To consider a report by the Head of Resources on the Council’s achievement of Value for Money.
Contact:C Mason 388157
Minutes:
Further to Minute No. 78/14, the Panel considered the annual report by the Head of Resources (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the Council’s achievement of Value for Money (VfM) Members were advised that the report had been divided into two sections - value for money at service delivery level and value for money in corporate activity. The Panel’s attention was drawn to the opinion of the Council’s Responsible Financial Offer in each area.
In considering the corporate activities which are undertaken to secure value for money for the Authority, Members drew attention to the failings which had been identified in the delivery of the Huntingdon Multi-Storey Car Park and the re-development of facilities at One Leisure, St Ives. Members were reminded that following the 2012/13 external audit report, a number of measures (including the establishment of a number of Governance Boards) had been put in place to improve the Council’s approach to project management. However the projects referred to had commenced prior to these new arrangements being put into place. Members were firmly of the opinion that this situation should not be allowed to re-occur.
With reference to the specific projects outlined above, Councillor P G Mitchell explained that the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being), would be investigating these matters further, together within the Council’s approach to project management more generally. Members were of the opinion that the resulting report should be presented to the Corporate Governance Panel to enable Members to make an informed comment on the Annual Governance Statement in due course. It was also suggested that the Council’s Procurement Manager should be invited to attend a future meeting of the Panel to provide his comments on the extent to which Council Officers were following procurement recommendations and the effectiveness of his role within the organisation.
In response to a number of general questions, the Head of Resources outlined the mechanisms which would be used to measure value for money on an ongoing basis and the ways in which elected Councillors could help through ensuring that value for money is at the heart of everything that they do. It was the view of the Head of Resources that the Council had made great strides in establishing new corporate processes and practices that should improve the Council’s corporate approach towards the achievement of value for money.
The Head of Resources then proceeded to respond to a number of specific questions raised by Panel Members with regard to the corporate policy related processes which the Council had in place that aimed to ensure that the Council achieved value for money. These related to the development of Shared Service protocols, an asset management plan for the Authority and the introduction of zero based budgeting. An explanation of the ‘golden thread’ approach to performance management was also provided and Members were reminded that the need to embed this approach within the organisation had been identified as an issue within the Annual Governance Statement for last year.
Finally Members reviewed the outcome of the table top review of value for money at service delivery level. In response to a question as to whether there was any potential to standardise the activities which were being undertaken in different service areas, the Panel were informed that the Council’s Senior Management Team were keen to develop a more standardised approach.
Having noted the intention to prepare a further report on an annual basis, the Panel commended the Head of Resources on the provision of an honest opinion. Whereupon, it was
RESOLVED
that the contents of the report be noted.
Supporting documents: