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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 March 1997 at 4.10 pm.
Present: Councillors ALEX KING, JACK GIBB, GEORGE ALLAN, IAN HUDGHTON, IAN MACKINTOSH, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, WILLIAM MIDDLETON, STEWART MOWATT, ROB MURRAY, DAVID SELFRIDGE and Mrs KATHLEEN RITCHIE.
Apology: An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor BRIAN MILNE.
Councillor KING, Convener, in the Chair.
1. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 28 January 1997 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.
2. HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1996/97 HRA BLOCK
There was submitted Report No 315/97 by the Director of Finance on the 1996/97 Housing Capital Programme HRA Block as at 31 January 1997 detailing the latest estimates for the financial year and spend figures to the end of January 1997.
The Committee noted the position on capital receipts and approved the estimate and spend figures as presented.
3. CAPITAL MONITORING COMPOSITE CAPITAL PROGRAMME
There was submitted Report No 316/97 by the Director of Finance on actual expenditure incurred during the period 1 April 1996 to 31 January 1997 on the Composite (Non-Housing) Capital Programme and setting out projected capital expenditure as against budgeted provision for the year.
The Committee noted the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) to note and approve the position as at 31 January 1997 on the Composite Capital Programme as per the monitoring statement appended to the Report;
(ii) to note that projections of the year end position would be ongoing up to 31 March 1997 with a view to ensuring that an optimal position was achieved for the Council with regard to utilisation of Section 94 Capital Consent levels, Capital Receipt augmentation and carry forward, and expenditure chargeable to Capital Financed from Current Revenue (CFCR.); and
(iii) to delegate responsibility to the Director of Finance, in consultation with the Chief Executive, to bring about the most advantageous position to the Council for the 1996/7 Capital Expenditure year end position which would also provide a beneficial platform for the finalisation of the 1997/8 Capital Programme.
4. RENEWAL AND REPAIRS FUNDS 1996/97 POSITION AS AT 31 JANUARY 1997
There was submitted Report No 317/97 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Renewal and Repairs Funds for Property, Roads and Information Technology as at 31 January 1997.
The Committee noted that the estimated total available balance on the three funds as at 31 January 1997 was £1,065,000.
5. REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING 1996/97
There was submitted and noted Report No 318/97 by the Director of Finance on actual revenue expenditure incurred and income received in respect of Council departments for the period 1 April 1996 to 31 January 1997.
6. REVENUE BUDGET OUTTURN 1996/97
There was submitted Report No 319/97 by the Director of Finance giving an update on the Council's projected financial position to the end of the current financial year.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the latest projected outturn position based on actual spend to 31 January 1997;
(ii) to note that projections of the year end position would be ongoing until the Final Accounts for 1996/97 were completed; and
(iii) to delegate responsibility to the Director of Finance, in consultation with the Chief Executive, to bring about the most advantageous position to the Council for 1996/97 revenue expenditure including the use of Renewal and Repair Funds and close co-ordination of the inter-relationship between revenue funding (CFCR Capital Financed from Current Revenue) and Section 94 Consent usage.
7. TREASURY MANAGEMENT
With reference to Article 5 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 30 April 1996, there was submitted Report No 320/97 by the Director of Finance along with a revised Treasury Management Policy Statement detailing the proposed Treasury Management Strategy for Angus Council for 1997/98.
The Report advised that the revision of the Treasury Policy Statement had proved necessary as a result of the revised Code of Practice on Treasury Management in Local Authorities issued by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in May 1996. The Code also required Local Authorities to produce a Treasury Management Strategy Statement for the forthcoming year.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) that the Treasury Management Policy Statement and Treasury Management Strategy Statement, as appended to the Report, be adopted for implementation within Angus Council;
(ii) that the Council's Financial Regulations be amended to reflect the requirements of the revised Code of Practice on Treasury Management in Local Authorities issued by CIPFA; and
(iii) to note that the Treasury Management Systems Document was available to members on request.
8. DISAGGREGATION OF THE REVENUES JOINT ARRANGEMENT
There was submitted Report No 324/97 by the Director of Finance detailing arrangements for the disaggregation of the Revenues Joint Arrangement which would cease at 31 March 1997.
