Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee held on 19 December 2000 at Romney House, Westminster, London SW1.

Present:

• Graham Tope (Chair)
• Reshard Auladin (Deputy Chair)
• Nicholas Long (Deputy Chair)
• Cindy Butts
• Roger Evans
• Cecile Lothian
• Sir John Quinton
• Richard Sumray
• Rachel Whittaker

MPA staff:

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)

MPS staff:

• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
• Commander Graham James
• Keith Luck
• Barbara Riddell
• Bob Alexander

Also present 10 members of the press/media and public and other staff members from the MPA and MPS.

Part 1

54. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

No apologies for absence were submitted.

55. Minutes – 21 November 2000

(Agenda item 2)

Minute 58 (Green Paper – Review of Local Government Finance)
Following a point raised by Richard Sumray it was agreed that the third paragraph on the minute on this item should be amended to read: "Several members indicated that there were compelling disadvantages in adopting a rigid formulaic approach."

Resolved:
that subject to the foregoing amendment correction the minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2000 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

Arising:
Rachel Whittaker reported that following her request at the last meeting she had received a letter from the MPS on PFI. The letter had not dealt in sufficient detail with the HR aspect of the PFI initiative. The Head of Finance apologised and undertook to write further to the member.

56. Provision of performance information

(Agenda item 3)

This item was withdrawn. A report will be submitted to a future meeting.

57. Action plan in response to district audit

(Agenda item 4)

At its meeting on 21 November the Committee received a report and presentation from the District Auditor on "Taking Best Value Forward." A report was submitted which set out a possible MPA response to the Auditor’s report.

Resolved:
that the report be referred to the Best Value Sub-group for consideration.

58. Programme of best value reviews

(Agenda item 5)

The Committee received a report which set out a programme of best value reviews for the period 2001/02 to 2004/05. It was noted that the dates shown in appendix 3 were the year in which a particular review would start and there was no statutory requirement for a review to be completed in the year in which it was started.

It was noted that Reshard Auladin, the Chair of the Best Value Sub-group, had written to Lee Jasper concerning the possibility of carrying out a joint MPA/MPS best value review of equalities with the GLA. Members indicated that whilst there was no objection in principle to carrying out such a joint review it was important to bear in mind that the MPS was already undertaking work on diversity. It was felt that it would be useful for members to discuss the scoping for the review with Lee Jasper. In the first instance this could be done at a meeting of the Best Value Sub-group. In reply to a point from Roger Evans, Reshard Auladin pointed out that any member of the Committee could attend the meetings of the sub-group. It was agreed that if necessary Mr Jasper could subsequently be invited to attend the meeting of the FPBV.

Resolved:

1. In principle it is agreed that the MPA/MPS should participate in a GLA – family best value review of equalities and diversity and that Lee Jasper be invited to speak to the Best Value Sub-group on the basis that this did not preclude him from subsequently attending the FPBV.
2. The MPA/MPS contribute to the proposed GLA - family review of consultation and engagement and the MPA’s own best value review of community safety and engagement be conducted after 200l/02.
3. The programme of best value reviews at Appendix 3 be approved (subject to the outcome of work to scope the proposed best value review of managing information and work to assess the relationship between a best value review of managing people and the review of the human resource function).

59. Policing and performance plan 2001/02

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee considered a report which updated the Committee on the emerging priorities for the police plan for 2001/02.

The Clerk reported that at its meeting on 14 December the Full Authority had agreed the budget and policing plan subject to some amendments.

Further to paragraph 6 the policy officer reported that the Oversight Panel had discussed the various options for producing summaries of the plans. The Panel had on balance felt that a single summary for all the GLA family would be the best way forward and had referred this point to the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee for ratification. The view of the Auditors was also being sought. After discussion the Committee agreed with the Oversight Panel that there be a single summary.

Resolved:

1. The progress made in the development of the Policing and Performance Plan be noted.
2. The timetable for the production of the plan be noted.

