To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors PGH Cutter and A Warmington.

To receive details of members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a member of the committee.

Councillor AJW Powers substituted for Councillor A Warmington.

To receive any declarations of interest by members.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2017.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2017 be approved as a correct record.

To receive any written questions from members of the public.

Details of the scheme and related guidance are available here:

 https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200148/your_council/61/get_involved

Please submit questions to councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk

The deadline for the receipt of questions is Wednesday 8 November 2017 at 5.00 pm.

Accepted questions will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting.

None.

To receive any written questions from members of the council.

Deadline for receipt of questions is 5:00pm on Wednesday 8 November 2017.

Accepted questions will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting.

Please submit questions to councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk

None.

To invite general scrutiny committee to review proposals for the re-procurement of building maintenance and cleaning services and:

·        make any recommendations to the executive they feel would improve the efficiency or effectiveness of the short term proposals; and

·        consider whether to establish a time limited task and finish review to inform the assessment of the longer term option to move to an outcomes based model of procurement for these services.

The Committee was invited to review the short term proposals for the reprocurement of building maintenance and cleaning services, on the basis of a single contract replacing the existing two contracts, and consider if it wished to establish a task and finish group to inform the assessment of the longer term option to move to an outcome based model of procurement for these services.

The Property Services Manager (PSM) presented the report based on the slides appended to the report.

In the course of discussion the following principal points were made:

·        In response to questions the PSM commented as follows:

            It was asked whether asbestos assessments covered by the contract would be conducted in a way that would preclude some problematic issues recently experienced in undertaking building works from occurring and whether knowledge of the council’s building stock and of previous work undertaken by the council to its buildings could inform assessments to avoid any surprises that then had an impact on costs.  The PSM commented that there were two types of survey: a management survey used for managing the day to day operation within a building, and an invasive type used when carrying out works that cut into a structure.  The industry practice was normally to undertake invasive works only as and when it became apparent that they were needed.  The contract would give the council access to both kinds of survey.  The targeting of resources did need to be taken account of but did not form part of the procurement process itself.

The proposal to move to a single contract for building and cleaning services had emerged following discussion with both current providers who had both indicated support for a combined tender.  The benefit of this approach to the council was a reduction in time spent managing the contracts and simplified processes.

A number of firms provided a range of such services.  There were synergies between the two contracts.  This did involve sub-contracting but this was common practice.  In addition as the amount of work the council could offer under separate contracts reduced the offer off a larger contract covering more services was more attractive to prospective tenderers.

A concern was expressed that a reliance on sub-contractors reduced the council’s ability to insist upon the quality of services.  The PSM commented that performance targets governed service quality and included targets relating to social outputs, addressing concerns about undue pressure on sub-contractors and the terms and conditions of their staff.

The PSM clarified that the reference at paragraph 4 of the report to procuring individual contracts referred to individual orders being raised for each projected piece of work.  Systems were not in place to deliver such an approach and there was insufficient staff resource.

The PSM explained how an outcomes based model would operate.

·        A concern was expressed about the way in which the report had been brought to the Committee without it having been considered and scheduled as part of the consideration of the Committee’s work programme.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

To consider the findings of the scrutiny task and finish group: devolution and to recommend the report to the executive for consideration.

The Committee considered the findings of the task and finish group: devolution and was invited to recommend the report to the executive for consideration.

The report noted that the task and finish group’s report had almost been finalised when the general election had been called for June 2017.  It had therefore been decided to put the report on hold subject to clarification of government thinking.  One of the considerations was the council’s application for non-constituent membership of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). The report noted that it was now understood that a new establishment order, which would be required if Herefordshire council were to be admitted as a non-constituent member was not expected to be submitted by the WMCA in the next 4 years.  It was, however, considered that there were recommendations in the group’s report that could nonetheless be worth pursuing during this period.

The Programme director – housing and growth presented the report.  He commented that the position on devolution was evolving and it was considered that there would be value in maintaining a watching brief.  Since the election it appeared that with the demands of Brexit there had been reduced capacity within government to make progress on other areas so there were no significant updates to be made to the report.  It remained the case that the council needed to engage with and seek to inform and influence regional strategies.

Clarification was sought on the references in the report to the suggested willingness on the part of government to look at other forms of governance, to the prospect that the Marches LEP would not face merger, and to whether the population threshold for forming a combined authority had been increased.  In particular, noting that the authority had more in common with rural authorities than the mainly metropolitan authorities forming the WMCA, it was proposed that the council should explore the possibility of forming connections with non-contiguous areas with shared values and interests.

RESOLVED:

That      (a)     the findings of the task and finish group report: devolution be approved for submission to the executive with the addition of reference to exploring the possibility of forming connections with non-contiguous areas with shared values and interests; and

              (b)     the Committee be advised of the executive’s response.

To review the committee’s work programme.

The Committee reviewed its work programme.

It was proposed that a review of the introduction of on-street parking in Hereford City should be undertaken to assess amongst other things whether the economic benefits were outweighing the costs.

Members emphasised that it was important that there was clarity as to what the Committee was being asked to consider when matters were referred to it by the executive. 

It was noted that it was proposed to consider a report on the council becoming the accountable body for the new University and requested that any such report address whether the council could become the accountable body for public sector funds but not for private sector funds that would appear to attract more risk.

RESOLVED: That the draft work programme as set out at appendix 1 to the report be approved with the addition of work on on-street parking and construction and facilities management, acceptance of cabinet’s request that, if the application for the authority to be a business rate pool pilot for 2018/19 is accepted, the committee consider the implications for Herefordshire of operating such a pool and to make any such recommendations as it feels appropriate to inform a further decision on participation; and acceptance of cabinet’s request that it consider a report on the council becoming the accountable body for the new University.

The next scheduled meeting is 2.00 pm on Tuesday 5 December 2017.

Noted.