Meeting documents

WDC Policy & Resources Committee
Monday, 23rd November, 1998

Policy & Resources Committee, Minutes 23 nov 1998

POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE 

 

Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on

 

23 November 1998

 

PRESENT

 

Cllr S R Billingham (in the Chair)

 

Cllr Mrs F W Alexander

Cllr Mrs E M Barratt MBE JP

Cllr D J Coe

Cllr A D Collingwood

Cllr E H Collins

Cllr R B Colomb

Cllr A Gielgud*

Cllr B T A Holland

Cllr R W Jennings

Cllr Mrs V A Letheren

Cllr Mrs C C Martens

Cllr R J Nagle

Cllr C B Oliver*

Cllr M B Oram

Cllr Mrs P Priestley

Cllr J W Preston

Cllr R C Pushman

Other Members in Attendance:

Cllr J M Blanksby

Cllr S H Graham

Cllr Mrs E Hall

Cllr Mrs K M Peatey MBE JP

 

 

 

*  Standing Deputies

 

(Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs C D Bates, Mrs L M Clarke, Mrs J E Gabbitas and P J Herschel).

 

1.     MINUTES

 

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 5 October 1998 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

2.

PRESENTATION AND REPORT FROM KPMG ON 1997/1998 AUDIT MANAGEMENT LETTER

 

Ms Mollie Bickerstaff, a partner, of KPMG, the Council’s external auditors presented the Audit Management Letter for 1997/1998.

 

The report showed the Council was well run and identified the areas where the Council had made or sustained improvements.  These included the Council’s financial standing continuing to be soundly based with an adequate level of reserves, effective financial internal control systems, adequate basis for preparation of the accounts, high collection rates for Council Tax and NNDR, continued preparations with pilot schemes covering four services with regard to Best Value, preparation and distribution to staff of an anti-fraud and corruption code of practice and progress with the implementation of the managed audit.

 

Details of the six major financial and management areas where it was considered that the Council should take action included town centre development (Western Sector), Best Value, Year 2000, new financial management information system, performance indicators and capital projects.

 

The Committee also received a report on the tracking of last year’s key recommendations and their current status, next year’s potential value for money studies and review of the Year 2000 project.

 

In receiving the twelve specific recommendations which had been made in the report of KPMG, together with the proposed action recommended by the officers to be taken for each one, the Committee discussed and reviewed the recommendations. A number of specific points were raised, and the action already being taken to address the issues of Council monitoring procedures including the monitoring role of Panels, the collection of housing rents, Year 2000 IT compliance, performance indicator data collection and early retirement was outlined.

 

Members suggested that the Council’s plans for addressing potential Year 2000 problems required review to ensure satisfactory arrangements were in place at an early date.  The Chief Executive and Director of Finance undertook to discuss with the three Leaders the future monitoring role required.

 

It was suggested by some Members that the establishment of an Audit Committee would be the most suitable way to address this issue.  The Council’s Committee system provided for Panels to focus on performance review and monitoring, however, it was felt that an Audit Committee might be able to concentrate on those issues raised in the Audit Management letter and other performance monitoring issues.  It was concluded that this issue should be considered by the Local Democracy Panel in the first instance (see Recommendation  9).

 

It was felt by Members that some of the officer responses to the audit recommendations did not fully address the issues and that they needed to be amended to act as a basis for future action.

 

RESOLVED: That the following amended responses to the external Audit report be agreed as a basis for action by the Council.

 

Recommendation

Committee’s Response

 

 

1.

Members should continue to carefully monitor the Authority’s financial position in the run-up to the 1999/2000 budget.

Quarterly reports will continue to be made to the Policy and Resources Committee.

 

 

2.

Members should monitor the progress being made in 1998/99 to improve the collection of housing rents.

Collection reports will continue to be made to the Housing and Economic Development Panel and DSO Board in each cycle.

 

 

3.

Members will have to ensure that they receive a comprehensive report from officers on the Town Centre development which allows them to be satisfied they have addressed the three key questions outlined. The report should clearly set out the alternative options available to the Authority, the costs, benefits and risks associated with the development and the steps the Authority has taken, or can take, to mitigate those risks.

A comprehensive report to Council is currently being prepared.  This report will be presented to Members when the development agreement is ready for final approval.  The three key questions will be addressed in this report.

4.

Members should continue to monitor the progress being made on the four pilot Best Value services and consider what their role should be in the consultative mechanisms which will be required under the duty of Best Value.

Regular reports will be made to the Policy and Resources and Service Committees.

 

 

5.

Members monitor carefully the progress being made in improving the quality of the service provided by the Housing Management DSO, in particular with regard to the collection of housing rents.

Regular reports will be made on the quality of service provided to the Housing and Economic Development Panel and the DSO Board.

 

 

6.

Members need to monitor the progress being made by officers in responding to the Year 2000 issue.

Progress reports will be made to all future meetings of the Policy and Resources Committee.  Monthly reports will be made to the three leaders.

 

 

7.

Members should monitor the arrangements made by officers to ensure that:

 

 

(a)

The IT service has sufficient staff with appropriate skills to implement these initiatives.

 

(b)

There is provision for adequate internal audit review of the development and implementation of these new systems;

 

(c)

Adequate progress is being made by officers in the procurement and implementation of a new financial management information system.

Reports will be made to Members on a regular basis with matters of concern being highlighted.

 

Monthly reports will be made to the three leaders.

 

 

8.

Members should be satisfied that all budget monitoring adequately reports the full position taking into account both incurred and committed expenditure.

