The following actions were noted:

• An update on the emergency generator including progress, costs and Bunker provision was required at the next meeting.
• Hometrack – following the meeting it was confirmed that the project had been delivered and the system was fully installed and working.
• An update on Contact Centre data collection, client management, customer ownership and the meeting with ARP was required at the next meeting.
• Insufficient information was available to update Members on the possibilities for Contact Centre assistance to the DWP regarding the single benefit.  The item would be put on future agendas for update.
• It was confirmed that the new version of Lagan was live and performing well.
• The need for marketing of ideas and the lack of a marketing strategy would be discussed at the next meeting.
• A report on Licensing mobile working would be presented to the next meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2011 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The minutes of the meeting held on 30 March 2011 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any apologies for absence. 

Apologies had been received from the Monica Coffey, Customer Programme Manager.

To consider any urgent business.

None.

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests they may have in any of the following items on the agenda. The Members’ Code of Conduct requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a personal or prejudicial interest.

None.

To note the names of any non-members who wish to address the meeting.

Mr Bambridge, Councillor Bowes and Mr Cowen were in attendance for Agenda Item 6 only.

Mr Duigan was also in attendance.

The following documents are attached:

• Amended report on Members’ ICT Options
• Briefing note on Members’ Allowance

To ensure that Members receive accurate and up-to-date figures, not available at this time, additional information will be provided at the meeting.   

Members will also receive a verbal recommendation from the Joint Audit & Scrutiny Panel meeting to be held immediately before the Business Improvement Sub-Committee meeting.

The Interim Business Development Manager apologised for the lateness of the supplementary report which was tabled at the meeting.  He explained that he had only recently been appointed and he had reviewed the previous report and undertaken the additional work required.

The key issue was Member support.  The hardware could be purchased by cost effective procurement through the Council but the way in which support was provided needed to be reviewed.  Some work had already been done and indicated that there was scope to improve value for money.

The report recommended Option 1 as the optimum solution, and a review of the support provision.

The Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Commission was in attendance.  He had also chaired the Joint Audit & Scrutiny Panel meetings.  The Panel had received the Interim Business Development Manager’s report at a meeting earlier that morning.  He said that the presentation had made a lot of sense and the Panel were recommending Option 1 with the additional note that some Members preferred desktops to laptops.

The Panel had also raised the following points:

• ‘Twin hatters’ (Members that were both District and County Councillors) - there was concern that Breckland residents were paying for equipment used for County Council work.  The Assistant Director of Finance had advised that there was a 50/50 split between twin hatters using Breckland equipment and those using County equipment.  However, if in future more Members chose to use Breckland equipment, this would need to be reviewed;

• There were some Citrix compatibility issues which needed to be investigated and clear guidance should be given to Members;

• As well as laptops/desktops, Members needed to be able to scan, copy and fax documents.  Duplex printing would be more economical;

• Member Support would need to be developed in more detail to ensure that Members were supported as fully as possible;

• Training, specific to the equipment provided, would be required;

• The possibility of procuring the same equipment as South Holland should be explored;

• Reliable routers were needed; and

• More use of ‘remote’ assistance rather than home visits.

The Business Improvement Sub-Committee Chairman noted that the option chosen had to provide best value and be fit for purpose.  There were real Health & Safety issues with the existing system of Member support and the in-sourcing of the IT contract provided a significant opportunity for improvements in IT support for the whole Council. 

Members agreed and also suggested that there might be a business case to refresh equipment on a four yearly basis in future.

The Senior Accountant Capital and Treasury noted that if Members were minded to support the recommendation they should also authorise the release of the funding required.

Options

§         Laptops provided by the Council

§         A Member Allowance

Reasons

See report.

RESOLVED that:

(1)               Option 1, direct provision of a laptop/desktop and printer from the Council, with on-going support and maintenance from the IT department be approved;

(2)               a review of the provision of Member IT support be carried out in order to ensure that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

To receive a verbal update.

The Head of ICT updated Members on the project which was on track and going according to plan.  

A paper on the Steria TUPE proposals had been approved by the General Purposes Committee on 30 March 2011.

Negotiations were on-going with third party suppliers who were contracted until September 2011.

The next meeting of the Project Board would take place on 13 April 2011.

The Corporate Projects Manager confirmed that everything was on track for the 1^st May transfer.

Update by the Senior Accountant Capital and Treasury.

The Senior Accountant Capital and Treasury tabled a report on the Capital outturn for 2010-11.  She apologised for the lateness of the report which was due to Year End pressures.

She explained the contents of the report and advised that a request to carry-over the £548,837 of un-spent budget would be made to Cabinet in June.  She asked Members to confirm that they were satisfied that the explanations, for the need to carry-over, were adequate.

She pointed out that there might be an issue as there were three amounts of funding not yet released and no projects were listed against them.  She also advised that the £584,837 would be the only funding available for 2011/12.

The Chairman asked for a list of projects to be provided to support the recommendation.<1>

RESOLVED to:

(1)               note the virements, final budgets and outturn position as detailed in the report; and

(2)               RECOMMEND TO CABINET the carry over of unspent funding of £548,837 included in the Capital Outturn report.

To note that the next meeting will take place on Tuesday 24 May 2011 at 9.30am in the Norfolk Room, Conference Suite, Elizabeth House, Dereham.

The arrangements for the next meeting on 24 May 2011 were noted.

To consider passing the following resolution:

“That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

PART B – ITEMS FROM WHICH THE PRESS AND PUBLIC ARE EXCLUDED

RESOLVED that under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Report of the Director – Communities.

The Principal Licensing Officer presented the report.

The Chairman was concerned that there did not seem to be a Marketing Strategy to support this kind of enterprise.

The Chief Executive acknowledged that there was a missing link between service ideas and the Marketing Department.

With regard to the report he suggested that the way forward might be to offer a service rather than engage in a partnership.  There were other opportunities to develop.

It was therefore RESOLVED that subject to the removal of the word ‘partnership’ the recommendations in the report be supported.

The Chairman asked that an update be provided at the next meeting.