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BOROUGH OF TAMWORTH

CABINET5

thJune 2007

A meeting of the CABINET will be held on WEDNESDAY 13th JUNE 2007, at 6.00PM inCommittee Room 1, Marmion House.

A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd May 2007

3. Declarations of InterestTo receive any declarations of Members interests (personal and/or personal andprejudicial) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

When Members are declaring a personal interest or personal and prejudicialinterest in respect of which they have dispensation, they should specify the natureof such interest. Members should leave the room if they have a personal andprejudicial interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation.

4. Matters Referred to the Cabinet in accordance with the Overview andScrutiny Procedure Rules

None

5. Members Book Items

None

6. Annual Audit and Inspection Letter(Presentation by the Audit Commission and KPMG)

7. Public Swimming TO FOLLOW(Report of the Corporate Director Community & Environment)

8. Tamworth Castle Motte Management Policy and Plan

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Community Development)

9. Tamworth Castle & Museum Proposals for Efficiency Savings(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Community Development)

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10. Revised Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Staffordshire

and Stoke on Trent Response to Consultation(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environment & Community Safety)

11. Quarter Four Performance Report 2006/07

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance & ServiceImprovement)

12. Capital Outturn Report 2006/2007(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance & ServiceImprovement)

13. Draft Annual Statement Accounts and Report 2006/07 TO FOLLOW(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance & ServiceImprovement)

14. Annual Treasury Report 2006/07 TO FOLLOW(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance & ServiceImprovement)

15. Strategic Housing Audit Commission Inspection(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing & Property Services)

Chief Executive

People who have a disability and who would like to attend the meeting should contactDemocratic Services on 01827 709265 or email [email protected] preferably 24hours prior to the meeting. We can then endeavour to ensure that any particularrequirements you may have are catered for.

To: Councillors

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Agenda Item 2

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE

CABINET

HELD ON 23rd

MAY 2007

PRESENT: Councillors J Oates (Chair) D Cook (Vice Chair)Councillors, B Boughton, J A Garner, Mrs M Oates and RPritchard

The following Officers were present: David Weatherley, ChiefExecutive; Tony Goodwin, Corporate Director Community &Environment; John Wheatley, Director of Finance; Ray Vanstone,Strategic Planning Manager and Kevin Briggs, Democratic ServicesManager

28 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

None

29 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 25th April 2007 were approved andsigned as a correct record.

30 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None

31 MATTERS REFERRED TO THE CABINET IN ACCORDANCE WITHTHE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY PROCEDURE RULES

None

32 MEMBERS BOOK ITEMS

A list of decisions taken by Officers in consultation with members was

noted.

33 TRENT VALLEY ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR STRATEGY

The report of the Corporate Director Community & Environmentseeking endorsement of the Trent Valley Anti Social BehaviourStrategy was considered.

RESOLVED: That the Trent Valley Anti Social BehaviourStrategy be endorsed as the overarching documentwhen developing policies, practices andinterventions for tackling Anti Social Behaviour.

1

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Cabinet 23rd May 2007

34 SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING DOCUMENTS

The report of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & CommunityDevelopment on the publication of three Supplementary PlanningDocuments for consultation purposes prior to adoption was considered.

RESOLVED: (1) That the Draft Supplementary Planning Documentsrelating to Telecommunications, Open Space andPlanning Obligations be approved for consultationpurposes over a four week period commencing 31stMay 2007; and

(2) That the Corporate Director Community &Environment submit a briefing note summarisingthe White Paper Planning for a SustainableFuture.

35 ESTABLISHING THE LICENSING FEE FOR MANDATORYLICENSING OF CERTAIN HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION

The report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing & Property Servicesseeking approval for the licensing fee charged for the mandatoryHouses in Multiple Occupation licensing scheme was considered.

RESOLVED: That the licensing fee for mandatory licensing ofHouses in Multiple Occupation be set at 530.00for a five bed space property and 30.00 peradditional bed space.

36 REVENUES AND BENEFITS EDRM UPGRADE ADDITIONALREQUIREMENTS CAPITAL APPRAISAL

In accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act1972, the Chairman agreed that the following item be considered at themeeting as a matter of urgency.

The report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance & Service

Improvement seeking approval for the continuation of the Revenuesand Benefits EDRM Upgrade and the release of funds for the ServiceTransformation Capital Contingency budget was considered.

RESOLVED: That the release of funds for the EDRM upgradefrom the existing capital budget currently set asidefor Service Transformation and ICT projects beapproved.

37 EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED: That members of the press and public be nowexcluded from the meeting during consideration of

2

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Cabinet 23rd May 2007

the following item on the grounds that the businessinvolves the likely disclosure of exempt informationas defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (asamended).

38 TAMWORTH ARTS & HERITAGE TRUST AGREEMENT DRAFTHEADS OF TERMS(Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act1972(as amended))

The report of the Corporate Director Community & Environmentseeking endorsement of the draft Heads of Terms in respect of theagreement governing the transfer of facilities and services to theTamworth Heritage Trust Ltd was considered.

RESOLVED: (1) That the draft heads of terms be approved as thebasis for negotiating the formal agreementbetween Tamworth Borough Council andTamworth Arts & Heritage Trust;

(2) That the principles set out in Appendix B to thereport be endorsed;

(3) That the Corporate Director Community &Environment be authorised in consultation with

the Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder forRegeneration & Community Development to leadon negotiations leading to the delivery of theproject outcomes; and

(4) That reports on progress be submitted to Cabinetat key stages of the Project Delivery Plan.

3

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Annual Audit and Inspection Letter

March 2007

Annual Audit and

Inspection LetterTamworth Borough Council

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Audit Commission 2007

For further information on the work of the Commission please contact:

Audit Commission, 1st Floor, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4HQ

Tel: 020 7828 1212 Fax: 020 7976 6187 Textphone (minicom): 020 7630 0421

www.audit-commission.gov.uk

The Audit Commission is an independent body responsible for ensuring thatpublic money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively, to achievehigh-quality local services for the public. Our remit covers around 11,000 bodiesin England, which between them spend more than 180 billion of public moneyeach year. Our work covers local government, health, housing, community safetyand fire and rescue services.

As an independent watchdog, we provide important information on the quality ofpublic services. As a driving force for improvement in those services, we providepractical recommendations and spread best practice. As an independent auditor,we ensure that public services are good value for money and that public money isproperly spent.

Status of our reports

This report provides an overall summary of the Audit Commissions assessmentof the Council, drawing on audit, inspection and performance assessment workand is prepared by your Relationship Manager.

In this report, the Commission summarises findings and conclusions from thestatutory audit, which have previously been reported to you by your appointedauditor. Appointed auditors act separately from the Commission and, in meetingtheir statutory responsibilities, are required to exercise their professionaljudgement independently of the Commission (and the audited body). The findingsand conclusions therefore remain those of the appointed auditor and should beconsidered within the context of the Statement of Responsibilities of Auditors andAudited Bodies issued by the Audit Commission.

Reports prepared by appointed auditors are:

prepared in the context of the Statement of Responsibilities of Auditors andAudited Bodies issued by the Audit Commission; and

addressed to members or officers and prepared for the sole use of the audited

body; no responsibility is taken by auditors to any member or officer in theirindividual capacity, or to any third party.

Copies of this report

If you require further copies of this report, or a copy in large print, in Braille,on tape, or in a language other than English, please call 0845 056 0566.

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Tamworth Borough councilContents 3

Tamworth Borough Council

Contents

Our overall summary 4

Action needed by the Council 5How is Tamworth Borough Council performing? 6The improvement since last year - our Direction of Travel report 6Service inspections 9Financial management and value for money 12Conclusion 17Availability of this letter 17

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4 Tamworth Borough council Our overall summary


Our overall summary1 This report provides an overall summary of the Audit Commission's assessment

of the Council. It draws on the findings and conclusions from the audit of theCouncil and from any inspections that have been undertaken in the last year. Theletter includes our review of how well the Council has progressed (our Direction ofTravel report) and the auditors assessment of how well the Council has managedits finances (the Use of Resources scores). These latter components will be animportant feed into any future decision regarding the potential for a rescoring theCouncils Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) category.

