NOTICE OF MEETING

COMMITTEE:       PERFORMANCE AND OVERVIEW

                            (ORGANISATION)

DAY/DATE:           MONDAY, 2^ND APRIL 2007

TIME:                   2.30PM

VENUE:                EAST COMMITTEE ROOM 

                            MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS

                            EARLE STREET, CREWE        

Despatch date:   23^rd March 2007

Enquiries to:  Carol Jones

Tel: 01270 537598

Fax: 01270 537605                         

Chair:  Councillor M R Jones

Tel: 01270 663110

Fax: 01270 651582

E-mail: agendas@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

To:   Members of the Performance and Overview Committee (Organisation)

(Councillors W T Beard, J A Beech (Deputy Chair), D Charlesworth, R E Dodd, B Evans, A C Johnson, M R Jones (Chair), R Jones, Z S Krizanac, J Lewis, D J Straine-Francis and M J Weatherill)

Chief Executive, Executive Directors, Assistant Chief Executive

Other recipients of the agenda

Local Press and Radio

Notes for Members of the Public

The Borough Council welcomes and encourages members of the public to attend its Committee, Board and Council meetings.

If you plan to attend, please report to the Reception Desk in the Municipal Buildings, where you will be provided with a Visitor’s Pass.

Car parking is not available at the Municipal Buildings, but there are several town centre car parks.  There is a disabled access to the rear of the Municipal Buildings, and this can be accessed through the side door on Vernon Way.  Please press the button for attention, and someone will meet you and escort you through to the main reception area.

You are asked to remain quiet whilst the meeting is taking place, and to enter and leave the meeting room, or public gallery of the Council Chamber, as quietly as possible.  Please ensure that if you have a mobile phone or pager, it is switched off for the duration of the meeting.

You are not allowed to have drinks or food in the meeting rooms or in the Public Gallery, other than beverages offered by the Council during Committee breaks.  A “No Smoking” policy operates in the Municipal Buildings.

Fire Evacuation

If the fire alarm rings, you should make your way to the nearest exit with your belongings, as quickly as possible, and leave the building.  Please follow any instructions from staff about evacuation routes.          

Copies of the agenda will be available if you attend. Agendas are also made available on the Internet and can be accessed via the Council’s website – see front page for details.

On occasions, members of the press and public will be excluded from the meetings when the business to be transacted is of a confidential nature, for example, dealing with individual people, contracts and financial affairs of other parties.

If you require any further information, please contact Carol Jones the Committee Officer (details on front page).

AGENDA

1          Apologies

2          Declaration of Interests

Any Member present (including non-Committee Members) to declare any personal or prejudicial interest, and the nature of the interest, which they have in any item of business on the agenda and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that item.

Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors, are reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item which directly concerns the business of the appropriate authority.

Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.  Whilst Officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.

3          Whipping Declarations

Members to declare in respect of items where the whip has been applied.

4          Record of Meeting

To approve as correct the Record of the Meeting held on 5^th February 2007. (4)

5.         Board Business

5.1       Board Meeting – 5^th April 2007

The Committee is invited to comment on Board reports which fall within its remit. 

5.2       Provisional List of Board Items (Board’s Forward Plan)

To consider the Board’s Forward Plan for May, June and July 2007.  (5.2)

5.3       Responses/Referrals from the Board or Council

At its meeting held on 5^th February 2007, the Committee made no comments to the Board.  Consequently, there are no responses from the Board. 

There are no referrals from Council on this occasion.

6          Work Programme

6.1       Customer Service Strategy

To consider the report of the Executive Director (Treasury and Corporate Support) which up-dates Members on the current position in respect of the Customer Service Strategy.  (6.1)

6.2       Capital Schemes – List of Projects by Value

To consider the list of capital schemes, by value, indicating progress on each and the timetable for completion. (Report to follow)

6.3       Working Group - Recruitment Policies, Practices and Procedures

At its meeting on 26^th August 2005, the Performance and Overview Committee (Organisation) set up a Working Group to review Recruitment Policies, Practices and Procedures comprising Councillors Beard, Hatfield and Fenton.  In June 2006 the membership changed and Councillors Beard, Beech, Krizanac and Lewis were appointed.

The reason for the review and potential outcome were as follows –

Reason for the Review:  Capacity was an area for improvement identified during the CPA process.  The P & O (Organisation) Committee accepted this review for inclusion in its work programme. 

Potential Outcome:  To inform the Best Value Review and to assist in delivery of the Improvement Plan.

The Working Group has now concluded its review and its report is submitted for consideration by the Committee.  (6.3)

6.4       Timetable of Public Meetings

The Committee is invited to review the Timetable of Public Meetings following a discussion at the Performance and Overview Co-ordinating Group on 1^st March 2007.  The timetable submitted to the Board meeting on 11^th January is attached for reference purposes. (6.4)

6.5       Joint Task Group – Climate Change

The Committee is invited to appoint two Members to sit on a joint task group (Climate Change) which is being established by the Performance and Overview Committee (Local Economy & Environment). The “Community” Committee is also being asked to appoint two Members.

7.         Date of Next Meeting

Subject to discussion under item 6.4 above, and approval at Annual Council, the next scheduled meeting is 25^th May 2007.

This agenda can be made available in larger text on request

Note: 

In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Council is required to notify those attending meetings of the fire evacuation procedures.  A copy has previously been distributed to Members and instructions are located in all rooms within the Civic Suite.