Agenda and decisions

Summary:

Options considered:

The Digital Transformation Programme has significantly increased the need for corporate scanning, indexing, redacting and copying of documents to support new business processes and to enable paperless working.

In order to deliver this service, whilst the outcomes of the Planning and Environmental Health BPR have been rolled out, it has been necessary to support this work with 2 Full time, fixed term, Post & Scanning Assistants. This report requests the release of previously identified funding to extend the two posts for a further 12 months.

Outsourcing of ongoing scanning and copying activities have been assessed and discounted on practicability and value for money grounds.

Increased use of Service based staff is not feasible because of other work demands and coordination and control issues.

Fixed term additional resource with the appropriate skills and experience has been successfully supporting the service to date and is considered the most practical and cost efficient option until the new processes are fully implemented within service areas such as the Planning Service.

Conclusions:

The provision of funding for an additional 12 months for the 2 posts (fixed term) will allow the immediate requirements to be met whilst assessing the long term demand and resource requirement to provide adequate support for service business processes.

Recommendations:

Reasons for

Recommendations:

That Cabinet approves the release of £52,000 previously identified Digital Transformation funding to allow the continuation of the two fixed term posts for a further 12 months in the Digital Mail Room Team.

The continued employment of the 2 additional posts within the Digital Mail Room Team will ensure that the team has the capacity and skills available to support the scanning, redaction and copying of applications, and documents until the full introduction of systems and processes to help deliver paperless working.

Making the posts fixed term will provide flexibility to react to changes in delivery and service demands over the next 12 months.

Summary:

Options considered:

This report provides Cabinet with an update in relation to the Egmere Business Zone Project and considers the options available for the Council in relation to this scheme.

The report considers a number of potential options as follows;

·                                            Seek an alternative anchor tenant;

·                                            Install the enabling road infrastructure only;

·                                            Build the unit on a speculative basis;

·                                            Seek an alternative site or;

·                                            Withdraw from the proposed scheme.

Conclusions:

Given the options appraisal presented above, the fact that at the present time there are no other interested parties that the Council is aware of and coupled with all of the implications around the build contract and timescales (lapse of the LDO and Enterprise Zone status) it is no longer considered viable to continue with the project. Given the timescales and levels of uncertainty around so many different issues it is considered that the project now contains too many risks and the benefits originally anticipated for the site are highly unlikely to be realised.

Recommendations:

Reasons for

Recommendations:

It is recommended that Cabinet;

1)    Cease the current scheme and that any unallocated funds are made available for alternative capital projects.

2)    Agree to delegate authority the Head of Finance in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance to effect the necessary reserve transfers required in respect of the revenue funding requirements if the decision is taken to stop the project.

Based on the options appraisal undertaken ceasing the project at this point is considered to be the most appropriate course of action.

Summary:

This report sets out the current position in relation to the Cromer Sports Hub and gives options for Members to take the matter forward.

Conclusions:

The options identified give Members avenues to either take the project forward in its current form or to withdraw from it. Members should weigh the relevant factors, including the financial, community and reputational impacts before reaching a decision.

Recommendations:

That Members consider the options set out below.

1.    To give delegated authority to the Head of Legal in consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Leisure and Finance to effect the necessary legal arrangements required in respect of the preferred option identified.

2.      If the decision is taken to stop the project, that delegated authority be given to the Head of Legal in consultation with the Head of Finance and Assets and the Portfolio Holders for Leisure and Finance to effect the necessary reserve transfers required in respect of the revenue funding requirements.