Agenda : Executive on 27/06/2006

Waverley Borough Council Committee System - Committee Document

Meeting of the Executive held on 27/06/2006
Agenda

Fax No: 01483-523475
Your ref:
Our ref:
When calling please ask for: Emma McQuillan
Direct line: 01483 523351
E-mail: emcquillan@waverley.gov.uk
Date: 16th June 2006

To: All Members of the EXECUTIVE
(Agenda pages to other
Members for Information)

Membership of the Executive

Miss G B W Ferguson (Chairman)	Mr C H Mansell
Mrs C E Savage (Vice-Chairman)	Mr K T Reed
Mr S D Edge	Mr J E Robini
Mr B Grainger-Jones	Mr V K Scrivens
Mr P Haveron

Dear Sir/Madam

A Meeting of the EXECUTIVE will be held as follows:-

DATE: TUESDAY, 27TH JUNE 2006

TIME: *7.00 P.M.

PLACE: COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, THE BURYS, GODALMING

Yours faithfully

ROBIN PELLOW

Head of Committee and Member Services

[The meeting will be webcast and can be viewed by visiting
http://www.waverley.ukcouncil.net/.]

REVISED AGENDA

NOTE FOR MEMBERS

Contact Officers are shown at the end of each report and members are welcome to raise questions, make observations etc. in advance of the meeting with the appropriate officer.

AGENDA

1. MINUTES

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive held on 13th June 2006 (to be laid on the table half an hour before the meeting).

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

To advise the Executive of any apologies for absence.

3. DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

To receive from members, declarations of personal and prejudicial interests in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting in accordance with the Waverley Code of Local Government Conduct.

4. QUESTIONS

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from members of the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.

5. ANNUAL AUDIT LETTER 2004/2005

[Wards Affected: All]

The report at Appendix A summarises the District Auditor’s view of Waverley’s financial position and performance. The Draft Statement of Accounts was approved by the Executive in 2005, and the District Auditor subsequently undertook the annual audit of the accounts.

The District Auditor’s Annual Audit Letter (AAL) has normally been presented to the January/February meeting of the Executive. With effect from the 2004/05 audit, the Audit Commission has introduced a requirement for the District Auditor’s team to produce a judgement of the Council’s use of resources, its arrangements for securing value for money and an assessment of the Council’s “direction of travel” based on achieving priorities and performance. This has caused a delay in finalising the AAL.

The District Auditor and his senior staff will be present at the meeting and will make a presentation of their findings. A full copy of the AAL is attached at Annexe 1 to the report. The consideration of the AAL is a significant part of the Council’s governance arrangements, and members will need to take note of the District Auditor’s comments.

Recommendation

It is recommended that members note the comments of the District Auditor as contained in the Annual Audit Letter (AAL) and agree to implement the suggestions contained for future improvements as part of the corporate planning process.

6. DISTRICT AUDITOR'S AUDIT AND INSPECTION PLAN 2006/2007

[Wards Affected: All]

The report at

Appendix B

outlines the work that the District Auditor intends to undertake in the current financial year. Consideration of his plan forms part of the role of an Audit Committee; in the absence of such a Committee at Waverley, the plan is brought to the Executive for information.

The District Auditor and his senior staff will be present at the meeting and will be able to answer any questions that members may have. Members are invited to study the Plan (which is attached in full to the report) and ask any questions of the District Auditor as they may wish.

[The District Auditor has now requested that the Plan for 2005/2006 is attached to the report, and is now enclosed as

Annexe 2

Recommendation

It is recommended that the contents of the Plan are noted and debated with the District Auditor.

7. INTRODUCTION OF AN AUDIT COMMITTEE OR EQUIVALENT

[Wards Affected: All]

Councils in England and Wales are being encouraged to set up an Audit Committee, or to introduce arrangements that would ensure the roles and functions of an Audit Committee are fulfilled. The District Auditor, in his Annual Audit Letter (which is included elsewhere on the agenda) has made comment that Waverley’s internal control arrangements would be enhanced and brought up to date with the introduction of such a Committee. Comprehensive Performance Assessment scores are also improved by the existence and the sound working of such a Committee.

The report at Appendix C therefore sets out the purpose and scope of an Audit Committee and makes recommendations on a model to be developed into a working solution. The Executive is recommended to approve the model and agree an appropriate date for implementation.