2 The report is addressed to the Council, in particular it has been written forcouncillors, but is available as a public document for stakeholders, includingmembers of the community served by the Council.

3 The main messages for the Council included in this report are as follows.

The Council was again assessed overall as 'Level 3' (performing well) underthe Use of Resources Framework. There was improvement from 2005/06particularly in improving internal control from 2 to 3. An example of notablegood practice in Financial Reporting is to be reported to the AuditCommission by KPMG.

The Council produced its financial statements within the statutory deadlineand KPMG LLP ('KPMG') issued an unqualified opinion on26 September 2006.

The successful implementation of aspects of the Leisure Futures review (i.e.the sale of Peaks Leisure Centre and partnership arrangements for Tamworthgolf course) required to support the Council's medium term financial strategy

The Council has achieved some improvement in areas it has identified as apriority, and has improved to reach Level 2 of the Equalities Standard.

Progress in achieving its improvement priorities is slow, but the Council iscontinuing to embed the new approach and processes for performancemanagement.

The Council has continued this year with steady improvement in the delivery

of its services.- The Council's waste management and street scene service was judged to

be a Good, two star service with Promising prospects for improvement inthe 2006 inspection.

- Of the Audit Commissions basket of key performance indicators (PIs), 47per cent of have improved. However, this is slightly below the averagerate of improvement for all district councils. Overall services are notperforming as well as other councils with only 45 per cent of indicatorsperforming above the median.

Capacity to deliver objectives is a challenge for the Council, but extensive use

of partnership working is used effectively to improve outcomes.

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Tamworth Borough councilOur overall summary 5


Action needed by the Council

4 During the year, KPMG have issued recommendations for the Council to considerwhich have been reported in KPMGs Annual External Audit Report (December

2006). The recommendations have been agreed by the Council and officers havebeen assigned to ensure they are actioned by the agreed date.

5 During the year the Councils performance on its Use of Resources improved.KPMG have discussed with the Council how this improvement can continue.KPMG will issue a separate Use of Resources report including details of how thisimprovement can be maintained.

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6 Tamworth Borough council How is Tamworth Borough Council performing?


How is Tamworth Borough Councilperforming?

6 Tamworth Borough Council was assessed as Fair in the ComprehensivePerformance Assessment carried out in 2004. These assessments have beencompleted in all district councils and we are now starting to update theseassessments, through an updated corporate assessment, in councils where thereis evidence of change. The following chart is the latest position across all districtcouncils.

Figure 1 Overall performance of district councils in CPA

Overall performance of district councils in CPA

9

29

86 86

28

0

20

40

60

80

100

poor weak fair good excellent

Source: Audit Commission

The improvement since last year - our Direction ofTravel report

7 The Council has continued this year with steady improvement in the delivery of its

services. Of the Audit Commissions basket of key performance indicators (PIs),47 per cent of have improved. However, this is slightly below the average rate ofimprovement for all district councils. Overall services are not performing as wellas other councils with only 45 per cent of indicators performing above themedian. The Council has achieved some improvement in areas it has identifiedas a priority, and has improved to reach Level 2 of the Equalities Standard buthas not yet achieved level 3. The Council is continuing to embed the newapproach and processes for performance management and progress in achievingits improvement priorities is slow. Capacity to deliver objectives is a challenge forthe Council, but extensive use of partnership working is used effectively toimprove outcomes.

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Tamworth Borough councilHow is Tamworth Borough Council performing? 7


What evidence is there of the Council improving outcomes?

8 Although the Council has continued to make steady improvements since lastyear; the overall pace and scale of improvement has been less than other district

councils. The table below illustrates that Tamworths performance overall whencompared to all district councils in England has been below average.

Table 1 Table showing comparative Performance Indicatorposition

TamworthBorough Council

District Councilaverage

PIs Improved

2004/05 to 2005/06

47% 58%

PIs in Best Quartile 21% 31%

PIs above Median 45% 55%

Source: Audit Commission Key Performance Indicators 2005/06

9 The Council has made some improvement in areas it has identified as priorities.Its Performance Plan 20062007, incorporates the Councils strategic prioritiesand its improvement priorities. The Plan outlines the Councils vision and values,

and reports on progress against its 20052006 strategic priorities (revised for20062007). The Council link a set of performance targets to individual strategicpriorities, which for 20052006 were:

to be a safer, cleaner and greener town (7 targets);

leading the community in improving the environment and quality of life(5 targets); Improving access to and quality of services (10 targets);

promoting creative enterprise and regenerating the town centre (4 targets);

improving the availability and standard of housing (8 targets); and

supporting community leaders and encouraging citizen's involvement(5 targets).

10 It has set 39 targets and has achieved 20 (51 per cent), partly achieved three(eight per cent) and eight were carried forward. Five (13 per cent), were notachieved. It has, for example:

integrated the street cleansing and grounds maintenance services into aStreet Scene team to provide a multi-skilled workforce, able to respond todiverse local requirements;

improved its performance on green waste recycling;

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provided online access for customers to check eligibility and calculateentitlement to Housing and Council Tax Benefit;

produced a Business Directory promoting opportunities for trading for andbetween local businesses;

introduced a Support Service to assist vulnerable families in temporaryaccommodation; and

with the Local Strategic Partnership produced a Community Plan for 2005 to2008, that was launched at a Community Partnerships Conference.

11 It has not completed its Housing Needs survey or introduced an informationsharing policy to inform on youth offending and anti-social behaviour to thelicensing and planning process.

12 Solid progress is being achieved in the Councils contribution to partnershipworking. The Council has delivered several initiatives through partnershipworking, including; Operation Teamwork, an initiative co-ordinated via theCommunity Safety Partnership, with input from organisations, including; Police,Fire and Rescue Service, Education Welfare and Youth Services. It aims to workwith local residents in community hot spots to tackle problems identified by localpeople and local crime. This will help the Council to deliver improvement incommunity outcomes.

13 The Council is starting to address diversity issues. It produced its Race EqualityScheme in 2003 and in January 2005 started an equality review of its functionsand services. The outcome of the review was presented to the CouncilsEqualities Group and formed the basis for a Corporate Equalities Action Plan for

2006/07. The Council has consulted with local people, using various formats,including a Multifest organised by Connecting Communities and monthlymeetings organised by the Tamworth Link Group. The Council is currently at level2 of the equality standard for local government and aims to achieve level 3 during2008/09.

14 The Council is performing adequately for achievement of value for money and inthe way it manages and improves value for money.

How much progress is being made to implement improvementplans to sustain future improvement?

15 The Council is starting to develop its approach to managing improvement. Itpurchased the Covalent performance management software system in August2006, and is designing its performance management arrangements to makeoptimum use of the system. It has, for example, produced its Corporate Plan andBusiness Plans in a way that allows progress reports to be generated byCovalent. The Council aims that the design and use of covalent will support a'golden thread' approach to performance in the future. Key staff and membershave been trained to use Covalent to access performance information.

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16 However, the Council has not, so far, incorporated some basic performancemanagement processes into the way it manages corporate performance. Forexample, it does not use milestones to monitor progress against targets. Somedates for delivering on targets are vague (for example 12 targets have a month

specified, two are listed as ongoing, seven as TBD (to be defined) and one ascompleted). Some targets are allocated to more than one person (for exampleresponsibility for its improvement target Development of long term plans,re vision, is assigned to Members and Corporate Management Team).

17 Performance against Improvement Priorities (Issues) is slow. The CouncilsPerformance Plan 20062007 incorporates 22 improvement targets (ExtraActivities) linked to ten individual Improvement Priorities. The most recentimprovement plan monitoring report indicates that; six targets have no timeframe,five targets have been delayed, eight targets are ongoing, two are on target, andone has been achieved. For example, the Council has obtained Cabinet approval

to commence work on Service Transformation/ Organisational Development, butwork on communicating the Performance Management Framework was delayedand a date to deliver a Succession Plan has not been decided.

18 Capacity to deliver its plans is an issue for the Council. It has, however usedpartnership working to enhance capacity within the Council. For example it isworking in partnership with other Staffordshire authorities as part of theStaffordshire Plus Improvement Partnership to deliver:

leadership and change management training to its senior managers;

a member development programme facilitated by IDeA;

management development for middle and junior managers; customer service training; and

training on partnership working for officers and members who are likely tobecome champions for partnering.

