the items on this agenda and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest. Minutes: No declarations of interest were received. |
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To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 18 January 2012 Minutes: RESOLVED:
That the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 18 January 2012 be confirmed as a correct record. |
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Urgent Business - Comments made at the Improvement Board Meeting on 3 February 2012 Minutes: Councillor S Foulkes informed that he wished to discuss an item of urgent business which had arisen as a result of comments made by members of the Improvement Board. This was in respect of the possible duplication of work that would arise if it and this Committee continued to meet. He intended to discuss this matter at the end of the meeting when all the other business had been dealt with. |
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Comprehensive Work Programme Progress Report PDF 69 KB Additional documents: Minutes: A report by the Chief Executive updated Members on progress with the delivery of the comprehensive work programme to improve corporate governance. The report highlighted progress against the 10 Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) approved by the Committee at its meeting on 16 November 2011(Minute No. 13 refers). It also updated Members on progress with the on going cultural change programme and the resultant communications activities.
Cultural Change and resultant Communications Progress
An updated status report was available at Appendix 1 to the report to illustrate this progress.
illustrated in Appendix 1 to the report.
Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) Progress
A report illustrating progress for each individual KLOE was available at Appendix 1 to the report
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Performance Management Update PDF 126 KB Minutes: A report by the Chief Executive presented an update on the review of Performance Management within the Council. It had been accepted that a robust Management Framework must be put in place to bring about improvement. The Cabinet, at its meeting on 16 November 2011, had agreed that a review would be undertaken as part of the Work Programme. This was now completed and as a result, having taken into consideration the best practice of other organisations, including Councils, a draft amended Framework was now being proposed at Appendix 1 to the report.
An outline business planning process for 2012/13 that reflected the revised Framework, but took on board the constraints associated with undertaking this review within the current business planning cycle, whilst not pre-empting the outcomes of other KLOE reviews was also being proposed at Appendix 2 to the report.
It was noted that a further report detailing the business planning process and the performance appraisal process for 2013/14 and beyond would be presented for consideration to an appropriate meeting in March 2012.
The Committee considered the detail of the Proposed Performance Improvement and Management Framework, the Proposed Business Planning Proces 2012/13 and Performance Appraisal process.
It was noted that the proposals for managing, monitoring, reviewing and reporting performance would be supported by a clear appraisal process that links individual performance to the achievement of the Council’s objectives. The appraisal process would also support the drive to embed an improvement culture within the organisation. It was also noted that further details of the performance appraisal process would be reported to an appropriate meeting in March 2012 and it was proposed that the appraisal of all Chief Officers, Heads of Service and Service Managers would take place by the end of May 2012. This would provide the opportunity for individual objectives to be set against the Corporate and Departmental plans and for Heads of Service to take the lead on developing Service Improvement Plans by the end of June 2012. This would also enable recommendations arising from the work on the Code of Corporate Governance to be developed in that appraisals would be able to ensure compliance with key corporate governance policies and procedures.
The Chief Executive reported that work continued on delivering the objectives of KLOE 7 which would include the consideration and review of:
The Committee was informed that a further report would be submitted to an appropriate meeting in March 2012 which would summarise the conclusions and recommendations following consideration of the key themes. The report would provide a more detailed business planning process and leadership and management approaches for 2013/14 and beyond, as well as the key milestones and resources required to achieve this. It would also further detail any additional actions required post-March as part of the Council’s revised approach to performance management, efficiency and improvement.
The Committee was also informed that the good practice exercised by Public Health in respect of its ... view the full minutes text for item 33. |
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Future Corporate Governance Improvement Framework PDF 96 KB Minutes: A report by the Chief Executive provided an overview of the products which would result from the work taking place on the Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) that underpinned the Corporate Governance Comprehensive Work Plan. It also identified a number of linkages between the KLOEs and proposed that they inform the development of a Framework for implementing, sustaining and ensuring compliance of improvement actions. This Improvement Framework would also provide a clear context for progressing the recommendations contained in the AKA report and other external reports, together with issues raised by employees through the range of discussions, questionnaires, meetings that were currently taking place.
The Committee was aware that work was progressing on each of the KLOEs and this would result in a number of discrete operational proposals that were relevant to each one. Appendix 1 to the report set out the anticipated Products from each of the KLOEs together with an outline of when and how the improvement proposals would be brought forward.
This work was not being done in isolation, either from the other KLOEs or from existing mainstream delivery, as it was recognised that there were linkages across the programme. These linkages were still emerging as the reviews neared completion, but a number of strategic actions and principles had been identified. These included the following:
It was proposed that these strategic actions formed the basis of the March report on the outcomes of the Corporate Governance Work Plan. This report would be supported by a number of annexes setting out specific detailed recommendations relating to the individual KLOEs where relevant. The Committee was informed that the majority of the work to deliver the ten KLOEs would be completed and reported on by the end of March 2012. However, whilst this work ensured that a range of improvement actions were put in place, it also highlighted further longer term actions that would be required to ensure that improvements to corporate governance were fully embedded in how the Council did its business.
