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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 Thursday 22 April 1999 at 4.05 pm.

Present: Councillors ALEX KING, JACK GIBB, GEORGE ALLAN, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, WILLIAM MIDDLETON, BRIAN MILNE, STEWART MOWATT, ROB MURRAY, Mrs KATHLEEN RITCHIE and DAVID SELFRIDGE.

Apology: An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor IAN HUDGHTON.

Councillor KING, Convener, in the Chair.

1. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 16 March 1999 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.

2. COMMON GOOD FUND BUDGETS

The Committee was advised that as part of the finalisation of the Council’s own budgets and following confirmation from Tayside Police of CCTV staff costs (net of Police Grant), adjustments had been made to the Common Good Fund Budgets submitted to the Committee in February 1999. The Common Good Fund Budgets shown in the recently issued Final Revenue & Capital Budgets Volume 1999/2000 reflected the finalised budget position on the various Funds for the 1999/2000 financial year.

The Committee agreed to note the finalised budget position with regard to Common Good Funds.

3. HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME ­ HRA BLOCK ­ 1998/99

With reference to Article 3 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 16 March 1999, there was submitted Report No 428/99 by the Director of Finance setting out the position on the HRA Housing Capital Programme, as at 31 March 1999. The Report indicated that, generally, expenditure was on track to achieve the Programme, with performance continuing to be monitored carefully.

The Committee agreed to note the figures in respect of 1998/99.

4. REVENUE MONITORING STATEMENT

With reference to Article 4 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 16 March 1999, there was submitted Report No 429/99 by the Director of Finance on the actual revenue expenditure incurred and income received in respect of the Council's Departments, as well as the Police, Fire and Valuation Joint Boards, for the period 1 April 1998 to 28 February 1999.

The Committee agreed to note the contents of the Report.

5. REVENUE BUDGET OUTTURN 1998/99

With reference to Article 5 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 16 March 1999, there was submitted Report No 430/99 by the Director of Finance updating members on the Council's projected financial position to the end of the current financial year.

The Report indicated that projections had been undertaken to gauge how individual Departmental expenditure and income was expected to outturn at the financial year end, compared to the original budget set by the Council. Overall, it was noted that an overspend of £79,000 was anticipated. However, £60,000 of this related to operational lease costs (which should be offset by a reduction in debt charges), and the Finance Department was examining how the net £19,000 overspend could be accommodated within the cash limited budget.

The Committee, for its interest, agreed to note the contents of the Report.

6. RENEWAL AND REPAIR FUNDS ­ POSITION AT 28 FEBRUARY 1999

With reference to Article 8 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 16 March 1999, there was submitted Report No 431/99 by the Director of Finance detailing the financial position of the Renewal and Repair Funds for Property, Roads, Print and Information Technology. The Report indicated that all agreed commitments for 1998/99 had been included.

The Committee agreed to note the contents of the Report.

7. REMISSION OF RATES

With reference to Article 9 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 19 March 1999, there was submitted Report No 432/99 by the Director of Finance advising the Committee of two applications for remission of rates and indicating that the granting of the applications, as detailed in the Report, would be consistent with the Council’s policy.

The Committee agreed to approve the two applications for remission of rates, as detailed in the Report.

8. 1999/2000 GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL BUDGET ­ GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF SECTION 94 CONSENT NET ALLOCATION

With reference to Article 7 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 2 February 1999, there was submitted Report No 433/99 by the Director of Finance advising the Committee of the recent announcement by the Scottish Office of the Council’s Section 94 Consent Net Allocation for 1999/2000 and also providing an update on the preparation of the 1999/2000 General Services Capital Budget.

The Report indicated that there had been an increase in Section 94 Consent of some £300,000 over that assumed in the initial estimate of capital resources for 1999/2000. The shortfall in funding of approximately £250,000 had therefore been eliminated and a small funding balance of £50,000 brought about. The total Capital Budget for 1999/2000 had been increased by approximately £300,000 from the level indicated in Provisional Capital Budget Volume. The ability of the Council to carry forward unused capital consent and capital receipts, however, meant that the slippage of expenditure into the 1999/2000 financial year would be accommodated through an equivalent increase in the funding resources for that year.

The Committee agreed to note the contents of the Report.

9. QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

There was submitted Report No 471/99 by the Director of Information Technology outlining the progress made in developing a Quality Management System within the Department of Information Technology.

The Report indicated that, as part of the Departmental Service Plan, the department’s Management Team had taken the decision to develop and implement a quality management system, to improve efficiency and provide a consistent approach to internal business processes. The Convener indicated that Angus Council was one of only two local authorities in Scotland that had achieved full accreditation for all of its IT functions.

The Committee agreed:

(i) to note the achievement of ISO 9001 accreditation for the Information Technology Department’s quality management system;

(ii) to note the contribution of this development to the departmental implementation of Best Value; and

(iii) to congratulate the Director of Information Technology and his staff on this achievement.

10. USE OF EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS ­ BEST VALUE SERVICE REVIEWS

With reference to Article 14 of the minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 23 March 1999, there was submitted Report No 331/99 by the Chief Executive giving guidance on how external consultants could be used to support the Best Value Service Review process and recommending a Policy Statement on the employment of external consultants within a Best Value context.

The Committee agreed, for its interest:-

(i) to note the contents of the Report; and

(ii) to approve the Policy Statement "External Consultants in Best Value" as detailed in the Report.

11. VALEDICTORY REMARKS

As this was the last meeting of this Committee to be held before the elections, the Convener thanked all the officers for the support which he and the Committee had received over the last four years.