19 The Council's capacity has been severely stretched this year, with a significantnumber of ambitious and large scale corporate projects being undertaken at thesame time as working to support important county-wide partnership work,including the development of the Local Area Agreement and the Children's Trust.

Service inspections

Environment: Waste management and street scene inspection

20 We carried out an inspection of Tamworth Borough Council's waste collection,recycling and street cleaning services in July 2006. We judged the services to beGood with Promising prospects for improvement.

21 The summary of our findings follows. We judged the service to be a Good,two-star service because:

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the Council is ensuring service users and citizens are at the heart of servicedesign and delivery. There has been some effective targeted consultationaimed at assessing the needs, views and aspirations of users;

the Council is effectively addressing the waste agenda - recycling andcomposting levels are high and are amongst the best in the country;

waste per head of population is reducing, and waste to landfill has reduced byabout a third in the last three years;

the local environment is well maintained - streets are generally clean, wellswept and free from significant accumulations of litter. Open spaces in theborough are well maintained - shrubs and flower beds are neat and tidy andgrass well cut. This is reflected in the monitoring data;

the cost of the service, whilst relatively high, does represent value for moneyfor local tax payers. Performance is good and improving in key priority areas,

and costs reflect the level of investment made by the Council to achieve thislevel of performance. Costs are also in line with the local context and the highpriority of the service for local citizens and the Council;

the service is accessible through a wide range of channels - informationrelated to the service is readily available, clear and well presented;

satisfaction levels for waste collection and recycling facilities are better thanaverage;

there is a proactive approach to enforcement with many examples of spotfines and prosecutions within a clear enforcement policy;

there is a proactive approach to promoting the service and to raisingawareness;

the Council supports a sub-regional approach to addressing the wastehierarchy and is an active and valued partner in the Stoke on Trent andStaffordshire Waste Management STSWM strategy; and

the service promotes environmental sustainability in its operational activities.

22 However we found:

some approaches to diversity are underdeveloped. For example, diversity andcustomer care training is inconsistent in some areas of the service and at the

corporate level; the Council has only achieved level 1 for the localgovernment equality standards and has a low score against a checklist forpromoting equality; and

ongoing engagement with users is under developed, for example there is nouser forum in place, and the Council has only recently monitored usersatisfaction with street cleaning improvements. The outcomes were notavailable at the time of the inspection.

23 The service was judged to have promising prospects for improvement because:

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the service is a clear priority for the Council and the there is strongcommitment to improvement. This is reflected in a track record of targetedinvestment in the service to gain desired improvements;

there is effective and demonstrable officer and councillor leadership in theservice coupled with a collaborative progressive culture to drive improvement;

there is a track record of taking tough decisions and delivering challengingpolicies to improve the environment. This shows clear community leadership;

there is a consistent track record of improvement at the corporate level andthere is a strong track record of investment leading to improvement in theservice. This is reflected in the improved recycling/composting rates, reducedwaste levels to land fill and improved cleanliness standards that are clearfrom robust monitoring arrangements;

there are clear priorities and plans to gain further improvements in waste

management, including improving value for money; performance management is established and effective at service level. There

is clear evidence of ownership of objectives and performance; and

the service has the capacity to improve. Staff are skilled, committed and wellmotivated, reflected in very low sickness levels and high morale. Externalfunding and partnership working is used effectively to gain extra capacity.

24 We found that:

future plans for the improvement of the street scene service are less clearthan for waste management; although this is now being addressed through a

number of measures.

the challenged to performance and costs, afforded by scrutiny, has beenlimited; and

the customer relationship management system and related systems are notfully effective in providing management information.

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12 Tamworth Borough council Financial management and value for money


Financial management and value formoney

25 KPMG has issued separate reports to the Council setting out the findings of the2005/06 audit work. These reports included:

a Report to Those Charged with Governance, summarising the findings of theaccounts audit prior to issuing the audit opinion; and

an Annual External Audit Report, giving an overview of all accounts and Useof Resources work for the year.

26 Moreover, KPMG has issued the following statutory opinions to the Councilduring the year:

an unqualified opinion on your accounts; a conclusion on your arrangements for the use of resources which stated that

these arrangements are adequate; and

a report on the Best Value Performance Plan confirming that the Plan hasbeen audited and complies with statutory requirements.

27 KPMGs findings are an important component of the CPA framework describedabove. In particular, the Use of Resources score is derived from the assessmentsmade by the auditor in the following areas.

Financial reporting (including the preparation of the accounts of the Council

and the way these are presented to the public).

Financial management (including how the financial management is integratedwith strategy to support council priorities).

Financial standing (including the strength of the Council's financial position).

Internal control (including how effectively the Council maintains properstewardship and control of its finances).

Value for money (including an assessment of how well the Council balancesthe costs and quality of its services).

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Tamworth Borough councilFinancial management and value for money 13


28 For the purposes of the CPA, KPMG has assessed the Councils arrangementsfor use of resources in these five areas as follows:

Table 2

Element Assessment

Financial reporting

Financial management

Financial standing

Internal control

Value for money

3 out of 4

3 out of 4

3 out of 4

3 out of 4

2 out of 4

Overall assessment of the Audit Commission 3 out of 4

(Note: 1 = lowest, 4 = highest)

29 KPMG will issue a separate Use of Resources report including details of how theCouncil can maintain and further improve its arrangements.

30 The key issues arising from the audit, as reflected in the above judgementswhere appropriate, are as follows.

Financial reporting

31 The Council provided draft accounts which were complete and produced inaccordance with the timetable agreed with KPMG. All further requests foradditional information were actioned promptly and positively. The agenda, reportsand minutes for meetings of the full Council, committees and scrutiny panels aremade available to the public (on the Councils website) on a timely basis.

32 To improve further the Council needs to ensure that:

it can demonstrate that it is considering the views of a range of stakeholdersin making its decision whether to publish an annual report; and

it publishes an annual report or similar document which includes summaryaccounts and an explanation of key financial information and technical termsdesigned to be understandable by members of the public.

Financial management

33 The Councils Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) models income, capitaland revenue expenditure over a five-year period. The MTFS then feeds into eachyears budget setting process. Each year the budgets are revised in light ofreasons or consequences of the previous years outturn. A budget is approvedbefore the start of the financial year to which it relates. The Councils keystrategic aims are linked to the financial strategy.

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it monitors and can demonstrate how its financial plans and strategies havecontributed to the achievement of its corporate objectives;

no significant departmental overspends/under-spends have occurred thatwere not identified as a risk which was taken into account in developing thecouncil's reserves strategy;

the Executive has reviewed its effectiveness and the leadership it provideswith regard to financial management, and is taking appropriate action toaddress areas of weakness;

performance measures and benchmarking are being used to describe andevaluate how the Councils asset base contributes to the achievement ofcorporate and service objectives, including improvement priorities;

the results of performance measurement and benchmarking arecommunicated to stakeholders where relevant; and

the Council has developed an approach for the co-ordination of assetmanagement information and its integration with relevant organisationalfinancial information.

Financial standing

35 The Council maintains a balanced budget which is monitored routinely throughoutthe year. Treasury management practices are in line with those recommended bythe CIPFA Code on Treasury Management.


members set challenging targets, eg income collection, levels of variancesfrom budget and capital programme management.

Internal control

37 The Council has in place a Risk Management Strategy and Policy identifyingcorporate and operational risks. A register of risks is maintained and linked to thestrategic objectives. All reports to Committee include consideration of riskmanagement.

38 A comprehensive constitution lays down the Councils standing orders andfinancial instructions. An adequate and effective internal audit function reports toan Audit Committee, and KPMG palec reliance on the work of Internal AuditThese help to underpin the annual Statement on Internal Control. The Counciladequately promotes standards of conduct and probity.

39 To improve further, the Council needs to ensure that:

the risk management process specifically considers risks in relation tosignificant partnerships and provides for assurances to be obtained about themanagement of those risks;

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Tamworth Borough councilFinancial management and value for money 15


all appropriate staff are given relevant training and guidance to enable themto take responsibility for managing risk within their own working environment;

the Council can demonstrate that it has embedded performance managementwithin risk management and its corporate business processes; and

the assurance framework is fully embedded in the Councils businessprocesses.

