28 06 2006

 

Apologies for inability to attend the meeting were submitted on behalf of the Mayor and Councillors Smith and Wright. 

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the Board meetings held on 15 March and 18 May 2006 be approved and signed by the Chairman as true and correct records.

 

 

 

 

Consideration was given to a cross reference from the Community and Environment Board which had met on 12 June 2006. A copy of the cross reference is affixed in the Minute Book as Appendix A.

 

Having considered a report of the Borough Solicitor and the Environmental Services Manager, the Community and Environment Board had made a number of recommendations. The Policy and Organisation Board agreed that the recommendations contained in the cross reference be made to Council.

 

RECOMMENDED: That:

 

a)

the proposed amendments to the Delegations to Officers, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report of the Borough Solicitor and the Environmental Services Manager, be approved;

 

 

b)

the proposed amendments to the Terms of Reference to the Community and Environment Board, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report of the Borough Solicitor and the Environmental Services Manager, be approved;

 

 

c)

the fixed penalties, as set out in Appendix 3 of the report of the Borough Solicitor and the Environmental Services Manager, be approved; and

 

 

d)

the Borough Solicitor be authorised to make all the necessary amendments to the Constitution to give effect to the above.

 

 

 

Consideration was given to a joint report of the Borough Solicitor and the Head of Internal Audit which advised the Board of a review of the Council’s governance arrangements. Members were requested to recommend to Council the following changes to the Constitution.

 

RECOMMENDED: That -

 

a)

Audit and Risk matters be reported to the Conduct and Standards Committee, to be renamed the Standards and Governance Committee;

 

 

b)

the Terms of Reference for the Standards and Governance Committee (as set out in Appendix 1 of the report of the Borough Solicitor and Head of Internal Audit) be approved; and

 

 

c)

the Borough Solicitor be authorised to make all necessary and consequential amendments to the Constitution to give effect to the above and to update the Constitution to reflect the Council’s current structure and legal provisions relating to Access to Information (Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972).

 

 

 

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Treasurer and Deputy Chief Executive which advised Members of the need to update the Council’s Financial Regulations (previous version updated in April 2002) in line with a nationally recommended model outlined in the CIPFA publication “A Good Practice Guide to Financial Regulations for an English Modern Council”. Members were requested to recommend to Council that the updated Financial Regulations (attached to the report as Appendix A) be adopted as part of the Council’s Constitution.

 

RECOMMENDED: That the updated Financial Regulations (Appendix A to the report of the Borough Treasurer and Deputy Chief Executive) be adopted as part of the Council’s Constitution.

 

 

 

 

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Treasurer and Deputy Chief Executive, which requested Members to consider the strategy for preparation of the 2007/08 General Fund Budget in the light of the Medium Term Financial Strategy and recommended that the budget framework for 2007/08 be considered and approved, including the newly prepared Medium Term Financial Strategy.

 

Members were advised that the strategy would be reviewed annually as part of the budget process.

 

RESOLVED: That the budget framework for 2007/08, including the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2006/07 – 2010/11, be approved.

 

 

 

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Treasurer and Deputy Chief Executive which set out the background to the requirement for Members to approve the 2005/06 Statement of Accounts which was shortly to be made available for public inspection and audit together with notes on the Statement and outturn position, including an analysis of the main variations from budget.

 

Members were advised that the Council’s financial position continued to become stronger although this was due principally to underspending in some areas.

 

RESOLVED: That:

 

 

a)

that the Statement of Accounts for the Financial Year ending 31 March 2006 be received and approved;

 

 

b)

the revenue variances detailed in Appendix C of the report of the Borough Treasurer and Deputy Chief Executive be noted;

 

 

c)

the capital programme slippage detailed in Appendix D of the report of the Borough Treasurer and Deputy Chief Executive be noted; and

 

 

d)

the write-offs approved under delegated authority at Appendix E of the report of the Borough Treasurer and Deputy Chief Executive be noted.

 

10.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) STRATEGY  APRIL 2006 TO MARCH 2009

 

 

Consideration was given to a report of the Corporate Services Manager which advised Members of the proposed three-year strategy for the use of information and communications technology in the provision and support of Council services.

 

RESOLVED: That the Information and Communications Technology Strategy April 2006 to March 2009 be approved.

 

 

Consideration was given to a cross reference from the Community and Environment Board which had met on 12 June 2006 and had recommended that the Policy and Organisation Board approve Option A of the Leisure and Cultural Services Manager’s report as the preferred course of action in respect of providing appropriate facilities for cricketers, footballers and other sports users of Privett Park.

 

Option A included the demolition of both no. 1 and no. 2 Pavilions and replacement of both with a two-storey pavilion on the site of the existing no. 1 Pavilion. An initial estimate for such a facility indicated a cost of approximately £1.1 million. This design incorporated changing and showering facilities and also provision for a social area which included a bar.

 

RESOLVED: That Option A in the report of the Leisure and Cultural Services Manager’s report be approved as the preferred course of action in respect of providing appropriate facilities for cricketers, footballers and other sports users of Privett Park.

 

 

By reason of special circumstance, the Chairman determined that this item be considered at this meeting notwithstanding the fact that the item had not been available for public inspection in accordance with the provisions of Section 100B (4) (a) of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

 

The special circumstance for consideration of this item at this time was that the Council’s external auditors, at a presentation prior to the Board meeting, had requested that the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter 2004/05 be formally accepted as soon as possible.

 

RESOLVED: That the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter 2004/05 be formally accepted.

 

The meeting commenced at 6.00 p.m. and concluded at 6.11 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN