Agenda and minutes

Agreed.

Noted the fourth quarterly progress report on the implementation of the improvement plan following the Best Value Review of the Council's Regeneration service.

Further to Minute 194 (18 November 2003), noted a report outlining details of an assessment by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister which indicates that the Council is meeting the national targets for dealing with minor town planning applications.  The Council has been given a ‘Green’ rating, which means that the Council is no longer designated as a Planning Standards Authority.

The report also presented proposals for further improvement and changes to the Action Plan, agreed in 2003, which need to be addressed as part of the ongoing process.

Agreed, in order to ensure compliance with the Best Value Performance Indicators and to assist the Council to achieve the Community Priority of “Regenerating the Local Economy” and customer first initiatives, the following changes to procedures detailed in paragraphs 2.1 to 2.6 of the report for inclusion in the Development Control Action Plan:

1. Production of guidance on the validation of applications;

2. Introduction of target dates for consultations;

3. Review of delegation levels;

4. Section 106 legal agreements and unilateral undertakings; and

5. Appeals.

Noted that the Director of Corporate Strategy, acting under the provisions of paragraph 2.2 of the Council’s Conferences, Visits and Hospitality Rules (Part D of the Constitution) and in consultation with the Deputy Leader of the Council, has approved the attendance of Councillor Geddes, the Policy and Review Manager and one Policy and Review Officer at the Policy Network annual conference 2005, to take place between 15 - 17 June 2005, at a total approximate cost of £1,536 which will be met from existing departmental budgets.

Deferred for consideration until 21 June 2005.

Received a report seeking the adoption of a Strategic Risk Management policy, a change to the terms of reference of the Corporate Monitoring Group Audit Committee and to existing working arrangements for managing both insurable and non insurable risk.

Agreed, in order to assist the process of embedding risk management techniques into all aspects of the working of the Council in a manner that enhances service delivery and protects the assets and resources of the Authority, to:

1. Endorse the Council’s draft Risk Management Policy as attached at Appendix A;

2. Recommend the Assembly to formally adopt the Policy at its meeting on 6 July 2005;

3. The addition to the terms of reference of the Corporate Monitoring Group Audit Committee as detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report;

4. Note the establishment of a Corporate Risk Manager post within the Internal Audit section, to be funded from estimates previously committed to outsourced work undertaken in this area by Deloittes; and

5. The transfer of the Insurance Section from the Financial Services Division to the Internal Audit Division of the Finance Department.

Deferred for consideration until 28 June 2005.

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

* Item considered as a matter of urgency with the consent of the Chair under Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.