In addition, the range of employee engagement activities that Members had now put in place would give rise to a wealth of feedback that was likely to inform, not only issues relating directly to corporate governance, but also potentially to wider ... view the full minutes text for item 34. |
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KLOE 5 - Review of Policy PDF 97 KB Additional documents: Minutes: A report by the Chief Executive set out the conclusions of a review of policy undertaken as part of the governance work programme agreed by the Cabinet at its meeting on 16 November 2011.
The Committee was informed that the Director of Public Health had been appointed as the project manager to undertake the review of policy and a project team had been established in November 2011. The scope of the review had been agreed by the Chief Executive as project sponsor and the Deputy Leader of the Council as Lead Member, and the agreed objective had been to identify a model for a Council Policy Unit and take the necessary action required to implement this by April 2012.
As the result of the review, the Chief Executive’s report made proposals with regard to the decision made to establishment of the Policy Unit by April 2012. Set out within the report was:
The proposed functions of the Policy Unit were as follows:
To lead on a coherent and joined up approach to policy, planning and strategy development for the Council
The products and features of this function would include:
The intended outcomes of this function would be:
To ensure that there is a robust knowledge and evidence based approach to decision making in order to tackle the key challenges for Wirral
The products and features of this function would include:
The intended outcomes of this function would be:
To engage with local and sub-regional partners to shape and respond to policy developments and implement decisions
The products and features of this function would include:
The intended outcomes of this function would be:
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Exempt Information - Exclusion of Members of the Public The public may be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information.
RECOMMENDED – That, in accordance with section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act. The public interest test has been applied and favours exclusion. Minutes: The Committee considered section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, whereby the public could be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act.
The report contained information relating to an individual who had bid for a contract to support the Council’s Corporate Governance Improvement Programme and been successful.
When the Public Interest test was applied the Committee did not favour exclusion because it was considered that. it was in the public interest to make the information contained in the report available to the press and public.
RESOLVED:
That the press and public be not excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the next item of business as the public interest test has been applied and the Committee considers that it is in the public interest not to do so. |
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Internal Audit: Appointment of External Reviewer PDF 54 KB Minutes: A report by the Chief Executive reminded the Committee that it had agreed the procedure for recruiting external assistance to support the Corporate Governance Improvement Programme at its meeting on 16 November 2011 (Minute No. 13 refers). The overarching objective was to comply with the Council's Contract Procedure Rules.
The intention had been to source three quotations, one from the Local Government Association and others from two suppliers recommended by Anna Klonowski (AKA)
The LGA had confirmed on 7 December 2011 that it did not wish to tender for the work.
A procurement process using the Council's eTendering and sourcing portal (The Chest) had beenconducted for the two suppliers recommended by AKA. The process had closed on 23 December 2011 and neither supplier had responded and it had been confirmed on 29 December 2011 that one had officially withdrawn, and the other would participate if return period was extended.
Following discussions between the Council's Corporate Procurement Manager and the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Finance it had been agreed to offer the remaining supplier the opportunity to bid, having due regard to the urgency of the work.
Consequently, the procurement process had been repeated and a subsequent proposal was received by the closing date of 20 January 2011. Confirmation was then sought on the cost of the proposal. This was received on 26 January 2011. The cost was £15,000 (£1,000 per day) including expenses.
The Committee was informed that in the opinion of the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Finance the respondent was appropriate to appoint for the following reasons:
In accordance with Contract Procedure Rule 19.1.4 Peter Derrick, BA, CPFA had been appointed to undertake the External Support for the Review of Internal Audit at a cost of £15,000.
RESOLVED:
That the decision of the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Finance to appoint Peter Derrick, CPFA, as an external assistance to support the Corporate Governance Improvement Programme , at a cost of £15,000 be endorsed. |
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Urgent Business - Comments Made at the Improvement Board's Meeting on 3 February 2012 Minutes: Councillor S Foulkes provided the Committee with an account of the proceedings of the first Improvement Board meeting which had been held on 3 February 2012. The discussion had centred round the good work that had already been completed and what future issues would require Members to make decisions. The Board in an attempt to avoid duplication had considered whether it was necessary for both it and this Committee to drive through improvements. The overwhelming view was that the Improvement Board was the best vehicle to take the improvements agenda forward. It was noted that the Board was not a decision-making body. It had been established in purely an advisory capacity. It was agreed to bring this proposal to this meeting to see if the Committee agreed with the Improvement Board’s view.
Some very good work was ongoing in respect of the ten Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) and it was reported that the Improvement Board had been very clear that it would like this work to continue. The original proposal had been that, by April 2012, this Committee would have the basic building blocks in place for improvements but it was noted that the Improvement Board had been set up for the longer term and had a two year programme of work to get through. If the Committee was to be disbanded recommendations made by the Improvement Board must be referred to the Cabinet for its agreement or otherwise.
RESOLVED: That
(1) this Committee will no longer meet;
(2) reports scheduled for future consideration by the Committee will now be considered by the Improvement Board instead;
(3) any recommendations of the Improvement Board will be referred to the Cabinet for decision; and
(4) the Deputy Director of Finance be requested to draw up an appropriate schedule and timetable of Improvement Board meetings, reports it will be asked to consider at each of its meetings etc. and highlight which Cabinet meetings will be considering referrals and making decisions to bring about the improvements in Corporate Governance required. |