Agenda item

The Service Manager for Asset & Facilities Management gave a presentation with his colleagues on each section of the draft service plan for 2007/08:

Section 1 – Setting the Scene: the service provided multi-discipline professional advice, a wide range of services and predominantly contributed to the council’s priorities on Use of Resources and Asset Management.

Section 2 – Where are we now?: the officers explained how customers were regularly consulted and how the service met its objectives. The key achievements and outcomes were identified and scrutinised by the panel. Benchmarking results were still awaited.

Section 3 – Where do we need to be?: four key themes had been identified with proposed actions: customer focus; communications; performance management; and joined up service provision. In relation to customer focus, the proposed actions were scrutinised and the panel found that there were risks in the lack of a corporate database for stakeholder consultation and one for council-owned property.  The completed SWOT and PESTLE analyses were scrutinised and matters clarified by officers.

Section 4 – How do we get there?: several objectives were outlined in the action plan. The resources identified for training were questioned and the need to observe the difference in service and corporate training costs identified.

Section 5 – Gershon & Efficiency: full calculations and evidence for identified savings were included in the plan.

Section 6 – Financial Summary: the financial summary was appended to the plan and further total budget figures were circulated at the meeting, although these were still being refined.

Section 7 – Risk: areas of risk were identified as being: sickness absence; misuse of buildings; contractors going out of business; and inability to appoint cash collection contractor.

Conclusions:

Having reviewed the 2007/08 service plan for Finance and Risk Management against the Gateway Review 2 checklist, the Resources DSP found that:

1. All budget figures for the current year and future years had been identified in the service plan.
2. All staffing resources had been identified and costed in the service plan.
3. All other relevant costs had been identified and included in the service plan.
4. There was clear quantification of how the service contributed towards the council priorities.
5. Any relevant inflationary increases had been absorbed.
6. The balanced score card was complete and evidenced.
7. Any relevant income streams had been reviewed and inflationary increases applied.
8. Gershon efficiency savings had been identified and evidenced.
9. Risks had been identified and actions for mitigation applied.
10. Any major deviations to the current budget had been identified.
11. Equality costs had been identified but these were not in addition to the service cost.
12. Section 4 of the service plan had been adequately completed and resources costs identified.
13. The SWOT analysis had been completed.
14. The PESTLE analysis had been completed.
15. The financial summary had been completed but budget figures were still being refined.
16. Major procurement proposals for the next three years had been identified and costed.
17. Service staff had been consulted on compilation of the service plan. 
18. Capital projects identified for the next 3-5 years.

Other observations made were:

Benchmarking results for the council’s car parking policy to be scrutinised by the Resources DSP at its meeting on 18^th January 2007.  

The Engagement DSP be recommended to review the need for a corporate stakeholder consultation database.

The portfolio holder be recommended that a corporate property database be standardised and made fit-for-purpose.