Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Room 1, 135 Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, Milton, OX14 4SB

Contact: Steve Culliford  Democratic Services Officer

Items
No. Item

33.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Councillors Kevin Bulmer, Paul Harrison and Caroline Newton had all sent their apologies for absence. 

34.

Declaration of disclosable pecuniary interest

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

Minutes:

None

35.

Urgent business and chairman's announcements

To receive notification of any matters which the chairman determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chairman. 

Minutes:

None

36.

Public participation

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

Minutes:

Councillor David Turner requested to address Cabinet.  His comments are recorded under the relevant minute below. 

37.

Five Councils Capita contract changes pdf icon PDF 106 KB

To consider the head of partnership and insight’s report. 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the head of partnership and insight, which updated on implementing the changes to the Five Councils Partnership corporate services contract with Capita.  The report also set out an action plan for the council to address immediate deficiencies in the council’s IT systems. 

 

Councillor David Turner addressed Cabinet, reporting on the positive feedback from the Scrutiny Committee’s consideration of this matter.  He believed that progress had been made in the spirit of mutual co-operation between the council and its contractor, Capita, in improving the corporate services provided through the partnership.  He hoped this would continue. 

 

The Cabinet member for partnership and insight believed that steady progress had been made to service provision to better meet the council’s needs.  Governance had also been improved across the partnership.  This had driven service improvements for local residents.  He proposed the recommendations set out in the report.  Cabinet supported these. 

 

RESOLVED: to

 

(a)      support the proposed changes being progressed with the Five Councils Partnership and to note the process required to enact them; and 

 

(b)     confirm that the delegated responsibility for completing the proposed changes rests with the chief executive in line with the Five Councils Partnership Inter-Authority Agreement. 

38.

Technology strategy pdf icon PDF 127 KB

To consider the head of corporate services’ report. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the head of corporate services’ report, which proposed the adoption of a joint technology strategy, with Vale of White Horse District Council. 

 

Councillor David Turner addressed Cabinet, praising the draft strategy; Scrutiny Committee had been supportive also. 

 

Cabinet believed that the strategy would support the councils’ business needs and would ensure high quality, affordable services to local residents and businesses.  This would support flexible working and would provide IT support for councillors.  Cabinet approved a virement of £38,000 of underspent contingency budget, totalling £76,000 across both councils, to allow for the provision of backfill and specialised resources to deliver the immediate priorities set out in the strategy. 

 

RESOLVED: to

 

(a)      approve the joint technology strategy for South Oxfordshire District Council, endorsing the principles documented in the head of corporate services’ report to set the direction for any investment in and use of technology and supporting the proposed approach for delivery; and

(b)      approve a virement of £38,000 from the council’s contingency budget (totalling £76,000 across both councils) for the provision of backfill and specialised resources to aid delivery of the immediate priorities set out in the strategy, to be managed by the head of corporate services. 

39.

Treasury management outturn 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 266 KB

To consider the head of finance’s report. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the head of finance’s report on the treasury outturn in 2017/18.  The report had been considered by the Joint Audit and Governance Committee, which was satisfied that the treasury activities had been carried out in accordance with the treasury management strategy and policy. 

 

Cabinet welcomed the report, noting that performance had exceeded targets. 

 

Linked to longer term income from investments, Cabinet noted that the leader had asked officers to explore capital investments, linked directly to the benefit of residents and the council’s statutory duties, that also returned an income for the council.  Cabinet welcomed this but recognised that this would require an amendment to the treasury management and investment strategy. 

 

RECOMMENDED to Council to:

 

(a)     approve the treasury management outturn report 2017/18; and

 

(b)     approve the actual 2017/18 prudential indicators within the report. 

 

Contact us - Democratic services

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South Oxfordshire District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon
OX14 3JE