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Councillor Bentley (in respect of position as Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth and Partnerships at Essex County Council) and Councillor Warnes (as a member of Unison) declared a non pecuniary interest in the following item pursuant to the provisions of Meetings General Procedure Rule 7(5).
The Board considered a report from the Assistant Chief Executive setting out a draft work programme for the 2016-17 municipal year.
Ian Vipond, Strategic Director Commercial and Place, introduced the report and in view of the new membership of the Board, provided some background about the Board’s terms of reference and the reports submitted to the Board. Whilst the Commercial Services would remain as the main focus of the Board’s work, the Board would also receive reports on a number of other commercial and trading issues. It was open to the Board to suggest items it wished to see added to the Work Programme.
In discussion, the Board raised the following issues:-
•
The importance of the public sector reform agenda and the need to look at ways to save money as well as generate commercial income was stressed. It was suggested that public sector reform issues be looked at regularly.
•
The need for transparency in the Board’s work and that wherever possible, the Board’s business should be held in public, and where it was necessary for reports to be included on the Part B agenda, these should be accompanied by a public report setting out as much information as possible.
•
How Council officers were encouraged to identify saving and commercial opportunities. In response, it was explained that business was one of the three main cultures that underpinned the organisation. This applied to all staff and played an integral part in the staff appraisal system. The new staff reward scheme provided incentives to officers who excelled and displayed the organisational cultures. In addition the Commercial Services team was available to help other teams within the Council and a programme of commercial training had been made available to all managers.
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The culture underpinning the work of the Trading Board was to seek commercial opportunities with a public sector ethos. It was appreciated that a commercial approach would not be suitable for all services.
RESOLVED that:-
(a)
The Trading Board work programme be noted.
(b)
Public Sector Reform Commercial Opportunities be added to the agenda for the meeting on 3 August 2016 and the Housing Development Company be added to the agenda for the meeting on 28 September 2016.