{Disestablished Committee} - Finance and General Purposes Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Read the Minutes

March 2007

Present:

• Councillor Priest - In the Chair 
• Councillors Andrews, Clayton, Isherwood, Morrison, Trotman and Watson. 

Present by Invitation:

• Councillor S. Murphy, Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources

FGP/07/14 Minutes

Decision

To approve as correct records the Minutes of the meetings held on 8, 22 and 26 February 2007.

FGP/07/15 Manchester Education Partnership Review

The Committee considered a report on the continuing work of the Human Resources Sub Group and its joint work with members of the Children and Young people's Overview and Scrutiny Committee in overseeing the development of the review and responses to issues of concern previously raised by members.

The Committee noted that a number of further reports were to be submitted to the Sub Group for consideration prior to the next meeting of the Committee, these would better enable the Sub Group to understand how services would relate to the district model. Reference was made to outstanding areas of concern by members and officers indicated these had to be taken in context with many accepted areas of good practice where the balance was heavily loaded in favour of the examples of good practice. Responding to members the Director indicated that in terms of timetable he remained confident that the implementation target of September 2008 was still achievable even though some delay had been involved due to extending the scope of the consultation and that the scope of the changes involved was now greater than originally envisaged.

Decision

To note the continuing work of the Sub Group.

FGP/07/16 SAP implementation

Consideration was given to a report of the City Treasurer providing information on the approach to and the outcomes from the implementation of the SAP Back Office system; assessing the success of the implementation and issues still to be addressed, and reporting progress on the development and implementation of the customer relationship management (CRM) system.

The City Treasurer indicated that this was a major system change for the whole Council and that implementation had been successful even though there had been implementation difficulties and that these had extended beyond the initial 6 months anticipated, and that the opportunities for streamlining procurement and other operations and creating increased efficiency were now being delivered.

Members sought to establish (a) the extent to which the system had been delivered within cost estimates, and (b) an analysis of the cost benefits accruing. The City Treasurer reported that costs of implementation had been contained within overall departmental estimates, including the additional costs of consultants not originally envisaged. It was too early to offer precise information to enable a full cost benefit analysis, though it was estimated that significant savings in finance and personnel administration would be delivered through the implementation of service improvement projects over the next three years.

The Committee noted that the implementation of the customer relationship management system had been subject to on-going monitoring by the Physical Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and there was clear evidence that the implementation of SAP had involved significant benefits to customers and information was being generated that would assist managers to identify further areas where improvements in the customer interface could be achieved. The decision to defer implementation of Phase 3 of the scheme until an overall review of SAP implementation had been completed was noted, and the Committee supported the basis on which this decision had been made.

Decision

To note the successful implementation of the scheme and to request the officers to report further in October to enable the Committee to make a clearer assessment of the cost benefits accruing

FGP/07/17 BME staffing at senior levels

The Committee considered an update report on the current position relating to black minority ethnic (BME) representation at senior levels of the workforce, and a summary of actions delivered and planned to achieve corporate employment targets.

The Committee noted that there were limitations on the achievement of the BME target at this level in that there were fewer than 600 posts within the Council at PO5 and above; and that small changes in staffing levels could have a significant impact on percentages and that turnover rates at this level were low, with only 43 posts at PO5 and above filled last year. Recruitment was also from a restricted pool of BME candidates in that although 19% of Manchester's community were BME, only 10% of short listed applicants for P05 and above positions last year were from BME communities. Officers suggested that for these reasons, increasing BME representation at senior levels must be part of a longer-term strategy which included developing the Council's existing BME staff with the potential to become senior officers. Although no progress has been made with BME representation at PO5 and above, significant progress has been made within the PO1 - PO4 range and by increasing representation at this level, the talent pool of BME employees with the knowledge, skills and experience to become a PO5 officer and above would be greatly increased.

Recognising these impediments, members were interested to explore a number of initiatives still at the ideas stage which were identified in the report, and it was agreed that the Human Resources Sub Group should look at these in greater detail. A member was concerned that some of the actions proposed needed to be examined by the City Solicitor in terms of compliance with relevant legislation. The Executive Member emphasised that no decision had been taken at executive level in terms of promoting any of the ideas canvassed, and nothing would be considered that compromised the principle of employment on merit.

Decision

To note the report and to refer it for detailed consideration by the Human Resources Sub Group (Councillors Andrews, Clayton, Isherwood, Priest and Watson)

FGP/07/18 Governance review in schools

The Committee considered a further report of the Director of Children's Services on the proposals to improve support to schools governing bodies, focussing specifically on the concerns raised at the meeting on 8 February in relation to the proposals to establish a clerking service to support governing bodies. The report contained more detailed information about the proposed staffing structure to support the improved support offer to governors. Members indicated that they considered the multi-layered staffing structure to be over-complicated, and the requirement for a Deputy post was challenged. The Director agreed to review the proposals in the light of these comments and concerns.

The Director referred to the development of performance standards for governing bodies against which each governing body could be evaluated, and the intention that, over time, a programme of accreditation could emerge for high achieving governors who might then have a useful role in supporting and building capacity within weaker governing bodies.

In relation to the proposed clerking service officers acknowledged that many schools had existing arrangements which suited their needs and were fit for purpose, the focus was therefore on those schools that were not in this happy position and it was estimated that some 30 schools were likely to take up the clerking service offer initially. This would be on the basis of a free offer initially but would need to revert to being a 'bought back' service overt time.

Decision

To note the report and the work done so far; to register concerns about the multi-layered nature of the proposed staffing structure for the Governance Support Team and to welcome the offer by the Director to review these arrangements in the light of the comments made, and to return to consider the proposals when the outcomes of the consultation round are received.

FGP/07/19 Work Programme

The Committee considered a report outlining new processes for compiling work programmes to be implemented from May 2007.

Decision

To note and welcome the proposed methodology for identifying items for future consideration by the Committee.