Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to the Forward Work Plan for the Committee for the period August till December, 2008:

 

“Purpose

 

      The purpose of this report is to present a forward work plan for the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee for the period August – December 2008.

 

Relevant Background Information

 

      The key issues section below summarises the key areas of committee activity over this period. Appendix One provides a detailed work plan for the committee for the period August – December 2008.

 

Key Issues

 

      The key work areas for the coming months for the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee are outlined below. It is should be noted that this represents a heavy workload for the Committee which might necessitate the holding of a special Strategic Policy & Resources Committee meeting each month in addition to the

 

regular meeting in order for the Committee to fully discuss and address major corporate issues e.g.  the setting of the 2009/2010 budgets. Authority to hold these additional special meetings (as necessary) is requested subject to date agreement with the Chairman of the Committee.

 

Key areas of work – August 2008 – December 2008

 

      August 2008

 

      Finance – Update report on the rates and draft Council responses to 2 consultation documents on rates issues will be provided by the Director of Corporate Services.  An update report on the Arc 21 Residual Waste Treatment facilities will be provided by the Director of Improvement 

 

      Human Resources – Update report on the attendance figures for the1st quarter of 08/09

 

      Asset Management – Update reports on the future use of the City Hall and addressing the needs of short-term accommodation will be presented by the Director of Improvement

 

      September 2008

 

      RPA - Update report on the RPA process 

 

      Corporate Plan – Members will be updated on the outcome of the Equality Screening process of the Corporate Plan.  A report on the organisational consequences of the Corporate Plan will also be presented

 

      Financial Planning 09/10– detailed report on the financial planning cycle for 09/10 to be presented which links to corporate and business planning in order to ensure Council priorities are properly resourced will be presented by the Director of Corporate Services

 

      Efficiency Proposals for 09/10 – Members will be requested to agree a draft efficiency programme for the financial year 2009/10

 

      Governance – An update report on the development of the overall Governance Framework of the Council in terms of decision making, audit and the statement of internal control

 

      Accountability Framework – Members have been presented with outline frameworks for each of the key elements of the committee’s work.  A report on the Accountability Framework which will underpin the delivery of the Corporate plan will be presented to Members

 

      Human Resources - reports on the control of employee numbers and the Appraisal Scheme for the Chief Officers and Heads of Service will be presented.  The Appraisal Scheme is linked to the Accountability Framework which will also be presented to Members at this meeting

 

      Rates – Special Meeting - on the issue of rates with the Chief Executive of Land and Property Services in attendance

 

      October 2008

 

      Corporate Plan – Report on how the Council will move towards area and thematic working on a more consistent basis and how the programme management and accountability arrangements for the main programmes and projects will be handled

 

      Finance – the Director of Corporate Services will present to Committee reports on the affordability of corporate priorities versus ongoing business as usual and the impact of corporate priorities on the core budgets

 

      Information Management –Strategic information management is central to the Council’s Improvement Agenda. The Director of Corporate Services will present a draft Information Management Strategy and proposed work plan for 2009/2011 

 

      Governance – Members requested a review of the Council’s new governance arrangements including working groups in May.  The results of this review will be presented for Members attention.  A report containing proposals for how Committee decisions on the new modern.gov system will be tracked will also be presented to Members

 

      City Investment Strategy - Titanic Signature Project – Special Meeting - the results of the due-diligence report on the Titanic signature Project will be presented to Members

 

      November/December 2008

 

      Finance – the Director of Corporate Services will update the Committee on the mid year financial position and notify the Committee of the revised budgets and rates income 

 

Recommendations

 

      The Committee is requested to agree:

 

1.      the forward work plan for August– December 2008 outlined above and detailed in Appendix 1

 

2.      the holding (if necessary) of a special Strategic Policy & Resources Committee meeting each month during the period September 08 – December 08 to address major corporate issues.  Dates for these specials will be agreed with the Chairman of the Committee.

 

STRATEGIC POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

WORK PLAN AUGUST – DECEMBER 2008

 

Appendix One

 

August 2008
Area	Report
Strategic planning & Performance Management	Strategic Policy & Resources Committee Work Plan Aug 08 – Dec 08
Finance	Update report on the rates and draft Council responses to 2 consultation documents on rates issues
	Arc 21 Residual Waste Treatment Facilities – Update
Assets	Future use of City Hall Short term accommodation
HR	Ex-Offenders Scheme Attendance – 1st Quarter 08/09

 

September 2008
Area	Report
RPA	Update report
Strategic Planning & Performance Management	Corporate Plan – §                Update on outcome of equality screening §                Organisational consequences of Corporate Plan Accountability Framework
Finance	Financial Planning 2009/10 Efficiency proposals 2009/10
Governance	Update on Decision Making Framework
HR	CO & HoS (Sen Mgrs) Appraisal Scheme Control of employee numbers

 

October 2008
Area	Report
Strategic Planning & Performance Management	Corporate Plan – Report on how the Council will move towards area and thematic working on a more consistent basis and the programme management and accountability arrangements for the main programmes and projects in the Corporate Plan

 

B                              Strategic Policy and Resources Committee,

588                                            Friday, 22nd August, 2008

 

 

 

October 2008 (continued)
Finance	Core Budgets & Corporate Priorities Affordability = ± BAU/Corporate Schemes
Governance	Overall review of new governance arrangements including working groups Proposals for content of quarterly reports on tracking of committee decisions (through modern.gov)
Information Management	Draft Information Strategy and proposed work plan for 2009/2011
City Investment	Titanic Signature Project – Results of due-diligence report

 

November/December 2008
Area	Report
Finance	Update on mid year financial position and revised budgets and rates income”

 

            A Member stated that concern had been expressed at the meeting of the Development Committee at the length of time which it was taking to implement the Strategic Neighbourhood Action Plans and sought assurances that the report to be brought to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on Local Area Working would not unduly delay this process.

 

            The Chief Executive indicated that the Committee had agreed to commission a report on the resource, service delivery and implementation consequences of Local Area Working in the context of the roll out of the Corporate Plan and that this report would serve to inform the implementation timetable.

 

            The Committee agreed that an update report on the issue should be submitted to the Committee, adopted the recommendations and approved the Forward Work Plan for the period up to December, 2008.