To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors PA Andrews and KG Grumbley.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

GUIDANCE ON DECLARING PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AT MEETINGS

The Council’s Members’ Code of Conduct requires Councillors to declare against an Agenda item(s) the nature of an interest and whether the interest is personal or prejudicial.  Councillors have to decide first whether or not they have a personal interest in the matter under discussion.  They will then have to decide whether that personal interest is also prejudicial.

A personal interest is an interest that affects the Councillor more than most other people in the area.  People in the area include those who live, work or have property in the area of the Council.  Councillors will also have a personal interest if their partner, relative or a close friend, or an organisation that they or the member works for, is affected more than other people in the area.  If they do have a personal interest, they must declare it but can stay and take part and vote in the meeting. 

Whether an interest is prejudicial is a matter of judgement for each Councillor.  What Councillors have to do is ask themselves whether a member of the public – if he or she knew all the facts – would think that the Councillor’s interest was so important that their decision would be affected by it.  If a Councillor has a prejudicial interest then they must declare what that interest is and leave the meeting room.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider suggestions from members of the public on issues the Committee could scrutinise in the future.

There were no suggestions from Members of the Public.

To consider Cabinet’s decision on the acquisition of the preferred technology to replace the current client systems used within both Adult Social Care and the Children and Young People’s Directorate together with a consolidated report on the Herefordshire Connects programme. 

The Committee considered Cabinet’s decision of 13th December, 2007 on the acquisition of the preferred technology to replace the current client systems used within both Adult Social Care and the Children and Young People’s Directorate together with a consolidated report on the Herefordshire Connects programme.

The decision had been called in by three Members of the Committee:  Councillors PJ Edwards, TM James and RH Smith.

The reasons for the call-in were set out in the report.  The report to Cabinet on 13th December was appended together with the Decision Notice.  The Minutes of the Cabinet meeting on 13th December had been circulated separately.  Also appended was a consolidated report on the Herefordshire Connects programme and a document titled: Social Care Solution Selection – Strategic Monitoring Committee – Management Summary.  A section of this second report contained responses to the reasons for the call-in set out in the call-in notice.  A supporting information pack had also been circulated separately.

The Chairman welcomed the submission of a consolidated report on the Connects programme, whilst expressing disappointment that it had been some months since the Committee had originally requested such a report.  He considered the consolidated report would be of benefit to the Councillors, officers and the public.

He explained that in scrutinising Cabinet’s decision of 13th December the Committee intended to focus on five main themes, building on the reasons for the call-in set out in the call-in notice:  how Cabinet’s decision related to the overall Connects programme; the procurement process for the social care solution; the costs of the social care solution and the Connects programme; the quality of reports; and the Cabinet process.

The Herefordshire Connects Programme Manager presented the consolidated report on the Connects programme.

He reminded Members of the reasoning behind the development of the original concept, which was one of business change not simply an information technology programme.  He outlined the development of phase 1 of the project and the business case for the programme; and the development of three high level business cases for corporate performance management; integrated customer services and integrated support services.  He noted that it had been recognised from the outset that the cost and benefit profiles of the programme might change as the programme progressed.  This was typical of strategic long-term programmes of this nature and business cases had to be regularly revisited to ensure that they remained sound. 

Phase 2 had been the selection of the strategic partner which would enable the Council to implement the transformation programme. He explained the reasoning behind the procurement route chosen for the selection of the partner and the rigour of the selection process, as described in the report.

Phase 3 had focused on defining the programme and had included the review of the original three high level business cases, as had always been the intention, together with a review of the estimated costs and benefits including cashable and non-cashable benefits. The current estimate was that there would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.