Agenda and minutes

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests arising from business to be transacted at this meeting from:

(a)               all Members of the Cabinet; and

(b)               all other Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members present in relation to the business transacted at the meeting.

Of the Cabinet meeting held on 13 March 2008 be deferred until the next Ordinary meeting of Cabinet.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 13 March 2008 be deferred until the next Ordinary meeting of Cabinet.

To consider whether any of the items on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following item be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

(2)  all items be considered with the press and public present.

Joint report of the Corporate Directors of Finance and Strategy and Business Support

The Leader of the Council welcomed the Council’s Relationship Manager from the Audit Commission and the Council’s External Auditor from Deloitte to the meeting.

The Relationship Manager introduced the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter, prepared jointly with the Council’s External Auditor, and highlighted some key aspects.  She stated that the Direction of Travel judgement was that the Council was improving adequately and that Harrow was a 2?star authority under the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA).

The Relationship Manager briefed Cabinet on the improvements that had been delivered in some priority areas, notably housing benefits and children and young people’s services.  She referred to ‘other’ service inspections and the positive outcomes in relation to the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and the Joint Area review (JAR).  However, in some of the key areas, such as adult services and street cleaning, the pace of improvement needed enhancing.

The Council’s External Auditor referred to paragraphs 22?30 of the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter and highlighted key aspects set out therein.  He spoke about the Use of Resources where arrangements were adequate.  However, the Council needed to ensure that its spending matched its available resources.  The External Auditor stressed that the Use of Resources had a greater influence on the overall CPA score.  He was aware that the Council had put in place action plans to address this issue, and was positive about the Best Value Performance Plan.

The Council’s External Auditor noted that the Council’s Use of Resources self?assessment pointed to a higher level of performance than that set out in the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter.  However, any new processes and improvements had to be seen to have been bedded in.  He acknowledged that, during 2006/07, the Council had faced a challenging year with a huge savings programme in place.

The Chief Executive referred to the key messages in the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter and the improvements made since then.  The Letter acknowledged that the Council had clarified its vision and priorities and that a comprehensive improvement plan had been put in place in order to improve the Council’s standing.  There was an improving self?awareness within the Council and a greater openness and these sentiments, together with an improved momentum within the Council, had been reflected in the IDeA Peer Review report carried out in December 2007.  The Chief Executive added that the Council had set itself an ambitious programme, which some areas had already benefited from but accepted that it had some way to go before the benefits would reach fruition in other key areas.

The Corporate Directors of Finance and Strategy and Business Support, whilst recognising that the Council had some way to go, highlighted the processes that had been put into place to ensure improvements.  These were as follows:-

·                     performance management had been embedded within the Council and Member involvement in the process had been enhanced.  They would hold officers to account through Improvement Boards, which had now been in place for 18 months;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 390.

Report of the Chief Executive.

The Chief Executive introduced the information report, which set out proposals for a revised senior management structure for the Council to better enable it to achieve its strategic objective to be recognised as one of the best London Councils by 2012.  These proposals were currently the subject of consultation.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To note the proposals.

(See also Minute 390)