Agenda, decisions and minutes

1.1             The evacuation procedure, as noted on the Agenda, was taken as read.  

2.1             The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 26 June 2012 and took effect from 1 July 2012.

2.2             There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2015.

3.1             The Minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2015, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.  

To receive any questions, deputations or petitions submitted under Rule of Procedure 12.

(The deadline for public participation submissions for this meeting is 4 June 2015)

4.1             There were no items from members of the public on this occasion.  

To consider the Committee’s Forward Plan.  

That the Committee’s Forward Plan be NOTED.  

5.1             Attention was drawn to the Committee’s Forward Plan, circulated at Page No. 10-14. Members were asked to consider the Plan.

5.2             Accordingly, it was   

To appoint the Portfolio Holders and their Support Members.

That the following Portfolio Holders and their Support Members be APPOINTED:

Leader of the Council/Corporate Portfolio –

Councillor R J E Vines.

Corporate Portfolio Support Member –

Councillor Mrs G F Blackwell.

Customer Focus Portfolio –

Councillor M Dean.

Customer Focus Support Member –

Councillor Mrs H C McLain.

Organisational Development Portfolio Holder –

Councillor Mrs E J MacTiernan.

Organisational Development Support Member –

Councillor Mrs J Greening.

Finance and Asset Management Portfolio –

Councillor D J Waters.

Finance and Asset Management Support Member –

Councillor A J Evans.

Built Environment Portfolio Holder –

Councillor D M M Davies. 

Built Environment Support Member –

Councillor R D East.

Clean and Green Environment Portfolio Holder –

Councillor J R Mason.

Clean and Green Environment Support Member –

Councillor M J Williams.

Community Portfolio Holder –

Councillor Mrs K J Berry.

Community Support Member –

Councillor Mrs P E Stokes.

Economic Development/Promotion Portfolio Holder –

Councillor R A Bird.

Economic Development/Promotion Support Member –

Councillor P D Surman.

Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder –

Councillor R E Allen.

Health and Wellbeing Support Member –

Councillor T A Spencer.

6.1             Attention was drawn to the Lead Member Portfolios circulated at Page No. 15. Members were asked to consider the information provided.

6.2             The Chairman explained that, following the Annual Council Meeting, the membership of the Executive Committee had reduced from 10 to nine Members with many of the Committee being new. He also indicated that, at the Annual Council meeting, he had proposed that each Lead Member would have a Support Member. Historically, there had been Shadow Members from different Political Groups but he felt this had made things difficult and as such he had proposed that the new Support Members should be from the same Political Group as the Lead Member.

6.3             Referring to the information circulated with the Agenda, a Member advised that the Gloucestershire Waste Partnership no longer existed and therefore should be deleted from the Clean and Green Environment Portfolio. Another Member expressed the view that it would be useful to have a list of the Officers responsible for each Portfolio so that it was clear who they should refer to. In response, the Chief Executive indicated that he would ensure this was done. In terms of timing and content of the Lead Member meetings, he explained that they were largely for the benefit of the Lead Member and how they were shaped would be down to the Member and the Officers responsible for the Portfolio. The aim was to provide a regular update on what was happening within the Portfolio and also to provide an early indication of issues that were likely to arise so that the Member could input where necessary. Where information provided was of a confidential nature this would be made clear to the Member beforehand and they would then need to bear that in mind.

6.4             A Member expressed the view that Lead Member Briefings were an excellent idea as long as the Officers involved were fully committed to the process. In response, the Chief Executive agreed that teamwork between Lead Members and Officers would not work without there being quality support from both sides. If any Members felt that they were not getting what they needed from the Officers then they should speak to the relevant Group Manager or a Member of the Corporate Leadership Team.

6.5             Accordingly, it was

To consider the key activities of each service grouping during 2015/16.  

That the 2015/16 service plans be ENDORSED.  

7.1             The report of the Corporate Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 16-49, set out the high level service plans for Corporate Services; Democratic Services; Development; Environmental and Housing Services; Finance and Asset Management; and Revenues and Benefits. Members were asked to consider and endorse the Plans.

7.2             Members were advised that each service grouping had been asked to prepare a Plan which set out the key service actions for the year along with the progress made on the key actions from the previous year. Those Service Plans detailed the non-Council Plan actions only as the Council Plan actions were assessed through the Council Plan Performance Tracker. The Tracker was monitored by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its observations were then considered by the Executive Committee. When holding team meetings, Group Managers used their Service Plan and Performance Tracker actions in tandem.

