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ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of the FINANCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Tuesday, 11 June 1996 at 4.00 pm.
Present: Councillors ALEX KING, JOHN GIBB, GEORGE ALLAN, IAN MACKINTOSH, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, WILLIAM MIDDLETON, BRIAN MILNE, STEWART MOWATT, ROB MURRAY and RICHARD SPEIRS.
Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors IAN HUDGHTON, GEORGE LAMONT and Mrs KATHLEEN RITCHIE.
Councillor KING, Convener, in the Chair.
1. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 30 April 1996 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.
FINANCE
2. APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTIVE SUB-COMMITTEE
With reference to Standing Order No 32(3) the Committee appointed Councillors King, Gibb and Speirs to an Executive Sub-Committee to consider urgent items during the annual recess.
3. COMPULSORY COMPETITIVE TENDERING
(a) CCT Update
The Committee noted that the Scottish Office Consultation Paper "Review of the Extension of Compulsory Competitive Tendering" would impact on the provision of both Finance and Information Technology Services and that a corporate report covering all the affected Departments would be presented to the Policy and Resources Committee on 18 June 1996.
(b) Subscription to CIPFA Competition Advisory Service
There was submitted Report No 463/96 by the Director of Finance advising that group membership of the CIPFA Competition Advisory Service had been taken out. After noting the purpose of subscription and the benefits to be obtained, the Committee noted:-
(i) that group membership of CIPFA’s Competition Advisory Service would contribute significantly to the preparation of competitive in-house white collar CCT bids.
(ii) that group membership had been negotiated at a reduced charge of £10,500 per annum as opposed to £13,500; and
(iii) that the individual charge of £1,500 per affected Department could be contained within the respective Departmental Revenue Budgets.
4. RECOVERY OF UNPAID LOCAL TAXES
With reference to Article 2 of the minute of meeting of the Finance and Information Technology Committee of 8 November 1995, there was submitted Report No 455/96 by the Director of Finance outlining debt recovery procedures in regard to the collection of long outstanding local tax debts and seeking delegated authority to instigate some of these procedures in certain circumstances.
The Committee noted the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) that the Director of Finance be delegated authority to instigate all collection recovery procedures with regard to the collection of local taxes with the exception of the authority to instruct warrant sales on uncollected taxes on domestic properties;
(ii) that authority to consider warrant sales in relation to uncollected local taxes on domestic properties remain with the Council; and
(iii) that retrospective reports be submitted to the Committee in relation to the exercising of this delegation by the Director of Finance.
5. RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
With reference to Article 3 of the minute of the meeting of Angus Council of 20 March 1996, there was submitted Report No 456/96 by the Director of Finance setting out a Risk Management Policy for Angus Council and outlining a strategy for implementation of the policy.
The Committee noted the terms of the Report, including the risk management policy, the strategy and the initiatives being considered, and agreed:-
(i) that the Risk Management Policy as detailed in the Report be adopted as a policy for Angus Council;
(ii) that a Risk Management Group, chaired by the Audit, Value for Money and Risk Manager and including a core of representatives from the Personnel Department, Property Department, Roads Department and Environmental and Consumer Protection (Vehicle Hire Centre) be established; and
(iii) that the responsibilities of the Group be as detailed in the Report.
6. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT CAPITAL PROGRAMMES 1995/96 AND 1996/97
There was submitted Report No 407/96 by the Director of Finance informing the Committee of the final position of the HRA Capital Programme for 1995/96 (Report No 379/96). The Report also dealt with the implications for the HRA Capital Programme for 1996/97 (Report No 332/96) and commented on the means of financing such expenditure by way of block consent, anticipated usable receipts and funding from revenue.
After noting the respective programmes and the degree of uncertainty in assessing the likely level of capital receipts, the Committee noted the position on the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme for 1995/96 and approved the implementation of the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme for 1996/97.
7. GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL PROGRAMME FOR 1995/96
(ANGUS DISTRICT COUNCIL)
There was submitted and noted Report No 504/96 by the Director of Finance on the final position of the General Services Capital Programme of the former Angus District Council for 1995/96 showing the total expenditure incurred and the financing of such expenditure by way of block consent, actual receipts and funding from revenue.
8. NON-HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT CAPITAL PROGRAMME FOR 1995/96
(ANGUS DISTRICT COUNCIL)
There was submitted and noted Report No 505/96 by the Director of Finance on the final position of the Non-Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme of the former Angus District Council for 1995/96 relating to capital expenditure on housing improvement and repair grants etc.
