Tag: Ian Coleman

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24/11/2011 Part 6 Gas disruption (Leasowe and Moreton), Budget Projections 2012-2015

Cllr Steve Foulkes said the debrief should include lessons learnt and a critique. He said he had been there on Friday night and said people had been "working hard" and that it was a "huge National Grid operation". Cllr Foulkes said they had been lucky the weather had been relatively mild. He referred to Cllr … Continue reading “Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24/11/2011 Part 6 Gas disruption (Leasowe and Moreton), Budget Projections 2012-2015”

Cllr Steve Foulkes said the debrief should include lessons learnt and a critique. He said he had been there on Friday night and said people had been "working hard" and that it was a "huge National Grid operation". Cllr Foulkes said they had been lucky the weather had been relatively mild.

He referred to Cllr Jeff Green’s earlier comments about the Serious Fraud Office investigation. Cllr Foulkes referred to an email which referred to a letter being received.

Jim Wilkie said he had emailed all three party leaders (Cllr Foulkes, Cllr Green and Cllr Harney) last Friday [18th November] over a conversation. However Jim Wilkie said the letter had not yet been received. He had intended to speak, but he understood the letter would arrive this week.

Cllr Steve Foulkes said it had been reported that the Serious Fraud Office was investigating. He referred to Frank Field but said it would be “difficult to break a confidence”. In order to discuss it further they would have to go exempt session to seek legal advice.

Cllr Jeff Green expressed the view that he wanted it dealt with sooner.

Ian Coleman introduced report 3 on the Budget Projections for 2012-2015.

He said it was an update, but this would be the last time the Cabinet received the report in this format, as in the next few weeks they should get the provisional local government financial assessment. They were not making provision for price inflation.

Cllr Steve Foulkes said there were still a number of days to go for the budget simulator. He referred also to Neighbourhood Plans. They were waiting to put it together, to give leeway on the issues to be resolved. He read out a proposed resolution of Cabinet on this agenda item.

Wirral Council Cabinet 13/10/2011 Statement of Accounts 2010/11, Annual Governance Report Part 6

Ian Coleman, Director of Finance said he agreed with the comments except the last comment. They had closed the accounts on the 4th July. Complying with International Financial Reporting Standards had been a lot of work. He said that 75% in the North West had not achieved the 30th September deadline. He said it had been a battle to the last-minute regarding the auditors’ requirements. The auditors had commented on the level of resources and he said they will be acting on that. Ian Coleman said they will look at the whole process and what can be improved. However, he said many problems shouldn’t re-occur as they now know what to do. There would not be restating of the previous year’s accounts to International Financial Reporting Standards standards.

Cllr Steve Foulkes said that he and Jim would sign them.

Ian Coleman, Director of Finance then introduced the Audit Commission’s Annual Governance Report. He said this was another statutory report which covered two areas. He said the Audit and Risk Management Committee had put on record its views on the Value for Money analysis which was qualified for the first time. He said he would look at the reasons why.

Cllr Phil Davies said on the last point, there was a clear and damning comment on page 21 about the HESPE contract and its operation for the last two and a half years. He said there was no performance management information which was a basic issue, he asked for suggestions?

Wirral Council Cabinet 13/10/2011 Merseyside Pension Fund Annual Governance Report, Statement of Accounts 2010-11 Part 5

Cllr Steve Foulkes referred to the “massive” training given to councillors with oversight of the Merseyside Pension Fund. He referred to continuity and how it was important that the same councillors learn. He asked if the learning could be transferred?

Ian Coleman said it was a statutory requirement on trustees to comply with the national requirements. He had to make an annual return to government on the training that had taken place of trustees and of the Chair. He said it was a more rigorous training regime.

Cllr Steve Foulkes asked the Cabinet to endorse the report.

The meeting moved onto item 6 Statement of Accounts 2010-11 which was also introduced by Ian Coleman, Director of Finance. Ian Coleman said the accounts had been agreed by the Audit and Risk Management Committee and were a “weighty tome”. The Audit Commission had given an unqualified opinion. There had been a number of technical alterations, however there was no change on the position.

Cllr Steve Foulkes said he had discussed it with the District Auditor. He referred to the “tortuous route” and rewrites and said they had met the deadline “only just” which was “not impressive at all”. He asked why they [Wirral Council] were struggling when other local authorities were not?

West Wirral Area Forum 6/10/2011, PACSPE (Parks and Countryside Services Procurement Exercise) contract Part 6

Dave Green continued that since 2008 different administrations had agreed to the need for Wirral Council to save money. There were pension costs to do with the contractor joining Merseyside Pension Fund, however there had been briefings and a report on this which detailed the risks and options.

The lack of a bid for in-house provision had been agreed by Bill Norman, Director of Law, Human Resources and Asset Management and Ian Coleman, Director of Finance. The Cabinet resolution called for a report to a further meeting in November detailing a three to five-year business plan. The Cabinet decision had not been executed, although the minutes had been published as the other political parties had called it in. The position was that on the 22nd September a decision had been made, but Cllr Green had submitted a call-in last night (5th October) so it couldn’t be enacted.

Mr. Green said there were time critical issues to do with mobilising the cheapest and best contractor or restructuring the service. However it was “in the hands of the politicians”. He thought it was a good tender at a cheap price. He had sought advice from the District Auditor about the inflation risks. Mr. Green thought it would be November before it was resolved and until then it was in limbo. He said “he never thought politics would impact on grass cutting”.

Cllr Jeff Green said he was interested in people’s questions.

Martin Harrison said he had been on the Parks Steering Group and was the Secretary of the Wirral Parks Forum (which is the forum of the Friends Groups).

Council Excellence Overview and Scrutiny Committee Wirral Council 27th September 2011 Part 5 Budget Projections 2012/2015

Ian Coleman referred Cllr Brighouse to paragraph 4.5.1 on IT Services. He said that Cabinet had agreed to savings of £500,000 then £400,000 a year which by year 4 comes to £1.7 million. He said that each year the efficiency investment fund was used, mainly for staffing and needed to be replaced. Cllr Alan Brighouse asked a further question. Ian Coleman gave the example of a Director could need three staff costing £100,000. However these three staff costing £100,000 could lead to a £300,000 saving.

Cllr Brighouse asked about Early Voluntary Redundancy (£3 million)? Ian Coleman said till 2017 and referred to 5 years of pension contributions. Cllr Gilchrist pointed out that Early Voluntary Redundancies can be capitalised. Ian Coleman said they had applied for capitalisation of statutory redundancy pay which was used in 2010/2011. Also people were going in 2011/12. In May they had applied for 2011/12, they had applied for £4 million. There had been an outline agreement, with a detailed proposal going to the Department of Communities and Local Government. There would be a report to Cabinet.

Cllr Ron Abbey asked about the Public Works Board. Ian Coleman said the Treasury had increased the interest rate charged by the Public Works Board by 1%. This meant the cost of borrowing went up. There was a substantial amount of money at a reduced rate, but this was for councils which were housing authorities which doesn’t apply to Wirral as it transferred its housing stock.

Cllr Gilchrist said the report was noted.