7.3             The Chief Executive introduced the Service Plan for Corporate Services and explained that this was a new service group in the Council’s structure which had been formed following the Council decision taken in April regarding the restructure of the Chief Executive’s Unit. The new Group Manager for Corporate Services was now in place but there were a number of other structural changes which were still required and should result in an increase in the Council’s corporate project management capacity. Due to these changes, the Plans that had been in place for the previous year would be quite different but they did offer a good reference point for what would be happening in the forthcoming year.

7.4             In terms of the key points, the Chief Executive advised that there had been significant improvements in 2014/15 within Customer Services and last year a major review had been commissioned. Customer Services was currently working on its standards and the results of the review would be fed into that work. There had also been a major review of ICT in the previous year and from that an action plan had been produced which was a big step forward in terms of identifying strengths and weaknesses; it had been identified that, generally, the Council was providing a good service despite some minor glitches. In addition, the Corporate Peer Review had taken place in November and had been extremely successful.  In respect of ICT, a Member indicated that she had recently been getting a pop-up when she switched her computer on which said ‘for IT only’; she questioned what this was. In response, the Corporate Services Group Manager undertook to investigate and advise Members accordingly.

7.5             A Member questioned what was happening currently in terms of Ubico as he, along with the local Parish Clerk, had been finding it difficult to contact people in respect of grass cutting. In response, the Deputy Chief Executive indicated that there had been some minor ‘teething problems’ in terms of communication since the Ubico transfer. Officers were working to put into place a more effective system of communication and a full list of email addresses  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To approve the Volunteering Policy (Phase One) for Members of the Public Volunteering with Tewkesbury Borough Council with effect from 1 July 2015.

That the Volunteering Policy (Phase One) for Members of the Public Volunteering with Tewkesbury Borough Council be APPROVED with effect from 1 July 2015.  

8.1             The report of the Corporate Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 50-64, set out phase one of the Volunteering Policy for Members of the Public who wish to Volunteer with Tewkesbury Borough Council. Members were asked to approve the policy with effect from 1 July 2015.

8.2             Members were advised that the Volunteering Policy would be introduced in two phases. The first phase set out the Volunteering Policy for Members of the Public who wished to Volunteer with Tewkesbury Borough Council and the second phase would set out how the Council would support employees who wished to do volunteer work within the community or for charitable institutions. The Council already engaged some volunteers as litter pickers in the Borough and was now looking to use volunteers in the Tewkesbury Tourist Information and Heritage and Visitor Centre. A Policy was required to encourage and support members of the public who wished to volunteer and to provide a framework for the Council in using them.

8.3             It was explained that a volunteer was a person who donated their time, skills and experience without receiving any form of compensation and the Policy before Members would apply in all situations where a member of the public was looking for a volunteering opportunity with the Council. The Policy set out clearly the Council’s commitment to volunteers, the procedures and processes that needed to be followed and the nature of the volunteering relationship. It was anticipated that the Policy would help the Council to deliver services and improve communities as well as helping to build a robust and resilient society by enabling individuals to get involved in activities that benefitted the community, the environment and the relationships between communities and the Council. There were a number of benefits to individuals when they volunteered which included: personal achievement and development of self-worth; broadening of a person’s outlook of the community; transference of a person’s skills and experience to the community; development of a person’s skills and experience; improving employability; creation of a ‘can do’ attitude; increase in social health and wellbeing; and help to adjust to the future i.e. retirement prospects.

8.4             The Deputy Chief Executive indicated that the second phase of the Policy would focus on the Council’s staff volunteering elsewhere. This would work on a ‘brokerage’ basis whereby staff could volunteer whilst still maintaining their work with the Council. The businesses that used the brokerage scheme would pay a small amount to it to ensure they got the right volunteer support.

8.5             Members felt the Policy before them was a good idea and, accordingly, it was

9.1             The Chairman proposed, and it was

RESOLVED          That, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act                               1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following                              items on the grounds that they involve the likely discussion of                                     exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the                               Act.

To approve the separate Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 25 March 2015.

10.1           The separate Minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2015, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.  

(Exempt –Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 –Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information))

To note the action taken in accordance with the Urgency Procedure in respect of the Rugby Club Lease.

(Exempt –Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 –Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information))

11.1           Members noted the action taken in accordance with the Urgency Procedure in respect of the Rugby Club Lease.