Value for money

40 The Councils MTFS is driven from its Strategic plan and budgets are setaccordingly. The capital programme is linked to the Councils priorities, to meetthe strategic aims of the Council.

41 The Council has demonstrated that it manages and improves value for money,and has instilled efficiency as a key strategic aim. In addition, the Council has

demonstrated that targeted efficiency gains have been achieved.

42 There is an established and active efficiency agenda with all staff and membersactively involved in challenging budgets.

43 In line with most local authorities, the Council has actively engaged in partnershiparrangements, and efficiencies have been gained through partnership working.


the scope for improving cost effectiveness needs to be kept under review andscrutiny, with innovative approaches being used where appropriate to achieveclear improvements in value for money;

value for money arrangements and focus are being extended by assessingwhere the Council has higher costs/lower satisfaction than its peers andaction plans are being developed to improve the value for money presentlyoffered;

it considers developing appropriate outcome measures in determining theimpact on users when assessing value for money improvements; and

it develops and documents clear policies and effective processes forreviewing and improving value for money.

Audit of accounts and Statement on Internal Control45 The Council provided a complete set of 2005/06 financial statements to KPMG in

accordance with the agreed timescales, supported by an exemplary set ofworking papers, to facilitate an efficient audit process.

46 KPMG identified no material misstatements, and the Council corrected all thetrivial amendments identified.

47 As a result, KPMG issued an unqualified opinion on the 2005/06 financialstatements, and an audit certificate, on 26 September 2006. The unqualifiedopinion is commendable and means that the Councils accounts present fairly the

financial affairs and associated income and expenditure for the financial year.

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48 For the first time this year, KPMG was required to issue a conclusion on the Useof Resources. This conclusion was unqualified which indicates that you fulfilledthe Audit Commission criteria (i.e. that there are adequate arrangements in placefor use of resources).

49 KPMG reviewed the Statement on Internal Control and concluded that it reflectedaccurately upon the framework of assurance in place, and that it was consistentwith their cumulative knowledge of the Council.

50 KPMG also issued an unqualified opinion on the Whole of Government Accountsreturn prior to the required deadline.

Certification of grant claims

51 The process for the certification of your grant claims and returns has beensmooth, and KPMG was able to certify all the claims before the required

deadlines.

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Tamworth Borough councilConclusion 17


Conclusion52 This letter has been discussed and agreed with the corporate management team.

A copy of the letter will be presented at the cabinet in May 2007.53 The Council has taken a positive and constructive approach to our audit and

inspection. I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for theCouncils assistance and co-operation.

Availability of this letter

54 This letter will be published on the Audit Commissions website atwww.audit-commission.gov.uk, and also on the Councils website.

Dianne ThomasRelationship Manager

March 2007

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Agenda Item 8CABINET

13TH June 2007

Report of Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Community Development

TAMWORTH CASTLE MOTTE MANAGEMENT POLICY & PLAN

Purpose

To seek Cabinets endorsement of a policy and management plan for the TamworthCastle Motte.

Executive Summary

Members will be aware that in 2006, with the approval of English Heritage, a majorclearing exercise was conducted on the south side of the Motte.

These works included the professional clearance of self set trees, dead trees, shrubsand weeds. The works were supplemented by an intense programme of furthergrounds maintenance and litter picking in order to improve the immediateenvironment around the Castle.

In effect, this exercise coupled with the introduction of a regular groundsmaintenance regime have led to the Motte being returned to a manageable state.The purpose of this report is to agree a policy and related plan for maintainingmomentum in our efforts to manage and conserve the Motte.

The main body of the report attached as Appendix A provides a summary of thehistory and current position in respect of Motte. It goes on to propose a series ofAims and Objectives that will guide the overall process and that reflect best practiceas recommended by English Heritage.

The Motte Management Policy is clearly linked with the Castle Forward Plan andother Castle policy documents. It has a clear synergy with the need for sustainabilitythrough conservation, management and maintenance. The general principlesguiding these actions are also set out in the report.

Implications to the Council

Financial

The works to date have placed the Council in a better position to manage andmaintain the Motte. The Action Plan attached as Appendix B proposes anumber of measures designed to fulfil the policy objectives. In the main, the costof delivering the Action Plan can be met from existing Streetscene and Castlerevenue budgets.

Two specific actions, enhanced CCTV and Lighting and Phase II Clearance will

require additional funding. These will be costed and submitted as proposedPolicy Changes or Capital bid submissions for 2008.

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2

Risk Management

The Motte is an integral part of the Scheduled Ancient Monument and isconsidered extremely important in terms of the archaeology it contains. Failure toadequately manage and maintain the Motte will potentially place the overallintegrity of the Motte and Keep at risk.

Policy

Adoption of this policy will not only provide the guidance necessary for theCouncil to protect the integrity of the Motte and Keep but also contribute to thepolicy framework within which the Council would require the Tamworth Trust Ltdto work within.

Having integrated policies and management plans in place are an advantagewhen applying for external funding.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That Members:

1. Adopt the Tamworth Castle Motte Management Policy;

2. Approve the Management Action Plan, and

3. Endorse the principle that any additional funding be pursued via theannual budget process.

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Item 8 refers

APPENDIX A

Tamworth Castle Motte Management Policy

1. Introduction

1.1 Tamworth Castle is a unique monument offering an inspiring, entertaining andenjoyable learning experience for all our users. Through the collection,conservation, interpretation and exhibition of the museums collections andbuildings, we strive to maximize access to and understanding of, Tamworth'sheritage.

1.2 In order to promote access to and understanding of Tamworth Castle, we have toensure that as a resource it is managed effectively and in a manner that issustainable for the benefit of future generations. We want to encourage people tovalue the Castle, understand its significance and join us in conserving and caringfor it as part of our historic environment.

Our mission is underpinned by the aim to conserve and this means conserving notonly the physical buildings (the Castle, Holloway Lodge and Stable block) and theobject collections, but also the historic motte. Rising steeply out of the landscapethe motte is part and parcel of the first Norman castle constructed on the site. It isone of the most striking characteristics of the Castle, and the first feature that thepublic come into contact with when they visit or when they walk through the CastlePleasure Grounds. It forms part of the Scheduled Monument and is extremelyimportant in terms of the archaeology that it contains. We are committed to thecontinuing care of the motte; we want it to be seen and to proudly display its historicKeep. We will strive to arrest its deterioration and stabilize its condition by dedicatedconservation and effective management.

2. Castle Motte History

2.1 The motte is an artificial mound and is one of the largest and oldest Normanmounds in England. Believed to have been established within about twenty years ofthe Norman Conquest, it is thought that the Castle was built before 1100. While notset on the highest ground in Tamworth, it was located at the confluence of theRivers Tame and Anker, a key defensive position.

2.2 The motte is up to 14.3 m high (50ft), 23 m (75ft) in diameter at the top, and 85 m(280ft) wide at its base. By comparison, the motte at Windsor is only slightly largerbeing 86-87m wide. The first buildings on top of the motte were likely to be oftimber construction, these were then replaced by stone buildings from around 11701190.

2.3 Little is known about the ground cover on the motte much before the eighteenthcentury. Between 1808 and 1811 the Castle grounds were enclosed by stonewalls,the motte was replanted and the grounds were landscaped. This was principally thework of George Townsend, owner of the Castle and the outcome was an enclosedprivate landscaped pleasure garden. Illustrations of the motte around 1780 to 1788

show that it was not planted with trees or only scant planting, but immature treesare depicted on certain views dating after 1814. Interestingly two views drawn for

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Dugdales History of Warwickshire clearly show regimented lines of trees planted allover the motte.

2.4 At the Castles formal sale in 1897 the motte is described as being planted with wellgrown trees and it is mentioned that the Castle is surrounded by a terrace walk andhaving shrubberies, lawn and pleasure grounds, as well as a kitchen garden.

