Agenda and minutes

Agreed, subject to the following amendment for clarification:

Minute 108 - Budget Monitoring, replace the second paragraph with the following:

Noted:

1.  The potential budget overspend of £600,000 in the Education, Arts and Libraries Department and the actions taken within the Housing and Health Department to address pressures on the Housing General Fund Budget and the Housing Revenue Account; and

2.  The emerging budget pressures within the Social Services Department.

Agreed, that the Director of Education, Arts and Libraries to ensure that action is taken to rectify the current projected overspend on Education.

Deferred.

Deferred.

Withdrawn - not circulated.

Received a report providing a summary of the issues surrounding alcohol treatment services in the Borough in light of the request to the Council for financial support to relocate the Alcohol Advisory Service.  The service is currently the only provider of alcohol treatment in the Borough and is required to move from its current premises by December.

Noted that there are significant developments in the national agenda for alcohol treatment that may have an influence on the future commissioning of alcohol services in the Borough, including the imminent release of a National Alcohol Strategy.

Agreed:

1. Not to make a capital investment for accommodation for the Alcohol Advisory Service until after a review of the Service and its role within a local Alcohol Strategy, yet to be published, is confirmed: and

2. That a further report be submitted to the Executive as soon as possible presenting an initial assessment of the implications of the National Alcohol Strategy and options for the location of the Alcohol Advisory Service beyond the December deadline for vacating the current premises.

Received a report setting out details of two draft strategies that will help to ensure that local businesses are supported in order to up-skill their employees and unemployed people are supported into jobs. 

Noted that funding streams are available and that the Council is well placed to lead partnership activity, help unemployed residents through its own recruitment by placing employment conditions in the contracts it places and including training activities in Section 106 agreements.

Agreed, in order to improve residents’ access to well paid employment, which the key route to tackling social exclusion:

1. To adopt the draft strategies attached as appendices to the report as the basis for consultation with external partners; and

2. That further detailed reports be submitted on the role that the Council can play as a major employer, purchaser of services and planning authority.

Deferred.

Received a report providing an update on the IT for Members project, which included options for reducing the higher than expected connection charges associated with heavy usage making savings in the central printing budget.  The report outlines three options for the replacement of the existing Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) lines with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lines (ADSL), in order to improve performance and reduce costs.  These are as follows:

a)  Point to Point BT IP Stream Broadband;

b)  BT Business Broadband; and

c)  BT Home Broadband.

The report also provided an update on the number of Members currently connected to the Council’s computer network and savings which can be made in computer training arrangements.

Agreed, in order to produce savings through a reduction in central printing costs, computer connection charges and training arrangements, to:

1. Option A, as detailed in the report as the preferred option to move from ISDN to ADSL connection for all Members to the Council’s computer network. 

This is a spend-to-save proposal with capital investment funded through the Customer First initiative that will result in sustainable, predictable revenue savings on call and print charges, offering an all in-house solution resulting in better security and one point of call for ‘help desk’ facilities;

2. Encourage the balance of Members to be connected to the Council’s computer network in order to improve electronic communications, which will lead to savings being made to central printing budgets, as part of the three year programme of cuts;

3. Provide Members with the opportunity to take up the European Computer Driving Licence qualification as the means for training in the use of computers and the software provided; and

4. A further report being submitted to look into the issue of telephone use by Members and the provision of out of office hours IT support. 

Agreed to exclude the public and press for the remainder of the meeting, as the business was confidential.