Meeting documents

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Clark (South Ribble BC) and Councillor Morwood (Chorley BC).

There were no declarations of interest.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chairman.

The Heads of Shared Assurance and Financial Services presented the progress made so far (end of July 2016) against the key service developments and performance indicators in the 2016/17 Business Improvement Plan (BIP) and set out the Partnership?s projected out-turn financial position to the end of this financial year.

In respect of the key projects 19 of the 21 had been completed or were on track with plans in place to address the remaining 2. Only 1 performance measure out of the 28 were either red or amber with an explanation detailed in the report. The partnership was performing well within its approved budget and currently had an expected under-spend by the end of the financial year of ?34,000. The Head of Shared Financial Services commented that the earlier planned closure of accounts deadline had been missed but re-assured the committee it would be met next year as it had been achieved in a previous year. The Head of Shared Assurance Services re-assured the committee that the red KPI regarding % planned time used at Chorley had not been missed but due to the new management arrangements the audit reviews had been re-profiled to be completed during the second quarter.

Full statements on progress on key projects and performance targets as at the end of August 2015 had been attached as Appendices 1 and 2 to the report. There was a discussion around these and confidence the projects and targets would be back on track.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the report be noted.

Further to min. no.7, 8 June 2016 the Head of Shared Assurance Services confirmed that a light touch audit inspection had been carried on the annual accounts for 2015/16. A summary of the audit results was highlighted in the report. Internal Audit?s opinion was that the information in the annual statement was in accordance with proper practices and no matters were identified for concern. It was confirmed that this was an annual exercise included in Internal Audit?s Audit Plan.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the report be noted.

The committee considered its Forward Plan. During the discussion it was felt appropriate to include an item on the Exit Plan for the meeting to be held on 12 January 2017.

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RESOLVED (unanimously): that the committee?s forward plan be amended in accordance with the above comments.
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The Chairman had agreed to take this item as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as its delay to the next meeting of the joint committee (12 January 2017) would be inappropriate because of the special circumstances and the need for the councils to discuss shared services arrangements.

RESOLVED (unanimously):
That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item of business as it involved the discussion of information defined as exempt from publication under paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972,
?Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority? and in which the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing it.

At this point the Chief Executive (Chorley BC), the Head of Shared Assurance Service and Head of Shared Financial Services left the meeting. The next scheduled meeting of the joint committee was not until 17 January 2017 and it was felt there had to be discussion on the partnership and future arrangements before then. The subsequent discussion was around circumstances at both councils and the current and possible future partnership arrangements. It was suggested that a special meeting of the joint committee be held to look in more detail at a vision for the future.

RESOLVED (unanimously):
That a special meeting of the committee be convened to discuss the councils? vision for the future.