9. ANGUS COUNCIL ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 1995/96
There was submitted Report No 514/96 being a foreword by the Director of Finance on the accounts of the authority for the period 6 April 1995 to 31 March 1996, which summarised what the accounts showed in detail and provided an explanation, in broad terms, of the reasons for expenditure exceeding income by £619,000.
The Council noted the accounts and the Director’s foreword to them as set out in Report No 514/96.
10. 1996/97 FINAL REVENUE AND CAPITAL BUDGET DOCUMENTS
There was submitted Report No 461/96 by the Director of Finance advising that the process of drawing together and issuing the 1996/97 Final Revenue and Capital Budgets had been completed and acknowledging the support made available to his staff.
The Committee noted:-
(i) that the Final Revenue and Capital Budgets Volume and Budget Guide Booklet for the 1996/97 financial year had been issued to members, officers and other interested parties; and
(ii) that the necessary budgetary control mechanisms were currently being put in place in accordance with the Financial Regulations.
11. EXTENSION OF CHALLENGE FUNDING WITHIN THE CAPITAL PROGRAMMES
There was submitted Report No 462/96 by the Director of Finance advising the Committee of the announcement that challenge funding was to be extended to all Capital Programmes except local authority Housing, Police and Fire from 1997/98.
The Report advised the Committee of the background to challenge funding, the latest Government announcements and COSLA’s response to the Government’s proposals, including its concern at the lack of Government consultation on the matter.
The Committee agreed to note:-
(i) the latest announcement regarding challenge funding within the Capital Programmes;
(ii) the proposed action to be carried out by COSLA; and
(iii) that a further Report would be brought forward once further details regarding the proposals were known.
12. CODE OF GUIDANCE ON FUNDING EXTERNAL BODIES AND FOLLOWING
THE PUBLIC POUND
There was submitted Report No 508/96 by the Director of Finance outlining the main issues arising from the Code of Guidance prepared jointly by the Accounts Commission and COSLA on the funding of external bodies. A copy of the Code of Guidance was attached to the Report.
The Committee noted the terms of the Report and Code of Guidance and agreed:-
(i) that the Finance Department, in consultation with other appropriate Departments, be instructed:-
(a) to review how the issues in the Code impacted on Angus Council; and
(b) to produce and issue appropriate guidance notes following such review;
(ii) to note that full co-operation would be available to the external auditor when assessing any guidance put in place by the Council; and
(iii) that the Director of Law and Administration should submit a Report in due course on the responsibilities of members when serving on outside bodies.
13. ANGUS CITIZEN’S ADVICE BUREAU ADVANCE PAYMENT
On the determination of the Convener, the Committee considered this item as a matter of urgency in view of the Bureau’s urgent need for interim funding.
There was submitted Report No 533/96 by the Chief Executive seeking the Committee’s approval to make an advance payment to Angus Citizen’s Advice Bureau in order to aid the Bureau’ cashflow.
After noting the terms of the Report, the Committee agreed:-
(i) to make an immediate advance payment of £14,000 in respect of the financial year 1996/97 to Angus Citizen’s Advice Bureau; and
(ii) to instruct the Directors of Social Work and Law and Administration, in consultation with the Chief Executive, to negotiate a contract and service level agreement with Angus Citizen’s Advice Bureau in respect of the services provided within Angus during 1996/97.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
14. DEVELOPMENT PLAN
There was submitted Report No 457/96 by the Director of Information Technology on a short/medium term development plan for the Department of Information Technology.
Having noting that a fully detailed business plan was currently in preparation and would be submitted in due course, the Committee approved the short/medium term development plan for the Department of Information Technology.
15. COMPUTER APPLICATION SOFTWARE
There was submitted Report No 458/96 by the Director of Information Technology on enquiries to purchase computer application software developed by the former authorities, especially Tayside Regional Council. As a response to these enquiries, a draft Minute of Agreement had been drawn up (which was attached to the Report) acknowledging the equal ownership of the software by the three new Councils and that any proceeds from the sale of the software would be evenly distributed among the Councils.
Having noted the terms of the Report, the Committee agreed:-
(i) to approve the terms of the agreement reached following discussions with the principal Information Technology officers of Perth and Kinross and Dundee City Councils;
(ii) to authorise the Director of Information Technology to continue to promote, whenever practicable, the sale of application software previously developed for internal use; and
(iii) that any proceeds of such sales would form a contribution to the Computer Repairs and Renewal Fund.