Recommendation

It is recommended to the Council that an Audit Committee be introduced and that consideration be given to the following measures:-

a. whether an Audit Committee should consist of five members;

b. whether the membership of an Audit Committee should exclude members of the Executive, Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Overview and Scrutiny Committees, and members of the Licensing and Regulatory and Standards Committees;

c. the frequency and timing of meetings;

d. an appropriate implementation date;

e. the work programme, as set out at paragraph 30 of the report; and

f. whether the Audit Committee should have access to specialist advisers, as considered necessary.

8. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2005/2006

[Wards Affected: N/A]

The purpose of this report at Appendix D is for the Executive to approve the Draft Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2006.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Draft Statement of Accounts for the financial year ended 31st March 2006 be recommended to the Council for approval.

9. CAPITAL AND REVENUE OUTTURN 2005/2006

[Wards Affected: N/A]

9.1 Annual Accounts 2005/2006: Overall Revenue Outturn

The purpose of the report at Appendix E.1 is to provide a summary of the 2005/06 General Fund revenue outturn and the 2005/06 revenue outturn for the Housing Revenue Account. The Statement of Accounts, which contains the detailed figures in a format compliant with Audit requirements is presented for approval as a separate report on this agenda.

Recommendation

It is recommended that

1. the outturn position for 2005/06 be noted; and

2. the revenue carry forwards of Ł43,310 on the General Fund from 2005/06 to 2006/07, as shown at Annexe 5, be approved.

9.2 Annual Accounts 2005/2006: Capital Programme Outturn

The report at Appendix E.2 presents the outturn for the Council’s 2005/06 Capital Programme. It also seeks approval for the financing proposals, determination in respect of the Minimum Revenue Provision and a proposal to add slippage from the 2005/06 programme to the 2006/07 programme.

Recommendation

It is recommended that:-

1. the financing proposals for the 2005/06 financial year, summarised in paragraph 10 of the report, be approved;

2. slippage totalling Ł1,078,528 as detailed in Annexe 1 of the report, from the 2005/06 General Fund Capital Programme to the 2006/07 General Fund Capital Programme be approved; and

3. slippage totalling Ł243,000 as detailed in Annexe 1 of the report, from the 2005/06 to the 2006/07 Social Housing Grant Capital Programme be approved.

10. WAVERLEY PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROCESS: 2005/2006 FULL YEAR PERFORMANCE INDICATOR OUTTURN AND BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE PLAN TARGETS

[Wards Affected: All]

The report at

Appendix F

provides details of Waverley’s performance against targets, for the Best Value (‘BVPI’) and Local (‘LoPI’) Performance Indicators, in the financial year 2005/06. Similar reports have already been presented to the Environment and Leisure, Community, and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committees regarding those indicators within their remits that they had resolved to monitor on a regular basis. A summary of the comments made by each of these Committees is included in the report.

The paper also sets out officer recommendations for the statutory process of setting targets for these indicators for the next three financial years, through to 2008/09, and the observations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees in respect of these.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive:

1. notes the data pertaining to 2005/06 performance outturn, and the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees; and

2. considers the officer recommendations and observations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees in respect of the setting of Best Value Performance Plan targets, and approves or recommends changes to those targets as it sees fit.

11. ACTION TAKEN SINCE LAST MEETING

To note the following action taken by the Head of Paid Service, after the appropriate member consultation, since the last meeting. The Register of Decisions will be laid on the table half an hour before the meeting:-

Resource to Manage the East Street Process

Authority to waive Contract Procedure Rules in respect of appointing Southern Planning Practice as external Planning Consultants to manage the East Street Planning Process.

12. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

To consider the following recommendation on the motion of the Chairman:-

Recommendation

That pursuant to Procedure Rule 20 and in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded during the meeting during consideration of the following item(s) on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the item(s) there would be disclosure to them of exempt information (as defined by Section 100I of the Act) of the description specified in the appropriate paragraphs of the revised Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (to be identified at the meeting).

13. ANY OTHER MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED IN EXEMPT

To consider matters, if any, relating to aspects of any reports on the agenda which, it is felt, may need to be considered in exempt session.

For further information or assistance, please telephone Robin Pellow, Head
of Committee and Member Services, on extension 3222 or 01483 523222.
comms/executive/2006-07/055