Audit, Governance and Improvement Review Committee - Thursday 11 June 2009

Present at the meeting:

• Councillor M W Winstanley (Chairman)
• Councillor Mrs P Cullen
• Councillor R Brierley
• Councillor B J Fagan
• Councillor E N Houlton
• Councillor Mrs E Smethurst
• Councillor C Rigby
• Councillor E Russon
• Councillor C Sweeney
• Councillor F B Walker

Independent Members

• Mr T Addison
• Mr P Connor

Officers in attendance

• J Rowlands – Principal Solicitor
• D Adshead – Committee Services Officer

Officers presenting reports

• D Smith – Executive Director Business Support Services
• M Kenyon – Head of Internal Audit

1 Welcome to new Members: On behalf of the Committee, the Chairman extended a warm welcome to Councillors Mrs P Cullen, B J Fagan Mrs E Smethurst and F B Walker, the new Members of the Committee.

2 Apologies for absence: Councillors Mrs S Dewhurst and J D Hodgkinson and Mr W Anderton (Co-opted Member).

3 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 26 March 2009 were approved as a correct record.

4 Departmental Performance: The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Business Support Services, D Smith, which gave an update on the Department’s performance in collecting council tax and national non-domestic rates, benefit payments and collection of income in 2008/09.

The current economic climate had been affecting debt recovery with redundancies and people having less disposable income. However, the report showed that the debt recovery function was being managed well and statistics showed that Wigan Council was one of the very best, especially considering that the Income Group also undertook County Court referrals.

Resolved: The Committee notes the report now submitted.

(Councillor B J Fagan declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as his son and daughter are Council employees.)

5 Business Support Services, 2008/09 Service Plan Update Quarter 4: The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director – Business Support Services, D Smith, which provided Members with details of Business Support Services’ cumulative performance for 2008/09.

Resolved: The Committee notes the report now submitted.

(Councillor B J Fagan declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as his son and daughter are Council employees.)

6 Chief Executive’s Services, 2008/09 Service Plan Update, Quarter 4: The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive, J Redfearn, which advised Members of performance against key performance indicators (PI’s) and tasks.

Resolved: The Committee accepts the report now submitted.

(Councillors M W Winstanley and F B Walker declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as they are members of Wigan and Leigh homes Board)

7 Annual Governance Statement and Supporting Documents: The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Business Support Services, D Smith, which invited Members input into the Statutory Annual Governance Statement and demonstrated the widest possible ownership of the Statement.

Members discussed the Statement and asked questions, to which the Executive Director of Business Support Services responded.

Resolved: The Committee:

1. notes the report now submitted; and
2. will provide further comments to the Executive Director – Business Support Services as appropriate.

(Councillor Mrs E Smethurst declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item due to her membership of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust. Councillor B J Fagan declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as his son and daughter are Council employees. Councillors M W Winstanley and F B Walker declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as they are members of Wigan and Leigh Homes Board. Councillor F B Walker declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as he is a member of the board of Wigan Metropolitan Development Co. Ltd)

8 Treasury Management Annual Report: The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Business Support Services, D Smith, which gave a comprehensive summary of the Treasury Management function for the financial year 2008/09.

Resolved: The Committee notes the report now submitted.

(Councillors M W Winstanley and F B Walker declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as they are members of Wigan and Leigh Homes Board. Councillor B J Fagan declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as his son and daughter are Council employees).

9 Sickness Absence management – Quarter 3: The Committee considered a report of the Head of Peoples Services, A McKenzie-Folan, which summarised the sickness absence and submissions from departments for Quarter 3 (01/10/08 – 31/12/08).

Resolved: The Committee notes the report now submitted.

10 HR information Q3: The Committee considered a report of the Head of Peoples Services, A McKenzie-Folan, which informed Members of:-

• recruitment statistics; 
• central training statistics;
• retirement and redundancy;
• honoraria;
• suspensions; and
• delegations

Resolved: The Committee notes the report now submitted.

11 Sickness Absence management – Quarter 4: The Committee considered a report of the Head of Peoples Services, A McKenzie-Folan, which summarised the sickness absence and submissions from departments for Quarter 4 (1 January 2009 to 31 March 2009).

Resolved: The Committee notes the report now submitted.

12 HR Information Q4: The Committee considered a report of the Head of Peoples Services, A McKenzie-Folan, which informed Members of:-

• recruitment statistics;
• central training statistics;
• retirement and redundancy;
• honoraria;
• suspensions; and
• delegations

Resolved: The Committee notes the report now submitted.