2.5 Photographs and postcards ranging in date from 1904 to 1914 and then from the1950s to the 1970s depict the motte much as it is seen today; a mixture of scrubbygrass and scattered trees. The trees appear to have been cut back periodicallyrevealing bare soil or patchy grass.

2.6 The Tamworth Castle archive collection has various views of the motte which havebeen used as a resource to inform the future management of the vegetation andplanting on the motte. Please refer to Appendix 1.

3. Current Overview

3.1 Until 2001 vegetation on the Castle motte was regularly maintained by TamworthBorough Council. General pruning of tress and vegetation, as well as general weedkilling was undertaken, particularly around the Castle Steps Walk, perimeterpathway and within the Courtyard.

3.2 In 2001 the ornamental railings alongside the Castle Steps Walk collapsed andwere removed for health and safety reasons. Without protective railings the stepshad to be closed as they were deemed too dangerous and steep to be accessedwithout any sort of enclosure. Immediate replacement of the railings did not happendue to budget constraints and this continues to be the case. After the steps wereclosed, any regular maintenance also stopped and the motte was left to evolvenaturally.

3.3 By 2005 the motte was very overgrown. Brambles and ivy had taken hold of muchof the ground cover and there were many dead elm trees and self set trees thatneeded to be removed. After a change in management, the Council started onceagain to develop a programme of regular maintenance on the motte. A dedicatedbudget was instigated and consultation with English Heritage started to shape botha short term and long term solution for ground cover on the motte. Long termoptions of either grassing or wild flower meadow cover were seen as viable, while in

the short term the motte had to be significantly cutback to remove trees, bramblesand weeds that were choking the motte and preventing the castle from being seen.

3.4 With approval from English Heritage, a major clearing of the motte took place inOctober 2006. The whole south side of the motte from the herringbone wall to theCastle Steps Walk was cleared of brambles, dead trees, self set trees and weeds.A significant programme of weeding and litter picking also took place to improve theimmediate environment around the Castle. Furthermore regular ongoingmaintenance to vegetation around the perimeter walk has also been instigated. Thishas been a significant first step in bringing the motte back to a manageable state. Itis now essential to retain momentum and move forward with a planned approach to

the future maintenance of the motte.

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3.5 Through continuing consultation with stakeholders including English Heritage andreference to Managing Earthwork Monuments a guidance manual for the care ofarchaeological earthworks under grassland management Tamworth Castle hasdeveloped a set of core aims and objectives that will guide the managementprocess:

4. Aims and Objectives

4.1 Aim 1: To increase our understanding of the motte as part of the overalldevelopment of the Castle and maintain its historical integrity as part of theScheduled Ancient Monument. This will be delivered by:

Undertaking research into the mottes construction and development.

Liaising with relevant experts to increase knowledge and ensure all issuesrelating to the motte are investigated.

Undertaking a condition assessment and regularly monitor the motte tomeasure change over time.

4.2 Aim 2: To seek to protect the motte from erosion and damage includinginvasion of vegetation and antisocial behaviour. This will be delivered by:

Seeking to improve existing surface damage and implement measures toprevent further damage.

Establishing good ground cover to stabilise the surface of the motte,

minimising erosion and slippage.

Seeking to improve levels of security.4.3 Aim 3: To maintain an active maintenance programme in conjunction with

partnership organisations. This will be delivered by:

Monitoring the growth of soft vegetation and managing these levelsappropriately.

Monitoring tree growth and seeking to control self-set or diseased trees.

Seeking to control levels of litter to ensure a pleasant and appealingenvironment for visitors.

4.4 This Motte Management Policy is directly linked to other Castle policy documents,the most important being Tamworth Castle Forward Plan. The Forward Plan isbased upon a series of strategic aims. The fifth of these strategic aims is to ensurethat the Castle has a sustainable future; being conserved, maintained andpresented to the highest standards, offering an excellent quality of service tovisitors. By developing policies that reinforce and support all aspects of our work,we will sustain a sound framework for the future improvement of the Castle site.

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5. General Principles for the Management and Conservation of the Castle Motte

5.1 Tamworth Castle will undertake all procedures necessary to ensure thepreservation of the motte. In summary, the key principles by which we will strive tomanage and conserve the motte are:

The general public should be encouraged to value and care for the motte as partof a shared responsibility for the built environment. Tamworth Castle will aim tofacilitate this process through information and education.

Tamworth Castle staff have the responsibility to take their role in safeguardingthe Castle motte, and will be trained appropriately to their roles.

Tamworth Castle will safeguard as far as possible the material integrity andsignificance of the motte.

Tamworth Castle will take appropriate measures to protect the motte fromdeterioration and ensure long term preservation through conservation.

Tamworth Castle will implement and resource an action plan of work in line withthe aims and objectives of this plan.

Tamworth Castle will use procedures and methods detailed in ManagingEarthwork Monuments a guidance manual for the care of archaeologicalearthworks under grassland management as a basis for effective managementof the motte.

Any proposed works to the motte will be discussed with English Heritage in thefirst instance and relevant stakeholders, to ensure the work is appropriate andrelevant.

Any works undertaken will only be done so with the approval of English Heritageand with application to the Secretary of State for Scheduled Monument Consent.

Any works undertaken will comply with any restrictions imposed by theScheduled Monument Consent or at the request of English Heritage.

Any works on the motte will be carried out or overseen by appropriately qualified

professional staff.

Any contractors undertaking work on the motte will meet with the Heritage andVisitor Services Manager (or appointed person) and Streetscene Coordinator todiscuss the work in advance and confirm starting dates. Contractors will also bemade aware of the requirements of Scheduled Monument Consent and anyrestrictions.

Any works undertaken on the motte will be subject to a risk assessment andhealth and safety risk control measures.

A photographic record before works and after works, will be taken and kept onfile as a record of all works carried out. Copies will be sent to English Heritage.

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Tamworth Castle will periodically review the effectiveness of the policy andaction plan as well as its implementation.

6. Resources

6.1 The motte comes under the responsibility of the Heritage and Visitor Services

Manager, as part of the Castle and related buildings. There is a dedicated budgetfor the maintenance of grounds which will cover most of the day to day works thatwould be required on the motte such as cutting back vegetation or tree clearing. Inaddition the motte can draw on the Castles Structural Repairs, and Maintenanceand Security budgets, if additional monies were required for identified one-off orspecialist works.

6.2 The English Heritage, Inspector for Ancient Monuments for the West MidlandsRegion, provides specialist advice on the care and maintenance of the motte aspart of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. All works undertaken are discussed withEnglish Heritage and Scheduled Monument Consent applied for where required.

6.3 Streetscene have a dedicated supervisor for the Castle Grounds area. Thesupervisor coordinates work which includes litter picking in and around the grounds,pruning and maintenance, and selected planting. Streetscenes service to theCastle includes litter picking around the base of the motte and the dell, rubbishcollection and litter picking around the perimeter walk, general weed killing andpruning around the perimeter walk.

Streetscene also provide specialist services such as tree cutting and clearingthrough outside contractors. These works are undertaken in discussion with theStreetscene Coordinator who advises on all aspects of maintenance work in andaround the motte.

7. Motte Management Action Plan

7.1 Please refer to Appendix B for the current action plan. It is proposed that the actionplan will be reviewed on an annual basis.

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Aim 3:To maintain an active maintenance programme in conjunction with partnership o

Objective 1 To monitor the growth of soft vegetation and manage these levels appropriately.MEASURING

Action Performance Indic

Maintain monitoring log and photographic record to review changeson the motte

Log book started and kept up to da

Install harness points on perimeter wall to enable safe cutback ofvegetation

Harness points installed.

Implement programme to cutback vegetation a minimum of once ayear (if hydroseeding not pursued)

Discuss with Streetscene or contra

Implement programme of weed killing a minimum of once a year (ifhydroseeding not pursued)


Implement programme to strim vegetation once a year ifhydroseeded with wildflower mix.


