The Executive Director for City Services submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) providing an update on the approach proposed to take forward the proposal contained in the Council 2012 Strategy that the Council sought to optimise income.

Also submitted was a report of the Value and Performance Scrutiny Committee (previously circulated, now appended).

Resolved to:-

1)     Approve the overall framework for charging third parties for discretionary services as outlined in this report;

2)     Approve the overall framework for the supply of goods and services to other public bodies as outlined in this report;

3)     Delegate the decision on whether to enter into arrangements with private sector bodies under which the Council would charge for services provided within or outside the City to the relevant director, provided that the value of such arrangements does not exceed £100,000.

4)     Delegate the decision on whether to enter into arrangements with other public bodies under which the Council would provide goods and/or services to such other public bodies within or outside the city to the relevant director, provided that the value of such arrangements does not exceed £100,000.

5)     To agree the recommendations of the Value and Performance Scrutiny Committee namely:-

(a)   Should the Council wish to go beyond the arrangements already in existence to reconsider the governance arrangements proposed within the strategy.

(b)   When considering the use of spare capacity to undertake trading activities the relative options, risks and returns need to be fully documented in order to make an informed decision.

(c)   To provide a report in years time showing:

-           The services sold or traded

-           The amount of money raised

-           The effects of this within our budget identifying specifically, if possible, where this has allowed us to reduce the costs of services within our budget