Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BQ. View directions

Contact: John Murphy 020 8359 2368 Email: john.murphy@barnet.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

Minutes:

Resolved that:

 

The minutes of the meeting held on the 25th October 2012 are agreed as a correct record.

2.

Absence of Members

Minutes:

None.

3.

Declaration of Members' Interests

a)      Personal and Prejudicial Interests

b)      Whipping Arrangements (in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 17)

Minutes:

Cllr Marshall, Cllr Mittra and Cllr Gordon declared a personal but non-prejudicial interest in business item five due to being minor shareholders in BT.

4.

Public Question Time (If any) pdf icon PDF 180 KB

Minutes:

Public questions were received in relation to agenda item five – New Support & Customer Services Organisation: Recommendation for Preferred Bidder and Full Business Case. Written responses were provided to these questions and have been published as a supplement to the meetings agenda on the council website. Verbal responses were provided at the meeting to supplementary questions.

 

Resolved that:

 

The Committee note the questions submitted by members of the public.

 

 

5.

Members' Items (submitted in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 9) (If any)

Minutes:

None.

6.

New Support & Customer Service Organisation: Recommendation for Preferred and Reserved Bidder and Full Business Case pdf icon PDF 89 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The following Cabinet Members and Senior Officers were in attendance to present the Cabinet Report - New Support & Customer Services Organisation (NSCSO): Recommendation for Preferred and Reserved Bidder and Full Business Case to the Committee:

 

Cabinet Member

Portfolio

Cllr Daniel Thomas

Deputy Leader of the Council & Cabinet Member for Resources and Performance

Cllr Robert Rams

Cabinet Member for Customer Access and Partnerships

 

 

Officers

Title

Andrew Travers

Interim Chief Executive

Craig Cooper

Director Commercial Services

Ed Gowan

Assistant Director Commercial Transformation

John Hooton

Assistant Director Strategic Finance - Interim Section 151 Officer

John Newton

Project Commercial Lead (NSCSO)

Kari Manovitch

Project Director (NSCSO)

Amardeep Gill

Project Lawyer (Trowers & Hamlins)

 

Prior to discussion of the item by the Committee Ms Barbara Jacobsen, representing the Barnet Alliance for Public Services (BAPS), read a prepared statement to the Committee setting out BAPS concerns and objections to the proposed decision to outsource the services included within the NSCSO framework.

 

Following consideration of the statement by the BAPS representative the Chairman, Cllr Finn, informed the Committee that they would aim to review and discuss the report before the Committee along thematic lines focusing on the services affected, impact of changes, location of services, rationale for change, the role of councillors, contract assurance, and the business case from both the council’s and preferred bidders perspective.

 

In discussing the item the Committee received assurances in relation to the input of scrutiny members in the decision making process, outsourcing initiatives undertaken by other local authorities that had been reviewed by the NSCSO team, financial modelling undertaken in preparing the business case, future performance monitoring mechanisms including business rate collection targets, flexibility within the proposed contract to mitigate against budget fluctuations and legislative changes, and break clauses in the contract. The Committee also received clarification on the exact location of services in the future including face-to-face customer services.

 

The Committee also received assurances from the Cabinet Members that staff affected by the transformation process would receive appropriate levels of support and guidance.

 

The Committee was also informed that representatives from the successful bidder would be expected to respond and give account to the council’s overview and scrutiny committees as appropriate.

 

Following discussion with and questioning of the Cabinet Members and officers the Committee:

 

RESOLVED that:

 

  1. Cabinet place special concern on staff transferring to the new provider ensuring these staff receive appropriate support during this process

 

  1. Cabinet ensure that representatives of Capita are required to give account to and support the work of Overview and Scrutiny as appropriate

 

  1. Cabinet put in place appropriate resources to mitigate against potential employment liabilities in relation to TUPE should at the end of the contract with the provider Cabinet decide to bring services back in-house

 

  1. The Committee recommend to Council the establishment of a dedicated scrutiny committee to monitor and assess the performance of the NSCSO following the transfer of services and that the Cabinet be requested to endorse this recommendation

 

7.

Motion to Exclude the Press and Public

That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in category 3 of paragraph 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended)

 

Minutes:

Resolved that:

 

That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in category 3 of paragraph 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended)

 

8.

New Support & Customer Service Organisation: Recommendation for Preferred and Reserved Bidder and Full Business Case (Exempt)

Minutes:

Resolved that:

 

The Committee note the exempt information.

9.

Advance Notification of Executive Decisions pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee note the Advance Notification of Executive Decisions.

10.

Budget and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 90 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved that:

 

The Committee note the Forward Work Programme.

11.

Any Other Items the Chairman Decides are Urgent

Minutes:

None.