The Very Reverend Peter Haynes led the Council in prayer.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: AP Taylor, NL Vaughan, WJ Walling, BD Wilcox and JB Williams.

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

There were no declarations of interest made.

To receive the Chairman's announcements and petitions from members of the public.

The Chairman advised Council that the Extraordinary Meeting had been called to receive the review of Mr Ian Crookall, former Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire County Council, in respect of issues identified within the Special Investigation Report of 20 September 2007.  The Chairman called upon the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to take Council through the process of the meeting and any legal issues that needed to be considered. 

Mr McLaughlin, Head of Legal and Democratic Services, advised Council that there would be two parts to the meeting.  Firstly the open public session when Council would receive the open report from Mr Crookall, which had already been to Cabinet and the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee.  He stated that would be followed by the confidential part of the meeting where all members of the public and all officers apart from himself, the interim Head of HR and an admin officer would be asked to leave.  He added that with regard to the Compromise Agreement there had been no criminal activity identified and that if Members wished to name the individual this must be done in the confidential session.

The Chairman announced that following the public part of the meeting there would be a short break before entering into the confidential session.

To outline the content of the Independent Review into ICT Services carried out by Mr Ian Crookall, who was nominated by the Chief Executive of the Local Government Association, and the proposed actions in response to the recommendations made.

Mr Crookall advised that he would give a short overview of his report for those Members that had been unable to attend either the Cabinet or Audit and Corporate Governance Committee meetings.  He stated the key point of his report was the modernisation of the ICT network, which had commenced four years previously.  The main issues were around the two major contracts, the Back Office Project (BOP) providing admin support estimated at over £500,000 and the Community Network Upgrade (CNU) providing ICT links for the community estimated at £5.9 million.  He added that financial and contractual arrangements were set out in the Council’s standing orders and had they been followed it would have ensured the processes were followed correctly. The BOP was approved by the Cabinet Member on 23 December 2004 and the CNU was approved by Cabinet in March 2005. 

Mr Crookall referred to paragraph 22 of his report with regard to the substantial costs incurred for consultancy advice and assistance.  He then referred to paragraph 23 stating how benchmark data commissioned from independent consultants suggested value for money was being obtained, but there were concerns about services to schools, the clarity of the costs and the level of service which ICT provided.

Mr Crookall referred to paragraphs 25 – 28 of his report regarding the appointment of the Head of ICT, who was appointed from the private sector in August 2003 and who subsequently became the Change Manager for the Herefordshire Connects Programme.  He went on to refer to paragraph 30, which summaries the concerns of the Section 151 officer and paragraph 32 which outlined the reasons why it was not appropriate for the Chief Executive to report to Members.  He stated that there had developed a consensual style of working within the political groups and that processes and procedures were not embedded within the authority.  He added that communication had not always taken place with regard to important issues and referred Members to paragraphs 36 and 37 of his report.  He believed the actions of the Section 151 Officer were of a last resort and that the Director had regarded them as a necessary and only step to take after careful consideration.  Although the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council were open to address issues, Mr Crookall believed there had been a breakdown in communication and that the Director of Resources was not confident that the matters would be addressed.  He stated that the recommendations of the Section 151 report were appropriate and the issues raised on the financial and contractual issues, addressed in paragraphs 15 – 17, would be best addressed by the new Chief Executive.  Mr Crookall added that he had identified 10 additional recommendations which were at paragraph 43 of his report.

With regard to management capacity and the management of contracts Mr Crookall did not see this as a problem, but procedures were not fully followed or embedded in the authority.  He emphasised that Standing Orders were there for officers to follow  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

To receive the report and to consider the recommendations to Council, which relate only to the Independent Review of ICT, arising from the meeting held on 15th November, 2007.  (Report to follow).

The Leader of the Council, Councillor RJ Phillips, presented the report of Cabinet that related to the Independent Review of ICT arising from the meeting held on 15 November 2007.

In relation to questions asked regarding the Action Plan at Appendix 2 of the Crookall report the Leader agreed that more detail needed to be added to the Action Plan.  The Leader reaffirmed that the Member Development and training group had been reformed and that the profile of the group had changed to include all four group leaders plus one other member from the three larger political groups.  He reiterated the need for the group to provide a strategic steer across the authority. 

The Leader reiterated the requirement for the Whistle Blowing Policy to be amended and confirmed that HR had taken on board the points raised at Council regarding staff development and morale.  He emphasised the point that staff were the authority’s best asset and must be trained and developed in a proper manner.  He reminded Members that the number of staff appraisals carried out had reached 98% and the authority must look at the skill shortages and ensure staff are appropriately trained.

A further question was raised on Member Development and Members’ felt the group should include more Members so they could raise their own issues and not be restricted to group leaders.  Members requested the political procedure be amended to include questions from Members at Cabinet meetings as well as at Council, as is done presently.  The Leader reminded Members that Cabinet allows for all group leaders to be represented and with regard to ward issues local Members are invited to speak.  He added that it was an opportunity for Members to ask questions at Cabinet through their group leader.  The Leader advised that he would look at this issue with the new Chief Executive.

Questions were then asked in relation to evening meetings, members of the public being allowed to speak at Cabinet and Council similarly to the Planning Committee meetings and whether Members should have an annual appraisal.  The Leader advised that he had no objections with regard to appraisals as it was useful for Member development.  He added that he would discuss all the issues raised with the new Chief Executive.

RESOLVED

               THAT:

(a)         The Action Plan at Appendix 2 to the Crookall report be updated to include the revision of the Whistle Blowing Policy and to include timescales and officer responsibilities; and

(b)         the recommendations in the Action Plan be approved.

To receive the report and to consider any recommendations to Council, which relate only to the Independent Review of ICT, arising from the meeting held on 16th November, 2007.  (Report to follow).

Councillor ACR Chappell presented the report of the meeting of the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee held on 16 November 2007.

RESOLVED:      That the report of the meeting of the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee held on 16 November 2007 be received.

In the opinion of the Proper Officer, the following items will not be, or are likely not to be, open to the public and press at the time they are considered.

RESOLVED:                           that under section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12(A) of the Act, as indicated below

To outline the content of the Supplementary Report of the Independent Review into ICT Services carried out by Mr Ian Crookall.

This item discloses information, which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

These Minutes are restricted.

To receive the report and to consider the recommendations to Council, which relate only to the Independent Review of ICT, arising from the meeting held on 15th November, 2007.  (Report to follow).

This item discloses information, which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

Cllr J P French, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member, Corporate & Customer Services and Human Resources presented the report of the exempt proceedings considered at the meeting of Cabinet on 15 November, 2007.

RESOLVED: That the report of the meeting of Cabinet held on 15 November, 2007 be received.

To receive the report and to consider the recommendations to Council, which relate only to the Independent Review of ICT, arising from the meeting held on 16th November, 2007.  (Report to follow).

This item discloses information, which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

These Minutes are restricted.