The Report noted that, from 1 April 1997, Angus Council would be solely responsible for the billing and collection of its own local taxes. This would necessitate the Council incurring costs to allow the Revenues Division to operate fully and effectively from Invertay House and also to provide a revenues service from the Forfar, Arbroath and Montrose Housing Offices.
The Committee agreed to note the unavoidable costs, estimated at £30,000, to the Council involved in disaggregating the Revenues Joint Arrangement and purchasing the required information technology equipment.
9. COLLECTION OF COUNCIL TAX AND COMMUNITY CHARGE UPDATE
There was submitted Report No 321/97 by the Director of Finance updating members on the position on Council Tax and Community Charge collection as at the end of January 1997, when the total debt due and still being pursued was £5.206m.
After hearing the Director on the collection procedures adopted and the rate of recovery of the Council Tax and Community Charge, the Committee noted and accepted the contents of the Report.
10. REMISSION OF RATES
With reference to Article 16 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 3 September 1996, there was submitted Report No 322/97 by the Director of Finance advising the Committee of an application for relief of rates under Section 4 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions Etc) (Scotland) Act 1962.
The Committee agreed to grant 20% Discretionary and 80% Mandatory Relief of rates to Brechin Action and Initiative Network in respect of the application detailed in the Report.
11. MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES SCHEME 1996/97
There was submitted Report No 323/97 by the Director of Finance advising members of the final submission date of claims for members' allowances for the year ending on 31 March 1997.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) that all claims for travel, subsistence and other expenses for the year ending on 31 March 1997 be submitted to the Director of Finance on or before 11 April 1997; and
(ii) that claims for travel, subsistence and other expenses for the year ending on 31 March 1997, which had not been submitted to the Director of Finance by 11 April 1997, would lapse.
12. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY
With reference to Article 6 of the minute of meeting of the Education Committee of 4 March 1997, there was submitted Joint Report No 296/97 by the Directors of Education and Information Technology outlining the development of an Information Technology Strategy for the Education Department.
The Committee, for its interest, noted the terms of the Report.
13. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS
The Committee resolved that the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following items so as to avoid the disclosure of information which was exempt in terms of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9.
14. COMPUTERISED ADMINISTRATION WITHIN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
With reference to Article 3 of the minute of meeting of the Education Committee of 4 March 1997, there was submitted Joint Report No 286/97 by the Directors of Education and Information Technology outlining the evaluation process undertaken in respect of the proposed replacement of the computerised administration system within secondary schools and recommending the acquisition of (a) Phoenix Software from Scott Reid Associates and (b) required hardware.
The Committee, for its interest, agreed:-
(i) to instruct the Directors of Education and Information Technology to discuss the possibility of future joint developments with Scott Reid Associates and to report back to the Committee on the outcome of these discussions in early course; and
(ii) to note the terms of the Report.
15. HOUSING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENT
With reference to Article 23 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 28 January 1997, there was submitted Report No 297/97 by the Director of Information Technology detailing the outcome of the tender process for the supply of equipment to provide enhancement to the Housing Department's computer facilities.
The Committee agreed to note that, after consultation with the Convener, the Director of Information Technology had accepted the tender from Computer Technology (Scotland) Limited for supply of the required equipment.
16. E-COLI 0157 OUTBREAK STAFF OVERTIME
With reference to Article 8 of the minute of meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee of 18 February 1997, there was submitted Report No 325/97 by the Director of Environmental and Consumer Protection giving details of additional hours worked during February by members of his staff in order to carry out investigatory work in connection with the outbreak of E-Coli at Cairnie Lodge, Arbroath.
The Committee agreed that two senior Environmental Health Officers be paid overtime at the appropriate rate for additional hours worked during the E-Coli 0157 outbreak at Cairnie Lodge, Arbroath, as detailed in the Report, because to grant time off in lieu would disrupt the necessary follow-up work
17. MISCELLANEOUS ACCOUNTS DEBT WRITE-OFF
There was submitted Report No 326/97 by the Director of Finance detailing miscellaneous accounts which had been pursued through the Council’s recovery process and recommending that these be written off as irrecoverable.
Having noted that the Debt Recovery Procedure was being reviewed with the Director of Law and Administration, the Committee agreed to write-off the accounts, amounting to £3,923.06, as detailed in Appendix I to the Report.