Executive Board Minutes: 28 January 2014
OFFICE OF THE POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR NORTH YORKSHIRE
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Minutes of the meeting held at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, 12 Granby Road, Harrogate at 10.30am on Tuesday 28 January 2014.
PRESENT:-
In the Chair: Commissioner Julia Mulligan (JM).
Officers: Chief Constable Dave Jones (DJ); Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick (TM); Commissioner’s Chief Executive Officer Joanna Carter (JC); Commissioner’s Chief Finance Officer and Head of Organisation and Development Gary Macdonald (GM); Chief Constable’s Chief Finance Officer and Chief Accountant Jane Palmer (JP); Head of Legal Services Simon Dennis (SD); Chief Constable’s Executive Officer Lisa Winward (LW); Commissioner’s Chief of Staff Will Naylor (WN).
Minute taker: Commissioners Governance Support Officer Claire Askew (CA).
320. APOLOGIES
No apologies received, all Executive Board Members were in attendance.
321. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the Executive Board held on 22 January 2014 were approved as a true record for publication.
The following updates were provided:
• GM confirmed that key decisions for the Northern Base proposals have been scheduled onto the Decision Making Forecast.
• WN confirmed that correspondence has been drafted to the Chief Coroner to raise concerns regarding the backlog of inquests over 6 months old by York Coroner Donald Coverdale.
322. DECISIONS REQUIRED
1) Future of the Internal Audit Service Provision (Decision Notice): The Board agreed to extend the current provision by 18months, which is felt to allow sufficient time to manage current areas of risk whilst also procuring an internal audit service to commence in June 2015. The Board also agreed to increase the current number of audit days by 20% in order to ensure proper governance during the current period of changes as described in paragraph 2.6 of the decision notice.
JM raised concerns that the increase in the number of audit days will create additional pressure on NYP resources. JP responded that discussions have taken place with Internal Audit to undertake audits which will add value to the service, not to just check processes. Internal Audit will also have a direct correlation to the level of risk identified by the NYP Joint Corporate Risk Group and the assessment of what resources are required to assist in the management, mitigation and response to those risks.
ACTION: Draft Decision Notice to be updated to reflect amendments discussed by the Board (also to include Legal Compliance comments) and submitted to JM for final approval and publication (Lead: GM);
RESOLVED: The recommendation is agreed with the requirement that during the next 18 months the Joint Corporate Risk Group identifies future Internal Audit requirements with a view to going out to the procurement exercise.
2) Precept Decision Notice and 3) 6th 2014/15 Draft Budget: The report provides a summary of the draft budget for 2014/15 onwards. There is a possibility that the cap on precept increases may be reduced below 2%. The potential costs and risks associated with a public referendum render any option for an increase above the cap unviable, therefore the Board agreed to 1.49% and precept freeze options to be included in the final draft report. Several further amendments were discussed and agreed, which JP will incorporate into the final draft report.
ACTION: JP to amend the report and resubmit for discussion at the Executive Board on 11 February 2014 (Lead: JP).
ACTION: Precept Decision Notice to be updated to reflect the above (Lead: JP).
4) Request for approval for funding annual Capital Rolling Programmes for 2014/15 (Decision Notice): This Decision Notice was withdrawn, to be rescheduled for February 2014. This and all future reports must be reviewed by sponsors and absolute clarity provided to Board Members on the papers they are being asked to consider and make key decisions on.
ACTION: Paper to be rescheduled for future Executive Board, date to be confirmed (Lead CA).
5) Transport Pre-Ordering 2014/15 (Decision Notice): This Decision Notice was withdrawn, to be rescheduled for February 2014. This and all future reports must be reviewed by sponsors and absolute clarity provided to Board Members on the papers they are being asked to consider and make key decisions on.
ACTION: Paper to be rescheduled for future Executive Board, date to be confirmed (Lead CA).
Following discussion of items 4) and 5) above, the Board agreed to cancel the Executive Board on 04 February 2014 and to instead have an extended meeting of the change Management Sub-Group, to discuss the future approach of the Executive Board. This will include the key priorities, ways of working, linking to the Scheme of Delegation and a review of policies.
6) Safety Camera Van Surplus – Phase One: This report summarises the outturn of the Phase One Safety Camera Van Project and provides recommendations for the expected surplus. TM requested further discussions at the Operational Command Meeting to address any outstanding issues take place prior to the Board making a final decision on the surplus.
ACTION: The report was noted. TM to raise and discuss at Operational Command Meeting to address and outstanding issues and to provide a briefing back to the Change Management Sub-Group, prior to being re-submitted to the Executive Board (date to be confirmed (Lead: TM)).
7) Request for a change to spending approvals for IT budgets in order to fund critical infrastructure works: This report seeks approval to a change to the originally specified spend for the Information Technology Department, for both hardware and software.
RESOLVED: The Board agreed to the following recommendations:
i. To approve the use of the remaining 2013/14 Server Capital Rolling Programme Budget and the 2014/15 Server Capital Rolling Programme Budget to progress Server Virtualisation work;
ii. To approve the use of the £500,000 allocated in the 2013/14 budget as a ‘Strategy provision’ for essential works;
iii. To approve the ‘bring forward’ of monies allocated within the MTFP to fund ‘IT Strategy’ (stabilisation of technical infrastructure) works to fund the essential works. These works are anticipated to commence in 2013/14 and complete in 2014/15.
iv. To approve the use of £120,500 from the 2013/14 and £176,000 from the 2014/15 data storage budget to fund the essential works;
v. Be aware that in order to achieve the above investments to the timescales proposed, there is a dependency on being able to deliver and there may be a requirement for slippage of funding into the 2014/15 financial year.
323. DECISIONS AND DELEGATED MATTERS TO NOTE
1) Decision Making Forecast: The report was noted. Following the discussion at minute 322 4) and 5) above, the Board agreed that further discussion of the Decision Making Forecast was not required.
324. MATTERS ARISING FROM CORPORATE PERFORMANCE AND SCRUTINY GROUP
DJ gave a brief verbal update on the reduction of the number of crimes recorded in December 2013 for Surrey Police. Further analysis of the reduction is to be undertaken.
325. CONCEPTS AND/OR INITIATIVES TO BE DISCUSSED
There were no items for discussion.
326. NATIONAL OR LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS AND CONSULATIONS
1) APCC, HMIC and ACPO Updates and Communications: The report was noted.
• WN confirmed that he has received the HMIC timetable from the Force HMIC Liaison Officer.
• Following the National Audit Office report on police accountability, JM informed the Board that as a member of the national Integrity Working Group, she has been tasked with following up the report’s findings on potential gaps in the assurance framework.
• Following the independent review of the Police Federation, DJ advised that he is in contact with the Federation regarding local issues.
• Regarding the correspondence from Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan regarding the purchase of body worn video equipment, DJ endorsed the approach for a national procurement framework.
2) Events: The report was noted.
327. FORTHCOMING EVENTS OR COMMUNICATIONS
There were no items of significance.
328. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
SD confirmed that guidance is in development for responding to enquiries as part of the policies review.
329. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
• TM provided a verbal update on the Special Constables recruitment.
330. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The meeting of the Executive Board on Tuesday 4 February has been cancelled, to be replaced by a meeting of the Change Management Sub-Group.
The next meeting of the Executive Board will take place at 10am on Tuesday 11 February 2014 at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Harrogate.
The meeting closed at 1.05pm.