Consider sports field maintenance regime to improve sustainability

of groundcover

Discuss with Streetscene and Engl

Objective 2 To monitor tree growth and seek to control self-set or diseased trees.Review initial clearance of motte and monitor re-growth of cutbacktrees

Discuss with Streetscene and implerequired

Consider second phase of tree clearance on the motte from steps tostables, taking out self-set and diseased trees only

Discuss with Structural Engineer,Streetscene/contractor and English

Maintain a cut and follow-up treatment programme to control treegrowth

Programme implemented

Objective 3 To seek to control levels of litter to ensure a pleasant and appealing environmentReview and maintain current levels of litter picking undertaken byStreetscene

Meet with Streetscene to discuss o

Seek to undertake a litter pick across the whole of the motte once ayear. Discuss with Streetscene and Englparticularly with regard to Health anMaintain weed killing of perimeter walk, window bays, entranceslope and courtyard

Confirm arrangements with Streets

Maintain litter pick of perimeter walk and entrance slope Confirm arrangements with Streets

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13TH June 2007

Report of Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Community Development

TAMWORTH CASTLE & MUSEUM PROPOSALS FOR EFFICIENCY SAVINGS

Purpose

To seek approval to revise winter opening in order to improve efficiency and benefitfrom seasonal variations in demand.

Executive Summary

As part of the Corporate Efficiency agenda, managers within the Community &Environment have been tasked with developing proposals to increase effectiveness

and improve efficiency.

This report sets out two proposals submitted by the Museums Manager, that ifapproved, will achieve both outcomes and, whilst the cashable savings are limited,they demonstrate that efficiency is now well established on the agenda.

The report attached as Appendix A sets out how, by amending opening times tobetter accommodate seasonal variations in demand, efficiencies can be achievedand a more effective service can be delivered.

Implications to the Council

a) Financial:

By providing a service tailored to the known demands of visitors, savings of5,700 can be achieved as follows:

Deficit saved by reducing opening 600

Redeployment of permanent staff results in a saving from Casual staff andSchool Facilitator budgets 5,100

b) Risks:

The Castle will remain open to schools throughout the winter season therebynegating any risk of loss of custom or income.

c) Staffing:

Permanent staff would be able to better accommodate higher visitor numbersat peak periods thereby increasing customer satisfaction. There are nochanges to terms and conditions of employment.

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2

Recommendation

That Members approve the proposed changes to winter season opening

November to March Saturday & Sunday 12noon to 5.15pm (except forpre-booked school visits that will continue on Thursdays and Fridays).

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3

APPENDIX A

TAMWORTH CASTLE & MUSEUMPROPOSALS FOR EFFICIENCY SAVINGS

A key element underpinning the success of the Castle has been the balance between

entertainment and education introduced by the facilitys management team.

This exercise has required regular reviews of programmes, usage, staffing andopening times. Currently, the Castle is open as follows:-

SUMMERApril October : Tuesday Sunday12noon to 5.15pm

WINTERNovember March : Thursday Sunday

12noon to 5.15pm

The Castle extends its opening hours during all school holidays opening fromMonday to Sunday 12noon to 5.15pm.

Furthermore the Castle remains open in both Summer and Winter, Monday to Fridayfor pre-booked school visits.

The most recent review of usage v- opening hours has indicated a reduction in visitson Thursdays and Fridays throughout the winter season.

The financial impact of the current opening arrangements, measured over twoseasons is an operating deficit. The proposal therefore is to eliminate the deficit byclosing the Castle to the public on Thursdays and Fridays during the winter season.

This would also provide the opportunity to redeploy permanent staff in order to meetthe demands of increased school use thereby removing the need for additionalcausal cover. This, together with the deficit saving equates to 5,700.

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Agenda Item 10

CABINET

13 June 2007

Report of Portfolio Holder for Environmental & Community Safety

REVISED JOINT MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FORSTAFFORDSHIRE AND STOKE-ON-TRENT RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION

Purpose

To approve the Authoritys consultation response to the Revised MunicipalWaste Management Strategy produced for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trentby the Joint Waste Management Board.

Executive Summary

In April 2006 Cabinet endorsed the aims and principles contained within theStaffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Management Strategy andagreed to incorporate them into Tamworths Municipal Waste ManagementStrategy. However the Joint Strategy has had to be revised in order to accordwith new requirements set out in recent Government Guidance on themanagement of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).

The overarching principles contained within the revised Strategy are broadlyconsistent with the earlier work and include:

Increased recycling: Delivering on a combined household recycling andcomposting target of 55% by 2020.

Zero waste to landfill: Minimising all forms of waste to landfill throughincreased recycling followed by maximum recovery of all remainingwaste, thus placing landfill as the last and final option.

Recovering benefit from all remaining Municipal Solid Waste: Sendingapproximately 50% of all MSW for recovery, which could involve utilisingEnergy From Waste technology.

The principle driver for the targets and objectives outlined in the Strategy isderived from the European Landfill Directive, which places a duty on memberstates to decrease the quantities of biodegradable municipal waste sent tolandfill. A series of targets have been set up to the year 2020 and failure tomeet these targets could result in punitive fines for the City and CountyCouncils. In response to the challenge to divert waste from landfill theStaffordshire Local Government Association set up a Joint WasteManagement Board to produce a joint waste management strategy. The JointWaste Management Board comprises of representatives from StaffordshireCounty Council, each of the eight District Councils and Stoke-on-Trent City

Council.

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Although significant progress has been made increasing recycling andperformance since the Board was set up, more needs to be done particularlybefore 2013, when it is forecast that Staffordshire could start to incur financialpenalties for not meeting its landfill reduction targets. The strategy is basedon the premise that a common vision with the collection and disposal

authorities is the only way to achieve the statutory obligations of memberauthorities. A robust Joint Waste Management Board with a clear strategy isalso essential for addressing the other drivers affecting waste managementincluding LPSA 2, CPA and cost reduction.

The Waste Board have invited comments from each of the local authoritiesprior to a wider consultation with stakeholders including the general public.

A copy of the Authoritys response and the Joint Waste BoardsHeadline Strategy Document are attached as Appendix A.

Policy, Capital and Revenue BudgetBackground

The aims and principles contained within the revised Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Management Strategy will need to be considered forincorporation into Tamworths Waste Management Strategy, which is still indraft form. Tamworths Strategy is due to be considered for final approval byCabinet in July 2007.

The Waste Board Strategy assists the Authority in mapping out the directionof waste management having regard for the emerging changes in legislation,national and regional agendas and local needs. Furthermore it will assist theAuthority in identifying opportunities that may arise from collaborative working/ procurement at a County / sub-regional level.

Implications of this Report

There are no immediate financial implications associated with this report.However the absence of a Joint Waste Management Strategy increases therisk that Staffordshire will not meet the Landfill Directive targets which will

result in automatic penalties of 150 per tonne. Ultimately this fine wouldhave to be passed onto Council Taxpayers. Without an effective partnershiparrangement, opportunities for reducing costs via the joint procurement offacilities and services may be missed.

Recommendations

Cabinet is requested to approve the following:

The Authoritys consultation response to the Revised MunicipalWaste Management Strategy produced for Staffordshire and Stoke-

on-Trent by the Joint Waste Management Board.

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If Members would like further information or clarification prior to the meetingplease contact Mr N Harris, Ext 430.

Background Papers

None.

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Appendix A

CONSULTATION RESPONSE TO THE REVISED JOINT MUNICIPALWASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR STAFFORDSHIRE AND STOKE

ON TRENT

Tamworth Borough Council supports in principle the key objectives andtargets outlined in the draft Joint Waste Management Strategy forStaffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. However the Authority wishes to qualifythis support by making the following observations and comments on thecontent of the Strategy:

1) The Authority commits to achieving a combined recycling andcomposting rate of 55% by 2020 provided that sufficient local facilitiesexist for the disposal of the material and that there are no significant

adverse impacts for collection authorities in respect of wastemanagement finances. The target will therefore be incorporated intoTamworths own Waste Management Strategy.

2) The recycling target of 55% by 2020 should be an individual target foreach partner authority to achieve rather than a collective target. TheWaste Board should consider making it a condition of signing up to theStrategy that each partner authority formally commits to achieving the2020 target. We would also encourage the Waste Board to considerexpanding this condition to include sanctions for authorities which fail toachieve the target. This would improve the likelihood of achieving theLATS targets because it removes the temptation of a poorer performingauthority to rely on the performance and investment of others.

