Angus CouncilTel: 08452 777 778
Email: accessline@angus.gov.uk
|
ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of the FINANCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Tuesday 2 December 1997 at 4.06 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 21 October 1997 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.
2. REVENUE MONITORING STATEMENT
There was submitted Report No 1243/97 by the Director of Finance on the actual revenue expenditure incurred and income received in respect of the Council’s Departments for the period 1 April 1997 to 31 October 1997.
The Committee noted the Report.
3. REVENUE BUDGET OUTTURN 1997/98
With reference to Article 2 of the minute of the Special Meeting of Angus Council of 6 March 1997, there was submitted Report No 1244/97 by the Director of Finance updating members on the Council’s revenue monitoring arrangements for the purpose of making year end outturn projections. It was anticipated at this stage that, with the exception of Local Government Reform costs, expenditure would be held within the overall budget.
The Committee noted the Report.
4. CAPITAL MONITORING COMPOSITE CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98
With reference to Article 5 of the minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 7 May 1996, there was submitted Report No 1245/97 by the Director of Finance apprising members of the capital expenditure incurred for the period from 1 April 1997 to 31 October 1997 and measuring actual capital expenditure as against budgeted provision for the year.
After hearing Councillor Murray regarding the projected outturn of expenditure under the Property Services head, the Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the position as at 31 October 1997 on the Composite Capital Programme as per the monitoring statement appended to the Report; and
(ii) to note that projections of the year end position would be ongoing and brought forward on a regular basis to the Committee.
5. CAPITAL MONITORING PROGRAMME HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME HRA BLOCK 1997/98
There was submitted Report No 1246/97 by the Director of Finance detailing the Housing Capital Programme HRA Block for 1997/98 as at 31 October 1997 and the latest estimates for the year.
The Committee noted the Report and the figures presented and agreed that the total programme remain at £8.023m.
6. RENEWAL AND REPAIRS FUNDS TO 31 OCTOBER 1997
There was submitted Report No 1247/97 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Renewal and Repairs Funds for Property, Roads, Information Technology and the Print Unit as at 31 October 1997.
The Committee noted the Report and the balances available on the four funds.
7. 1998/99 REVENUE BUDGET
There was submitted Report No 1248/97 by the Director of Finance advising the Committee of the latest position with regard to the preparation of the departmental 1998/99 revenue budget and associated issues.
There were also submitted Appendices to the Report summarising the departmental provisional base budgets for 1998/99 in respect of the Information Technology Department and the Finance Department as submitted to the Director of Finance.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the Report for its interest; and
(ii) to note that a more detailed Report with specific recommendations would be brought forward later in the budget cycle.
8. ARBROATH GOLF COURSE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT ESTIMATED INCOME ON EXPENDITURE BUDGET AND PROPOSED CHARGES YEAR ENDING 31 OCTOBER 1998
There was submitted Report No 1249/97 by the Director of Finance setting out the estimated income and expenditure budget and proposed charges for Arbroath Golf Course Committee of Management for the year ended 31 October 1998.
The Committee approved the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) to note the estimated income and expenditure budget; and
(ii) to approve the proposed charges for the year ending 31 October 1998.
9. 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 1250/97 by the Director of Finance advising the Committee of applications for relief of rates under Section 4 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions, Etc) (Scotland) Act 1962.
The Committee agreed to grant remission of rates in respect of the applications as detailed in the Report.
10. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REPLACEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT
With reference to Article 11 of the minute of meeting of the Education Committee of 25 November 1997, there was submitted Joint Report No 1205/97 by the Director of Education and the Director of Information Technology outlining proposals to purchase information technology equipment for primary and secondary schools and identifying longer term issues regarding the financing of the Information and Communication Technology requirements of the Education Department.
The Committee, for its interest, approved the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) to approve the purchase of information technology equipment as outlined in the Report; and
(ii) to instruct the Directors of Education and Information Technology, in consultation with the Director of Finance, to bring forward a further Report outlining funding options for Education Department Information and Communication Technology requirements.
11. NEW LIBRARY: THE PEOPLE’S NETWORK
With reference to Article 10 of the minute of meeting of the Recreation and Cultural Services Committee of 20 November 1997, there was submitted Report No 1181/97 by the Director of Cultural Services advising members of the content of the Report entitled "New Library: The People’s Network" which had been produced by the Library and Information Commission at the request of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
The Report set out the role of the public library service in the next century.
The Committee, for its interest, noted the terms of the Report and agreed that the Director of Cultural Services should consult with the Director of Education and the Director of Information Technology and submit a further Report.
12. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF REVENUES AND HOUSING COMPUTER SYSTEMS
With reference to Article 7 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 6 May 1997, there was submitted Joint Report No 1237/97 by the Director of Finance, Director of Housing and Director of Information Technology outlining a strategy for the future development of computer systems to deal with the functions of Council Tax and Housing Management.
The existing Council Tax computer system operated on equipment which was approaching the end of its expected lifespan and was becoming costly to maintain and the Director of Housing had concluded that there was a requirement for a complete replacement and expansion of the existing computer provision within Housing Management.
In considering the respective requirements of council tax collection and benefits administration within the Finance Department, housing functions and the resulting information technology, implications, the Directors had concluded that the circumstances provided a unique opportunity for co-ordinating the development of computerised systems for the two functions.
Further reports detailing future procurement would highlight the expenditure implications which, it was anticipated, would be contained within the Housing Revenue Account and the IT Repairs and Renewal Fund.
The Committee approved the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) to approve the principles of the outlined strategy for the replacement of existing Council Tax and Housing computer systems; and
(ii) to instruct the appropriate Directors to bring forward detailed reports on the financial implications in due course.
13. TELEMATICS STRATEGY
There was submitted Joint Report No 1238/97 by the Chief Executive, the Director of Information Technology and the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development regarding the development of a Telematics Strategy for Angus.
Telematics encompassed the use of information and telecommunications technology to improve internal operating efficiency within the Council and to provide community information access to Council services, education and a wide range of other public and private services. The adoption of these technologies by the business community in Angus could also provide considerable development of the local economy.
In order to achieve the potential benefits it was essential that the Council had a clearly defined strategy and a sustainable implementation plan. A copy of the proposed strategy was appended to the Report.
The Committee approved the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) to adopt the proposed Telematics Strategy; and
(ii) to authorise appropriate officers formally to discuss partnership arrangements to effect the implementation of the strategy and report progress and any financial implications in due course.