To consider the Independent Review of the Council’s ICT Contractual and Financial arrangements, by Mr. Ian Crookall. 

Wards: County Wide

[Note: The Committee agreed to consider this Agenda Item (5), and Agenda Item 6 (Contractual and Financial Standing Orders) together, in view of the strong link between subject matters.  ]

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services, Mr. Alan McLaughlin, presented the report of Mr. Ian Crookall, former Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire County Council.  Mr Crookall had been appointed to conduct an independent review of financial and contractual governance arrangements in respect of the Council’s Information and Communications Technology Department (ICT), following reports by the Director of Resources. 

The Director of Resources had initially reported financial impropriety in the ICT Department in accordance with her statutory duty under Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972.  At its meeting on 19 October, 2007, the Standards Committee had considered her two reports, namely the report to the Corporate Management Board on a special audit investigation, and the report to Cabinet on financial governance in Information and Communication Technology and Customer Services.  The Committee had decided to monitor the issues involved, in particular, those of reputation, financial and legal elements, the Constitution, and assuring that Members received complete advice from the Monitoring Officer and the Section 151 Officer. 

The Chief Executive, Mr Bull, reported on progress made since Mr Crookall’s review.  He made the following principal points:

• The Council required clearer definitions of the roles of members and officers, and of the relationship between the two.  It was necessary to establish a process which indicated exactly where responsibilities for decision making lay, and to achieve greater consistency in decision making.  The role of member development would be expanded and improved in order to achieve this, and would also be tailored to suit members’ requirements, for example: the roles of cabinet member, backbencher (ward representation and scrutiny), and also the various political groups and how they were supported. 

• Mr Bull was working with the Leadership Centre for Local Government on a wide range of issues, in order to devise an action plan for the next few years, including appropriate training.  The action plan would be implemented quickly to enable the organisation to move forward, and a communications strategy was also in place to complement this. 

• Mr Bull said that one of his principal tasks would be to rebuild confidence in the effectiveness of the Council’s Management.  To this end, he would propose a re-structure, which would reinforce the developing joint relationship between the Council and the Primary Care Trust, and would introduce a new corporate management team with roles which were fit for the purpose of managing the organisation in the future.  He wanted to ensure that officers were in a position where they were trusted, and worthy of trust, and that the quality of the advice they gave was of the highest possible standard, and the same regardless of members’ political stances. 

Members made the following comments:

• Councillors had always been required to rely on the advice of officers as part of the decision-making process, and it was important to make a priority of rebuilding the trust that had been lost in the wake of financial impropriety in the ICT Department.  This would help to avoid any potential difficulties amongst councillors which might lead to referrals to the Standards Board for England. 

• At the meeting of Council on 23^rd November 2007, it was noted that councillors had made numerous positive and constructive suggestions about the issues surrounding Mr Crookall’s report, and had demonstrated enthusiasm to embrace the proposed changes.  Mr David Stevens reported that his presence had been permitted throughout the meeting, including the discussions from which members of the public had been excluded under Section 12 of the Local Government Act 1972.  This was because the Standards Committee had agreed to monitor aspects of the action plan, and he felt that it indicated how well the Council continued to support the work of the Standards Committee. 

RESOLVED:   (unanimously) that the report be noted, and the Standards Committee expresses its willingness to be involved in the proposed action plan as required.