10. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

It was noted that Councillor Baulk's apologies were by reason of him being engaged in other County Council business.

11. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally at the time of the debate declare their interest, and having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.

No declarations of interest were received.

12. MINUTES

The Minutes of the Committee held on 31 October 2006 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

13. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

There were no Chairman's communications.

14. ITEMS TO CONSIDERATION AND ACTION

The Chief Executive presented a report giving details of the role of the Committee and giving information on human resources issues; responses to queries raised by members of the Committee key issues form the Government White Paper `Strong and Prosperous Communities'; action taken by the Governance Committee on risk management; an update on routine monitoring issues ; progress with the work programme and the programme of Cabinet/Executive decisions (Item 5 in the Minute Book).

a. Government White Paper `Strong and Prosperous Communities'

The Chief Executive gave a presentation on the

key areas of interest for Policy Review Committees

arising out of the White Paper, details of which were

also shown in Appendix 2 to the Chief Executive's

report. He outlined the key messages which were

Place Shaping/Community Leadership, Democratic

Leadership, Community Engagement, Performance

and accountability and Local Government Structures.

The proposals would strengthen overview and scrutiny

with emphasis on place shaping and investigating

specific matters relating to action of local public

service providers and public bodies. He gave details of

the proposed powers and who could be invited to

give evidence to Scrutiny Committees and said that

community engagement was paramount. He pointed

out that the proposals did not include the police

within the public bodies but this would be picked up in

the Police and Criminal Justice Bill. There would be

like for like between local authorities, with the County

Council and District Councils being able to scrutinise

each other and joint working between local authorities

was important.

Community Call for Action was discussed in

the White Paper, there was little guidance on how it

was proposed that this should operate but it did present

an opportunity for the Committee to help shape this in

conjunction with District Councils. Members were

keen to start a working relationship with District

Councils regarding overview and scrutiny

arrangements including information sharing and

preventing duplication.

The proposals for changes to the local

Government structure would require a need to look at

the two/three tier working in Hampshire, what were the

strengths of each tier and how these could be

maximised and how services could be improved and

costs reduced.

There was no formal consultation on the

White Paper, the next step would be for the

Government to publish a Bill.

Members were keen to start a dialogue with

other public service providers and agencies in

Hampshire. The Learning Skills Council, Natural

England and Hampshire Strategic Partnership were

put forward as possible first points of call. The

Chief Executive reminded members that, at present,

they had no powers to summon outside bodies but

would look at the possibility of looking at this on an

informal basis for now. Members requested that The

Learning Skills Council should be a priority,

particularly in connection with their work on the

14 - 19 agenda.

RESOLVED:

That The Chief Executive investigates the

possibility of inviting representatives of the Learning

and Skills Council to the next meeting of the

Committee.

b. Project Integra

The Executive Officer for Project Integra

presented the outcomes of the scrutiny review of the

project which was shown as Appendix 8 of the Chief

Executive's report. Members were concerned about

each local authority having different waste recycling

schemes but were assured that all local authorities

within Hampshire now operated the same scheme.

RESOLVED:

That the Project Integra Executive Officer

updates Committee on the work of Project Integra

annually

c. Human Resources

The Director of Human Resources gave a

presentation on the work of Human Resources and the

issues facing the service. She outlined Human

Resources' role in developing organisational

effectiveness, the drivers for new structure, the

relationship with customers, the financial picture, the

2005-2010 Strategy, performance management, the 12

month action plan, external marketing and

opportunities for the future. Members were keen to

have regular updates on the work of Human Resources

and requested the Director to report to the Committee

in July 2007.

RESOLVED:

That The Director of Human Resources

presents a further report to the Committee in July

2007.

d. Financial Issues Raised by the Committee

The County Treasurer presented answers to

questions raised by members on insurance claims,

consultancy costs, feasibility study costs, virements in

2006/07, Young Carer's budget 2006/07 and the

implementation of the Swift system shown as

Appendix 1 to the Chief Executives report. Members

wanted to know whether the County Council still

carried its own insurance, the County Treasurer agreed

to provide the Committee with information on this.