60. Capital and revenue budget monitoring

(Agenda item 7)

This report had been circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice due to the relevant information not being available at the time of the agenda despatch. Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item.

The Committee received a report which set out the current position against budget and the forecast outturn. It is anticipated that there will be a small overspend on the revenue budget although the probable amount of the overspend is slightly less than previously reported.

Resolved:
that the position be noted.

61. Capital expenditure budget 2001/02

(Agenda item 8)

This report had been circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice due to the relevant information not being available at the time of the agenda despatch. Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item.

The report sets out a proposed capital expenditure programme based on the £75 million funding limit agreed by the committee at its meeting on 21 November 2000.

A new capital accounting policy will be introduced from 1st April 2001. The Committee will receive details of the five year capital programme before the end of the current financial year and will receive quarterly capital expenditure monitoring reports.

Members asked that in order to ensure that there was no slippage in the programme a list of reserve projects should be drawn up; in the event of any committed projects not going ahead or costing less than expected these reserve projects could then be speedily implemented.

The Committee noted that the projects listed in the appendices which related to works required to the MPS estate contained was not a definitive list of all the works which had been identified and that the projects were not ranked. In connection with the latter point Nicholas Long said that the works to the Fulham Custody Suite Refurbishment project which listed in Appendix 2 should receive a high priority.

The Committee requested that works to the estate should be linked to the main five year capital programme.

Resolved:

1. The capital expenditure that is already committed and at tender stage for 2001/02 be approved.
2. Uncommitted capital expenditure that meets the following criteria is approved:

• legislative requirement;
• necessary to comply with health and safety regulations;
• has strong "invest to save" element;

3. Uncommitted capital expenditure for minor works is allocated to individual MPS business groups.
4. The "very high" and "high" priority projects of the Directorate of Information be approved.
5. £2.9m slippage is allocated within the Directorate of Information’s overall capital programme.
6. A reserve list of projects be maintained.
7. The works required to the MPS estate be linked to the five year capital programme.

62. Restructuring of finance function

(Agenda item 9)

At its meeting on 17 October the Committee considered and approved proposals for restructuring the finance function. A report was provided which set out the progress made since then.

It was noted that the third word in the third line of paragraph 4.2 should read "complexity". The Committee also noted that the development bid of £900,000 had not been included in the 2001/02 revenue budget approved by the Full Authority at its meeting on 14 December.

Nicholas Long reported that the feedback he had received was that the new arrangements had been well received by finance staff.

Resolved:
that the position with regard to progress on the restructuring of the finance function be noted.

63. Liabilities insurance

(Agenda item 10)

The Treasurer provided an oral update. He explained that Aon Risk Advisers, who were carrying out a review of the insurance requirements on behalf of the Authority, were experiencing some difficulties in securing interest in the insurance market and were not yet in a position to make recommendations. A report would be made to a future meeting.

Resolved:
that the position as outlined by the Treasurer be noted.

64. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 11)

Resolved:
that under section 100 A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved disclosure of exempt information as detailed in paragraphs 8 and 9 of Schedule 12A of the above Act.

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

Agenda Item 12 Contract for Supply and Delivery of Dry Foods, Provisions and Frozen Foods
The Committee awarded a contract for the supply and delivery of dry foods, provisions and frozen foods for a three year period with a possible two year extension.

Agenda Item 13 Provision of Charge Card Facilities to obtain Petrol, Derv and Oils from agency garages
The Committee awarded a contract for the provision of fuel cards for a three year period with a possible two year extension.

Agenda Item 14 Exempt Minutes: 21 November 2000
The Committee received the exempt minutes of the Committee meeting held on 21 November 2000.

Date of next meeting

The Chair reported that he would not be in London for the next meeting of the Committee which was due to be held on 16 January 2001.

After discussion it was agreed that the next meeting be held on Monday 22 January 2001 at 2.00pm.

The meeting ended at 4.15pm.

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