Agenda and minutes

None.

Agreed as an accurate record.

To confirm the items of business marked Part I will be considered in public and that the items marked Part II will be considered in private.

It was agreed that all items of business were considered in public.

The report set out the draft revenue budget and capital programme of Central Services (comprising both Deputy Chief Executive’s Office and the Finance & Business Services Directorate) for 2011/12, along with indicative projections for the following three years.

Members were informed that the Council was looking to make significant savings of £22m. This saving target included an additional savings target of £2m for Area Based Grant (ABG) funded services which was added following the post election budget when a £3.6m in year cut was imposed by central government, and also included a £3.8m worsening of the estimated formula grant funding for 2011/12 caused by the front loading of savings.

The total savings for DCEO and F & BS was £4.151m. The development of savings proposals concentrated on more efficient delivery methods and the new operating model and focused on cores services. Front line services were not affected and as far as possible there would be no impact on the residents of the Borough.

Deputy Chief Executive’s Office

The key financial issues were:

·        DECO would continue to play a key role in developing a strong and robust core strategic support function for the Council and providing resources to carry out the transformation that would come out of Business Improvement Delivery (BID) reviews

·        The outcomes of BID reviews in 2010/11 had resulted in the centralisation and unification of a number of common functions such as the HR function, the Policy and Performance function and the addition of the Audit and Enforcement role

·        Hillingdon Homes had been incorporated back into the Council which had impacted on a number of services within DCEO

·        A number of significant restructurings had taken place with HR, Legal Services, the combining of the Registration of Electors and Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Team under one manager, the combining of the Policy and Performance Teams which had resulted in the deletion of one Head of Service post, and the Corporate Communications Service

·        The reduction in ABG funding has had a major impact and has required a number of significant reviews of service provision in the Policy and Performance teams and the Learning and Development team

·        The outcome of the review of voluntary sector grants had resulted in savings proposals of £296k

Issues raised by Members were:

·        London Borough Grants Scheme – The current draft Development and Risk Contingency included this item which could generate a saving of £429k, subject to a majority agreement by the London Councils. Hillingdon would receive a share of this

·        Restructurings – It was re-iterated that as far as possible front line services to residents would be protected and these restructurings had contributed around £2m in savings. Efficiencies had resulted in better print management, the Training budget etc

·        Democratic Services and Legal Services – The restructurings in these service areas would not mean a reduction in service. In relation to Democratic Services, Electoral Services and Registrars had merged which had resulted in the loss of a manager post. Staff would be multi-skilled in both service area  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

Discussion took place on the Draft Final Report of the review into the Census 2011 and how this Council could contribute to improving the population data for the Borough. Members noted the Council’s draft Census Engagement and Communications Strategy which contained many activities and tools which had been covered during the review. The point was made that the strategy would align with the national communications strategy and the Council would be working jointly with the Area Manager for the Office for National Statistics.

Reference was made to making better use of Hillingdon People to get the Census message across and Members were assured that future articles in this publication would be more prominent.

Discussion took place on the five recommendations of the review which were contained in the final report and minor amendments were suggested and officers were asked to update the recommendations accordingly.

Members asked that an additional recommendation be added to the report to ensure that residents were made aware that the information which they would be providing in the Census questionnaire would be completely confidential and would not be used for any other purpose, other than for the Census.

Resolved –

1. That approval be given to the detail contained in the final report on the Census review, subject to the amendments suggested, and that the final report be agreed by the Chairman of the Committee in consultation with Democratic Services, before its submission to Cabinet.

An update was provided on one of the recommendations contained in this Committee Pandemic review which related to a Skills and Knowledge Audit for the workforce of the Council.

Resolved –

1.  That an officer from Strategic HR be asked to attend the next meeting of this Committee to update Members on the progress made in implementing the outstanding recommendation of the Pandemic review

To receive an oral update on the Security Contract for the Council.

Members asked that an officer be invited to the next meeting of this Committee to provide Members with details of the Security Service for the Council.

To consider an oral report.

Members were asked to email the Democratic Services Manager with potential topics for this Committee’s next major review and if possible a briefing paper be submitted to this Committee’s next meeting.

Noted.

Noted.