3) The Authority has some reservations that there is a strong emphasiswithin the Strategy to choose Energy from Waste as the technologicaloption for dealing with the remaining residual waste. The main concernis that historically it has been very difficult to obtain planning permissionfor waste facilities and in particular any process which incorporatesincineration. The Strategy does not appear to address the risk that thechosen plant and technology may not be operational in 2012/13 which is

the predicted date that landfill diversion in Staffordshire will no longermeet the LATS targets.

4) The Strategy does not emphasise sufficiently the financial impact to theWaste Disposal Authority and ultimately the Council Tax payers of failingto meet the LATS targets. The consequences of adopting the DoNothing Scenario (Option 0 in the Strategy) would be a potentialcombined fine of 71 million between 2013 and 2020.

5) Whilst there is a proposal in the Strategy to increase the number ofHousehold Waste Recycling Centres from 13 to 15 by 2012/13 there is

no commitment to provide such a facility for Tamworth residents.Tamworth is still the only District in Staffordshire without a Recycling

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Centre and we would like this issue to be addressed as a matter ofurgency especially as there are plans to push ahead with a replacementfacility at Newcastle. The previous Joint Waste Board Strategy at leastmade specific mention about developing a facility at Tamworth and alsoset the target of providing Household Waste Recycling Centres within 5

miles of 90% of the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent population by 2005.

6) The Authority welcomes the commitment contained within the Strategythat by 2010 In-Vessel composting facility capacity will be madeavailable to all Districts thus enabling the co mingled collection of gardenand food wastes. However the Strategy fails to mention if this capacitywill be within a reasonable travelling distance for each of the Districts orwhether there will be any consultation on location.

7) The Authority is concerned that the Strategy dismisses the possibility ofthe County Council or the District Councils getting involved in the

provision of specific Materials Recycling Facilities (MRFs) for recyclablewaste. The Strategy simply states without any qualification that as aresult of increased recycling of waste in the private sector and jointprocurement of capacity by the District Councils there will be sufficientmerchant facilities in the region. Relying solely on the private sector toprovide sufficient capacity for the extra recyclate carries significant riskbecause the Authorities will have little control over when and where thefacilities will be built. In order to maximise secondary markets it isessential that adequate reprocessing facilities are available locally orregionally. Up to 80% of the cost of secondary materials can beattributed to transportation and handling. It is worth noting that theovernight closure of a recyclate merchant two years ago had aconsiderable operational and financial impact on a partner authority.

8) The previous Strategy contained a proposal to jointly develop aSustainable Growth Park in both the north and the south of the County.The Authority is disappointed that this concept now appears to havebeen dropped especially as the development of secondary markets forrecyclate is a key element of improving recycling performance. TheStrategy should encourage the Government to consider intervening inthe market for recycled material (tax breaks, subsidy, etc) as ironically

recycled products are often dearer than new products. The opportunityfor enhancing regional self-sufficiency by having the reprocessingfacilities (MRFs) in close proximity to the secondary uses and the originof the waste should not be lost.

9) The Authority is disappointed that the Strategy does not contain anyfinancial incentives to assist the Waste Collection Authorities with thesubstantial costs of meeting the targets. The previous Strategycontained a proposal to introduce a Waste Reduction Credit.

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13th June 2007

Report of the Corporate Governance & Service Improvement Portfolio Holder

QUARTER FOUR PERFORMANCE REPORT 2006/07

Purpose

This report aims to provide Cabinet with information on progress againstperformance measures contained in the Corporate Plan and a financialhealthcheck.

Performance Information

All of the performance indicators that are used to measure the Corporate Plan areincluded at Appendix C.

All of the actions that are used to measure the Corporate Plan are included atAppendix B.

Financial Information

The summarised version of the financial healthcheck is available at Appendix Abelow,with the full version being available on the intranet.

Recommendation

Cabinet approve the additional transfer of 25,000 to a Temporary Reservefor Local Development Framework expenditure (as detailed within the report)identified after the Reserves Request report that was presented to Cabineton the 4th April 2007.

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Corporate Performance Report March 2007 Appendix A

2

FINANCIAL HEALTHCHECK REPORT Quarter 4 Period 12, March 2007Executive Summary

Executive Summary

This section of the report summarises the main issues identified at the end of March and is the

best estimate of the projected out-turn at this time and is subject to the final account auditprocedures.

The information included in some cases is based on the likely estimated out-turn for 2006/07e.g. Rent Allowances and Housing Benefits. There may also be an impact as a result ofchanges to legislation regarding the charging of Asset Rents Notional Interest, affecting yearend recharges and the apportioning of residual support costs to users.

These are subject to final confirmation as guidance and information becomes available andcould potentially vary significantly from the estimates included by up to 200k.

Details relating to the summary including Directorate commentaries will be published on theIntranet.General Fund

Revenue

The projected full year position identifies a favourable variance (provisional) against budgetof 766k. (511k favourable at period 11). This includes the impact of Temporary Reserverequests that were approved by Cabinet on the 4th April 2007, adjusted by alignment to theeffect on the outturn. Also included in this figure is a request for the creation of a further

Temporary Reserve for 25k, identified during the final accounts process, details of which isshown within the body of the report .

A balance of 14k remains unspent from the Specific Contingency Budget and will bereturned to balances as part of the year-end closedown.

Capital

The provisional outturn on capital schemes spend is 1.411m (1.490m projected at period11) compared to a full year budget of 1.935m (this includes re-profiled schemes from

2005/06).

At this point it is proposed that 378k should be re-profiled into 2007/08 (330k at period11), which will be subject to Cabinet approval and the resultant 146k under-spend will bereturned to capital resources to fund future capital programmes.

180k and 45k held within the General Fund HPS Specific Project Contingency andGeneral Fund Capital Contingency at the end of March will be returned to Capital balancesto finance future years capital programmes.

There is currently a balance unallocated of 691k within the Repairs and Renewals Fund.

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3

Balances

Balances on General Fund are projected to be in the region of 3.631m (3.376m projectedat period 11) at the year-end, including the proposals for the additional reserve.

This change is due to the increase in the predicted out-turn variance surplus by 255k

since that predicted at period 11. Significant items identified that make up this change arelisted and tabled later in this report.

Balances are currently estimated to be 3.131m above the minimum approved level of500k. At the present time this would mean that there are sufficient resources for thefunding of the existing medium term financial plan, approved by Council in February 2007.

It should be noted that the Medium Term Financial Plan identified required balances of3.095m, the additional balances above this minimum will be required to provide additionalfunds for uncertainties regarding any costs resulting from Leisure Futures, Job Evaluationand Housing Stock Transfer.

Members should be aware that any unplanned call on the above balance could adverselyaffect our ability to resource activity within this period of uncertainty.

Housing Revenue Account

Revenue

The projected full year position identifies a favourable variance against budget of 57k.(278k unfavourable projected at period 11).

The information included, in some cases, is based on the likely estimated out-turn for2006/07. Issues have been identified regarding the projected outturn for Work in Progresson the Housing Repairs Contract, with figures still awaited from the Contractor.

Capital

It is projected that 7.528m has be spent by the year-end (7.685m projected at period 11)compared to a budget of 7.708m.

At this point it is proposed that 52k should be re-profiled into 2007/08 (13k at period 11),

which will be subject to Cabinet approval and the resultant 127k under-spend will bereturned to capital resources to fund future capital programmes.

180k held within the unspecified Housing Capital Contingency at the end of March will bereturned to Capital balances to finance future years capital programmes.

Balances

Balances on the Housing Revenue Account are projected to be in the region of 2.055m atthe year-end (1.720m projected at period 11).

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4

FINANCIAL HEALTHCHECK REPORT PROVISIONAL OUTTURN PERIOD 12MARCH 2007

This section of the report highlights the main issues identified. The report will require theCabinet to note the contents of the report and agree action points to address the issues raised.

Issues Identified

The financial performance review has over the year focussed on the following key areas:

The predicted outturn projection of the actual activity to budget for the year;

Identification of potential issues and areas for review/action;

It should be noted that a detailed review of revenue outturn will be undertaken in order toidentify the impact on the medium term financial strategy and revenue patterns for the2008/09 budgets.