Procedures are currently being reviewed and will be tightened up.

 

 

9.

Members should review the benefits to the Authority of establishing an Audit Committee, or similar Member Forum, for the consideration of Audit and Financial control issues.

Two special meetings of the Policy and Resources Committee have been established in this Council year to consider audit and performance issues, however, a report will be submitted to the next meeting of the Local Democracy Panel considering the possible creation of an Audit Committee.

 

 

10.

Members must ensure that Wycombe’s current arrangements for producing the Audit Commission’s performance indicators are overhauled and sufficiently robust arrangements put in place to allow complete and accurate indicators to be produced for 1998/99.

Arrangements are currently being reviewed and strengthened in preparation for the production of the 1998/99 performance indicators.

 

 

11.

Members should monitor the effective follow-up of Internal Audit’s recommendation for improvement flowing from its review of the manner in which the project to renovate 260 Desborough Road was managed.

The Chief Executive is to report on this matter to the next meeting of Council on 14 December 1998.

12.

Members should monitor the actions being taken by officers to ensure that the Committee cycle is modified for future years to allow a Committee meeting at which the annual accounts can be formally adopted to be held before 30 September.

The timetable for 1999/2000 has been amended.

 

The Chairman thanked Ms M Bickerstaff and Mrs C Holland of KPMG for attending the meeting.

 

3.     PERFORMANCE REVIEW

 

The Committee was reminded of its two main roles in performance review.  The report submitted provided an indication of the overall performance of the Council for 1996/97 and 1997/98 including the use of key comparison data.  In addition the report reviewed the Committee’s own services in relation to the value for money element of the Council’s Vision Statement and output measures for 1998/99.  

 

In reviewing the report and appendices submitted, Members stressed that measurable objective targets were needed and that it would be useful for future reports to include a column identifying whether these targets had been achieved or not achieved.  The officers agreed to pursue these suggestions with a simple “4” and “x” system being suggested.

 

In noting the performance management framework submitted, Members were advised that the top level indicators were still being formulated.  These would be partnership indicators, which a number of agencies would contribute towards, and a Member emphasised the cost effectiveness of the Council working closely with outside agencies.

 

RESOLVED: (i)  That the overview performance position for the Council for 1997/98 be received;

 

(ii) That the performance review framework as submitted be approved;

 

(iii) That a report be submitted to the meeting of the Committee on 8 February 1999 setting out the performance review programme for 1999/2000; and

 

(iv) That the 1998/99 Value for Money corporate action plan progress report be noted.

 

4.

TREASURY MANAGEMENT UPDATE – 1 APRIL TO 30 SEPTEMBER 1998

 

Details of the performance and activities of the Council’s in-house and externally managed funds and debt management for the period 1 April to 30 September 1998 were submitted.

 

The Committee noted the summary of the performance of the Council’s external fund managers and the reasons surrounding the performance, return and the current value of the funds.

 

The Chairman suggested that it would be advantageous for three Members of the Committee to meet with one of the Council’s external fund managers in order to obtain a more detailed insight into how the external managers operated and the relationship between risk and returns. It was agreed that this would be considered at the meeting on 30 November 1998.

 

RESOLVED: That the performance and activities of the Council’s in-house and externally managed funds and debt management for the period 1 April to 30 September 1998 be noted.

 

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

 

RESOLVED: That pursuant to S100(A)(iv) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Minute No 48 because of its reference to matters which contain exempt information as defined in paragraphs 8 (amount of any expenditure proposed), 9 (terms proposed) and 14 (action in connection with the prevention investigation or prosecution of crime) to the aforementioned Act as set out on page 6 of the agenda.

 

5.

ANNUAL INTERNAL AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT REPORT 1997/1998 AND STRATEGIC AUDIT PLAN 1998/2001

 

The detailed report before the Committee set out the results of the work undertaken by the Internal Audit and Risk Management Division during 1997/98.

The Chairman reported that this was the first time that a full set of internal reports had been presented to a Committee.

 

The Internal Audit and Risk Management Division comprise Internal Audit, Risk Management and Insurance and Anti-Fraud, and in reviewing the report which examined the work carried out by each of these services Members received an explanation from the Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management on the sections of the report noting that many of the recommendations had now been implemented and systems and controls strengthened.

 

Four areas in the report were drawn to the specific attention of the Committee, and Members noted that the Council had a generally satisfactory framework of control and provided reasonable assurance regarding the effective and efficient achievement of the Council’s objectives.

 

The Committee was also invited to consider the Strategic Internal Audit Plan 1998/2001 which set out details of the various audits to be undertaken during this period.

 

RESOLVED: That the annual Internal Audit and Risk Management report 1997/98 be noted; and

 

(ii) That the Strategic Internal Audit Plan 1998/2001 as submitted be approved.

 

 

(The meeting commenced at 7.00pm and concluded at 10.17pm).

 

 

 

 

 

___________________

CHAIRMAN

 

The following officers were in attendance for this meeting:

 

Mr R J Cummins          Chief Executive and Director of Finance

Mr P F Ricketts          Director of Corporate Services

Mr W N Roberts          Director of Leisure, Health and Community

Mr C A Swanwick          Director of Planning, Transport & Development

Mr S Bramhill          Head of Information Systems Division

Mrs J E Clements          Head of Corporate and Committee Administration

Mr C Meakings          Head of Strategic Development Unit

Mr J Piddington          Head of Financial Services

Ms S Sarll          Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management

Mr R Smith          Head of Architectural Services

Mr R G Key          Principal Administrator, Committee Services