Agenda, decisions and minutes

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Contact: Sarah Selway, Democratic Services Manager (Committees)  Telephone 01392 265275 or email  sarah.selway@exeter.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Chair

To elect a Chair - in accordance with procedural rules this shall be in a rotational basis with the Chair to be appointed for 12 months unless agreed otherwise by the Committee.

Minutes:

Councillor Edwards was elected Chair.

 

2.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors are reminded of the need to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests that relate to business on the agenda and which have not already been included in the register of interests, before any discussion takes place on the item. Unless the interest is sensitive, you must also disclose the nature of the interest. In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, you must then leave the room and must not participate in any further discussion of the item.  Councillors requiring clarification should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer prior to the day of the meeting.

 

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made.

 

3.

Progress Report on Strata Service Solutions Implementation Plan pdf icon PDF 162 KB

To consider the report of Chris Powell Chief Operating Officer Strata Service Solutions Ltd.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Agreed

 

 

That the progress of implementation of Strata be noted.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

As set out in the report.

 

 

Minutes:

The Chief Operating Officer report was submitted to inform Members of the progress of Strata and a review of the technology decision making process.

 

The Chief Operating Officer gave a presentation to update on the following:-

 

·         implementation status of Strata as at February 2015

·         what is being done to reduce costs and risks, and increase capacity and capability for change

·         progress of the resilient data centres in Exeter and the Single Service Desk

·         utilisation of a greater pool of skilled staff

·         increasing capacity by the simplification of software

·         increasing capability by using common approach and design for all three websites; common HR and payroll software; transformation and channel shift initiatives

·         business case would also be created to explore changing from blackberries to smartphones.

 

The Director (DH) advised that in respect of any capital or revenue expenditure not contained within the approved budget and business plans, the Strata Board had delegated authority to vire expenditure up to £100,000, where it could be funded within existing resources. Any virements over that amount would be brought to the Joint Executive Committee for approval. Any expenditure which required additional funding would need to be approved by all three Councils.

 

The Chief Operating Officer advised one of the dependencies to achieving the Strata business case was Councils agreeing to use common technology and common business applications. At the time of Strata going live, Exeter approved a channel shift business case which included the procurement of new technology for a “customer portal” and a “dial-by-voice” system. This technology does not currently exist amongst the three Councils. Whilst Strata did not want to hold up Exeter’s business case it had a duty to ensure that any new technology was suitable for use across all three Councils. Whatever technology platforms emerged would be considered as the common technology platform for all the Councils.

 

Members discussed the procurement of new technology for a ‘customer portal’ that would be required to support the channel shift business case that Exeter City Council had approved. Whilst recognising Exeter’s need to move forward with this new technology, there were some questions raised with regards to the technology Strata purchased or developed to support Exeter’s channel shift case and that this could pre-determine the systems that the other Councils would need to implement at a future date.

 

It was agreed that a presentation of the technology elements of Exeter’s business case be made to the Joint Scrutiny Committee on 12 March 2015.

 

RESOLVED that the progress of implementation of Strata be noted.

 

4.

Strata Annual Business Plan for 2015/16 pdf icon PDF 88 KB

To consider the report of Chris Powell Chief Operating Officer Strata Service Solutions Ltd.

 

Decision:

 

Agreed

 

 

That the Annual Business Plan for 2015/16 be approved.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

Strata is required to have an approved Annual Business Plan.

 

Minutes:

The report of the Chief Operating Officer was submitted to update Members on the Annual Business Plan for 2015/16 for Strata Business Solutions Ltd.

 

Members were advised of the anticipated business cases to be developed for the IT systems within the next 12 months and of the Revenue and Capital budgets for 2015/16. The provisional budget payments had been agreed by the three Councils and these would be confirmed or amended subject to annual Council budget approval during February 2015.

 

RESOLVED that the Annual Business Plan for 2015/16 be approved.

 

5.

Appointment of Alternate Directors to the Strata Board pdf icon PDF 118 KB

To consider the report of Duncan Moors, Solicitor to Teignbridge District Council.

 

Decision:

Agreed

 

 

That:-

 

(1)          the report be noted; and

 

(2)          the request that the Chief Executives of each of the Councils appoint an alternate director as follows, be approved:

 

·           East Devon District Council – Karen Jenkins, Strategic Lead - Organisational Development and Transformation

·           Exeter City Council – Mark Parkinson, Deputy Chief Executive

·           Teignbridge District Council – Duncan Moors, Solicitor to the Council.

 

 

Reason for Decision:

 

To ensure that meetings of the Board to be quorate - a director from each of the Councils must be present and all decisions of the Board must be unanimous.

 

Minutes:

The report of the Solicitor to Teignbridge District Council was submitted to advise the Joint Executive Committee of the need for the shareholding councils to appoint alternate directors to the Strata Board. The Chief Executives of each of the Councils were requested to appoint an alternate director in line with the proposals as set out in the report.

 

RESOLVED that:-

 

(1)          the report be noted; and

 

(2)          the request that the Chief Executives of each of the Councils appoint an alternate director as follows, be approved:

 

·           East Devon District Council – Karen Jenkins, Strategic Lead - Organisational Development and Transformation

·           Exeter City Council – Mark Parkinson, Deputy Chief Executive

·           Teignbridge District Council – Duncan Moors, Solicitor to the Council.