During the Final Account process it has been identified that a further 25k needs to beprovided for in relation to a late request for the establishment of a temporary reserve, detailsof which are shown below,

Local Development Framework Retail Study 25,000

Cabinet approved a sum of 125k in September 2006 to support the LocalDevelopment Framework evidence base from contingencies for the period 2006 to2008. The 125k was divided into 5 separate budgets covering the subject areasidentified in the report. The above relates to work for a Retail Study amounting to 25k.

No expenditure has been made to date.

General Fund

The provisional full year position identifies a favourable variance against budget of 766k(511k favourable projected at period 11).

Significant items currently identified relating to overspends/under achievement of incomeare,

Peaks outturn is showing a 267k net over-spend (269k at period 11) however this is

reduced by savings identified within the Leisure Futures (Peaks) budget of 24k.

The cost centre for the Assistant Director Culture & Community is reflecting a netoverspend of 141k, mainly due to Actuarial Strain and Redundancy cost resulting fromthe Departments Realignment of Services Review, which has to be accounted for withinthe current financial year, though budget provision is available within 2007/08 which willnot now be utilised.

The Golf Course is projected to under recover by a net 134k (102k reported atperiod 11), mainly due to a shortfall on fees and charges (80k) and backdated non-domestic rates (27k).

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5

Benefits - projects an over-spend of 121k based on provisional grant claimssubmitted recently (104k projected at period 11).

Building Regulations net under-recovery of 63k mainly due to lower income forinspections (71k reported at period 11).

Outside Car Parks are projecting a deficit of 35k mainly due to reduced incomelevels (70k reported at period 11).

An over-spend of 22k is showing on TBC Lighting Maintenance driven by reactiverepairs (40k reported at period 11).

Electoral Process is projected to overspend by 24k, due to increased costs as aresult of new requirements for the electoral canvass, postal voting and polling hours(22k reported at period 11).

Customer Services are projecting an overspend of 20k, due to temporary staffingarrangements (17k at period 11).

Pleasure Grounds is projecting a 19k overspend, mainly due to loss of income fromrental of the Pavilion Caf and Tennis Courts hire (16k reported at period 11).

Concessionary Fares - 16k overspend on payments to operators (13k projected atperiod 11).

Significant items mitigating the financial impact of the above and contributing to the periodposition,

The Asset Management Revenue Account (AMRA) is reporting a surplus of 284k at theyear-end (280k at period 11) mainly due to additional Interest and Dividends receivedas a result of higher levels of interest generated from the investment of capital funds andrevenue windfalls/surpluses, plus an upturn in investment rates.

On the 27th February the Government announced the Authorities LABGI award for2006/07 in the sum of 387k. This sum was not included within the revenue budget dueto the promotion of a cautious approach from the Government due to uncertaintiesaround judicial review on the calculation and possibilities of grant scaling. Cabinetapproved that 200k of this grant be transferred to the retained fund for JobEvaluation/Pay & Conditions Review.

Changes in regulation relating to Minimum Revenue Provision calculations mean asaving against budget of 131k (131k reported at period 11).

Recycling 180k Sale of Commodities income is projected to exceed budget by 138kand SCC Recycling Credits by 3k (105k net reported at period 11).

Information & Communications Technology (ICT) and Transformation are currentlypredicting a net under-spend of 148k mainly due to staff vacancies (113k at period11).

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Corpo

rate Performance Report March 2007 Appendix A

6

SCC/STW Developers Deposits in lue of works in default which have been held inreserve, were identified as no longer being required and have been written back toGeneral Fund providing a credit of 60k (nil reported at period 11, Cabinet approval04/04/07)

Industrial Property Management is projecting a net surplus of 52k (59k reported at

period 11).

Council Tax 49k Mainly due to a higher level of Court costs receivable of 47k (period11 42k reported).

Planning Applications and Enforcement are projecting a net surplus of 45k due tovacant posts and additional fee income (40k at period 11).

Planning Delivery Net under-spend of 43k resulting from additional Government Grantincome being unspent, (41k reported at period 11).

Stock Options Costs are projecting an under-spend of 43k, (nil reported at period 11).

Land Charges is anticipated to exceed budget by 41k (32k predicted period 11).

Amington Depot is predicting an under-spend of 35k due to vacant posts and higherthan anticipated rent income (24k at period 10).

Street wardens are projected to under spend by 33k (31k under spend predicted atperiod 11).

Savings on Community Projects of 33k mainly on salary costs have been identified(29k identified at period 11).

A provision held in respect of the former joint user agreement with Staffordshire CountyCouncil for Wilnecote Sports Centre has been found to be no longer required, this resultsin 32k windfall income (32k reported at period 11).

Other Sports Pitches are showing a surplus of 24k mainly due to an under-spend onmaintenance of grounds (nil reported at period 11).

The Tourism cost centre is projecting an under-spend of 23k mainly due to salarysavings. (18k at period.11).

General Fund Housing projecting an under-spend of 22k mainly on salaries (23kreported at period 11).

TBC Highways Maintenance Net under-spend of 19k on works to highway relatedassets (20k reported period 11).

Licensing Act projects a net surplus of 18k (19k reported period 11).

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Significant variances identified resulting in the increase in net under-spend of 255kINTEREST CHARGES AND OTHER CORE COSTS

FINANCIAL HEALTHCHECK REPORT - Provisional Out-turn

The projected full year position is a favourable variance of 731k compared to the Forecast Out-Turn at Period 11 of 594k (fa

An increase in the variance of 137k. The main changes identified are : -

Significant Variances from P11 Forecasted Out-turn

Service Area

Forecast

Out-Turn

@ Period

11

Projected

Out-Turn

@ Period

12

Variance Reas

Corporate Finance

Specific Contingency 0 -14 -14Budgeted amount not required

Civil Contingencies and Emergency Planning 0 -8 -8 Delay in establishing service lev

Contribution to Reserves 382 723 341Also included R & R fund reimb

as approved by Cabinet 4th Apr

Write Back From Provisions 0 -62 -62Write back of provisions to reve

4th April.

Contribution from Collection Fund 0 -336 -336 Write back of NNDR credits

Reduction in Bowls Club Guarantee 0 -17 -17 Year end adjustment as notified

Under/Over Banking 0 -23 -23 Balance of unidentified credits a

AMRA

Miscellaneous Interest & Dividends -264 -273 -9Higher investment balances tha

investment rates.

Other minor non-significant variances -9

Interest Charges & Other Core Costs 118 12 -137

7

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CORPORATE SERVICES

FINANCIAL HEALTHCHECK REPORT - Provisional Out-turn

The projected full year position is a favourable variance of 20k compared to the Forecast Out-Turn at Period 11 of 19k (unfavo

A decrease in the variance of 39k. The main changes identified are : -


Service Area

Forecast

Out-Turn @

Period 11

Projected

Out-Turn @

Period 12

Variance Rea

ICT & Transformation

Actuarial Strain 25 20 -5

Predicted outturn period 11 bas

from Staffs C C with regard to r

Development Team Leader - fi

received in March 07.

Line Rental Main Switchboard -8 -23 -15Commitments raised at start of

costs subsequently incurred.

Members Laptops -5 -12 -7 Anticipated spend did not occuMiscellaneous 0 -14 -14

Budget for ad-hoc purchases, c

not required by year end.

Training & Development

Corporate Training, NVQ Training and Workforce

Development-10 -17 -7

Corporate training plans postpo

for ad-hoc course requests whi

Benefits

Provision for bad debts 20 26 6Movement in provision required

due to increase in value of deb

Benefits 84 95 11 Based on estimate claim.

Council Tax

Court Costs Income -43 -47 -4 Income received above expect

Other minor non-significant variances -4

Support Services 63 28 -39

8

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HOUSING PROPERTY SERVICESFINANCIAL HEALTHCHECK REPORT - Provisional Out-turn

The projected full year position is a favourable variance of 200k compared to the Forecast Out-Turn at Period 11 of 2k unfavouraAn increase in the variance of 202k. The main changes identified are : -


Service Area

ForecastOut-Turn @

Period 11

ProjectedOut-Turn @

Period 12

Variance Rea

AD HOUSING PROPERTY

Cabinet 13.06.07 Non-con

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