Members also asked about virements under £250,000

and were advised that general information on

virements would be available in the budget report

which would be presented to the Committee in

February 2007. They also requested a follow up on the

Young Carers budget at that meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the County Treasurer to report back to

the Committee as to whether the County Council still

carries its own insurance risk and details of the Young

Carers budget.

e. Risk Management

The Chief Executive presented the report to

the Governance Committee on risk management which

was shown as Appendix 5. Members agreed that a

further report on risk management should be presented

to the Committee in July 2007.

RESOLVED

That the Chief Executive be requested to

present a further report on risk management to the

Committee in July 2007.

f. Ashburton Court - Furniture

The Director of Property, Business and

Regulatory Services had responded to questions raised

about the way in which fixtures and fittings will be

recycled and reused as the refit of Ashburton Court

proceeds shown as Appendix 4 to the Chief

Executives report. Members requested information on

the corporate policy for replacement furniture.

RESOLVED:

That the Director of Property, Business and

Regulatory Services be requested to provide

information on the corporate policy for replacement

furniture to the next meeting of the Committee.

g. ICT Scrutiny

The Head of IT Services presented the ICT

Scrutiny report which was shown as Appendices 5 and

6 to the Chief Executive's report responding to the

recommendations made by Councillor Baulk on the

working relationship between devolved and central IT.

Members highlighted the topics outlined in paragraph

3.1.3 of the report as potential areas for scrutiny, in

particular the management of external IT suppliers.

The Head of IT Services suggested that the consultancy on the merger of the two helpdesks be best conducted by an impartial third party rather than generated from within IT Services, finance to support this work was available in the IT Services Budget.

Members also questioned the support to

smaller departments and the possibility of a

corporate budget for IT. He assured members that

smaller departments did receive adequate support and

if necessary they would receive appropriate input from

IT.

RESOLVED:

That the report be agreed and a further report

be presented to the Committee in July 2007.

h. County Council's Budget and Finance

The County Treasurer presented a report on

the 2006/07 budget position identifying potential

spending levels in excess of the budget in both Adult

and Children's Services, vigorous action being

pursued to identify compensating savings and firm

action plans that were already in place for

approximately £8.7m of the £10.7m savings included

in the 2006/07 budget, shown as Appendix 7 in the

Chief Executive's report. A report on the budget

setting process would be presented to the next

meeting of the Committee which had been

rescheduled to 1 February 2007 in order to maximise

the opportunity for Members to influence the process

prior to the Cabinet meeting on 9 February 2007.

i. Task and Finish Groups

Following the last meeting of the

Committee the following task and finish groups had

been set up:

· Ranking Local Bus Service Contracts

· Motorway Diversion Routes

· Schools Admission Policy

· Library and Information Service

The Committee was requested to approve

an in depth scrutiny review on Transport in the Community details of which were shown as Appendix 9 of the Chief Executive's report.

RESOLVED

That approval given for a task and finish group to be established for an in depth scrutiny review of Transport in the Community.

j. Cabinet/Executive Decisions

The Cabinet reports on Budget Guidelines

and the Outcome on Consultation on Council Tax and

the Half Year Corporate Performance report would not

be available until 11 December 2006. The Scrutiny

Officer agreed to circulate these to Members when

available.

Action

Chief Executive to circulate presentation to members.

The Chief Executive investigates the possibility of inviting representatives of the Learning Skills Council to the next meeting of the Committee.

Project Integra Executive Officer to update Committee on the work of Project Integra annually

The Director of Human Resources to report to the Committee in July 2007

The County Treasurer to report back as to whether the County Council still carries its own insurance risk.

The County Treasurer to provide details of the Young Carers budget in February 2007

The Chief Executive to present a further report on risk management in July 2007

The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services provides information on the corporate policy for replacement furniture to the next meeting of the Committee

Members to receive an update on the issues highlighted in 3.1.3 as part of the July report of the Director of IT Services.

The Head of IT Services to provide an update to the Committee on the review of IT Services in July 2007, to include a status report on the merger of the two helpdesks.

Scrutiny Officer to circulate Cabinet reports on Budget Guidelines and the Outcome on Consultation on Council Tax and the Half Year Corporate Performance to all members of the Committee when available