{Disestablished Committee} - Resources and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Read the Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 6 September 2007

Present: Councillor Watson - In the Chair Councillors Andrews, Clayton, Isherwood, Judge, Leech, Morrison, Brian O'Neil, P. Murphy, Sandiford, Smith and Trotman.

Present by Invitation:

• Councillor Battle, Deputy Leader
• Councillor Stevens, Deputy Leader
• Councillor Priest, Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources

RG/07/19 Minutes

Decision

1. To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2007.

2. To note the minutes of the Human Resources Sub Group held on 10 July 2007.

RG/07/20 Manchester Working - review of first 12 months

A report of the City Treasurer was submitted reviewing the operation of the Manchester Working Joint Venture Company twelve months following its inception when 549 operatives transferred from the City Works to the Manchester Working Limited. The report identified that the three main work areas, Public Buildings, Responsive repairs and Decent Homes were predominately on target to deliver the planned programmes of work and that quality of service delivery also remained on target with few complaints in comparison with the quantity of work being undertaken. The officers concluded that the partnership continued to work well between all the parties, the Council, Northwards Housing Limited (Northwards Housing Limited) and Manchester Working Limited, and that considerable efforts from all parties had helped to move the joint venture through a testing time as a result of the implementation of multiple IT systems, throughout which the quality of the service delivery remained at the required levels, and that the joint venture was on-target to achieve the goals set in its business plan.

Bill Coghill introduced the report and introduced Des Morris the new Managing Director.

He then responded to comments from members in relation to:

• Complaints
• Apprentices
• Staffing levels
• Premises
• Performance monitoring
• Progress in relation to the IT system

Decision

1. To note the progress of the appointment and implementation of Manchester Working Limited following the signed Framework Agreement to provide services to the Council and Northwards Limited, and in particular the success of the first year of joint working.

2. To request a further report in six months to coincide with the report on the Civica Universal Housing Management System.

3. To request feedback in relation progress of the planned preventative maintenance regime with the city's libraries and information relating to local employment used by sub contractors especially apprentices. (Councillor P. Murphy declared an interest as a member of the Board and did not take part in any discussion and Councillor Trotman declared a personal interest as a Board member of Northwards Housing plc)

RG/07/21 Ward Coordination Plan - review

A report of the Chief Executive was submitted providing the Committee with an opportunity to offer views on the proposals arising from the review prior to their consideration by the Executive.

Maria Boylan, Area Coordination Team Leader and Steve Mycio, Deputy Chief Executive introduced the report. Members were informed that the review needed to be considered in context and that full integration of public services at neighbourhood level could not be delivered within the current structure. The loss of key staff who undertook this work was causing serious problems which meant that joining up services and focussing on neighbourhoods was not consistent across the city.

The Chair stated that the purpose of the report was for Resources and Governance to consider the links with Manchester Partnership. Members noted that a further report on Ward coordination would be considered by the Communities and Neighbourhood Scrutiny Committee.

The Deputy Chief Executive and Area Coordination Team Leader responded to the following comments from Members:

• There should be full time Ward Coordinator posts and that departments should be involved in financing the posts.
• It would be helpful if district structures were similar across the city.
• Community involvement was of great importance and engagement with residents, tenants associations and community groups should be a high priority.
• There was a need for systems to be flexible, delivery of service was most important.

Decision

1. To note the report and the commitment to ward coordination and district working.

2. To inform the Executive of the concerns of this Committee in relation to the proposal of rejecting the creation of full time Ward Co-ordinator posts, and request them to consider, when the budget is set for 2008/09, an adjustment to departmental budgets to enable the appointment of permanent full time Ward Co-ordinator posts in order to promote more effective neighbourhood working.

RG/07/22 Asset Management Plan

The Committee considered a report of the City Treasurer informing it of the progress made in the development of the City Council's Asset Management Plan, and the work that remained to be done.

Members raised the following matters in connection with the report:

• Did the computer system problems cause real difficulty.
• Is there a comprehensive list of assets including those outside the city.
• Is there a maintenance programme and the finance for it.
• Why is the Town Hall treated separately
• Community groups rents and use of council owned buildings
• Programme of registering land
• Land transfers benefit or cost to council.

In response the Head of Valuation and Property stated that there were no major problems with the delay in the system upgrade and that full implementation would be in December 2007. In relation to a definitive list of premises, members were informed that one is available and included those out of the city. Discussions were being held with Operational Services to look at premises and budgets required to maintain them.

In relation to the Town Hall, members noted that a long term strategy was being worked up for the Town Hall, Town Hall Extension, Central Library and St. Peters Square. In view of the interest generated in this connection, the Chair felt that a report should be submitted to a future meeting for detailed discussion from a governance prospective, as the buildings were part of the centre for democratic process.

The Head of Valuation and Property stated that it was not possible to have one strategy for all community groups using council owned property. There was a need to look at individual organisations in relation to grants/rent payments. The Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources stated that discussions would be held to ensure that the smaller community groups were not 'squeezed' out in favour of larger groups. A complete list of assets and who was using them was essential.

Referring to land registration the committee was informed that a report would be submitted to a future meeting. The issue of land transfers was also being looked at.

Decision

1. To note the report and the progress being made.

2. To request further information to a future meeting in relation to the Town Hall and the environs, the programme of registering land the issue of land transfers.

RG/07/23 Revenue Budget

A report of the City Treasurer that had been considered by the Executive in July, and which identified a number of pressure areas in relation to the Council's revenue budget was submitted. The Chair indicated to the Committee that she had asked for this report to be included on the agenda so that the Committee could give consideration to further scrutiny of individual budget elements in the run-up to the 2008/9 budget setting process.

The City Treasurer introduced the report and then responded to questions from members relating to risks associated with rental income from the City of Manchester Stadium, maintenance of the Stadium and the Sportcity site; an explanation for the potential budget overspend in the Chief Executives Department and corporate budget risks.

Referring to a question relating to Ward Coordination, the Executive member for Finance and Human Resources, stated that in relation to the budget for the next year, Business Plans would reflect the current process and following scrutiny of budgets, suggestions could be made for consideration by the Executive.

Decision

To note the report.

RG/07/24 Information and Scanning report

A report of the City Solicitor was submitted.

Councillor Jim Battle, Deputy Leader, informed the Committee of progress in relation to the Post Office Network Change Programme and that further discussions were being held at the end of the month.

Decision

To note the report and request that a report back on the savings made from the exempted key decisions as agreed at the last meeting be included in a future report.

RG/07/25 Health Partner Budgets

Decision

To agree to the establishment of a joint scrutiny sub committee with the Health and Well-being OSC, as a task and finish group, to look at the budgets of health partners, so as to identify specific budget pressures; to gauge impacts for the City Council's own budget for 2007/2008, and, if appropriate, to support health partners in any submissions to the Department of Health or the NW Strategic Health Authority for increased budget shares, and to appoint the Chair and Councillors Morrison and Sandiford as the representatives of this Committee.

RG/07/26 Exclusion of Public

Decision

To exclude the public during consideration of the item in relation to Manchester Central because it contains information relating to any individual and the financial or business affairs of a particular person and the public interest in maintaining an exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RG/07/27 Manchester Central

(Public excluded during consideration of this report)

A report that had been considered by the Executive in July, concerning the progress with implementing the Business Plan for Manchester Central since acquisition and outlining the strategy for maintaining and improving its market position was submitted.

Lesley Tomlinson, Chief Executive, Manchester Central addressed the Committee and responded to questions from members.

Decision

To note the report and the decisions taken by the Executive.