Minutes:
Mr. Max Hunt CC asked the Chairman the following
questions under Standing Order 7:-
(A)
The Big Society
"Is the Chairman aware that Dorothy Francis,
Chief Executive of the Leicestershire Co-operative and Social Enterprise
Development Agency, has recently been voted Leicestershire Business Woman of
the Year and will he invite her to address members so that we can all
understand more about the Big Society which she has practiced in this County
over several years."
The Chairman replied as follows:
“Yes, I am aware. I think this is a matter which
would be best dealt with by the Big Society Scrutiny Review Panel and so,
subject to the Commission agreeing the recommendations of the Panel’s interim
report to be discussed later in the agenda, I shall ask Mr. Pain to follow up
this request as part of the Panel’s ongoing work.”
(B) PR and
Communications
“Will the
Chairman please confirm:
1. When
Westco Ltd. was originally engaged by the County
Council, with what brief, over what period and at what cost?
2. What
the original budget for this department was for the financial
year 2010/11 and what the current estimated out-turn is?
3. That
the budget for communications will be cut by 40% and indicate the anticipated
budget for 2011/2?
4. What
contracts were agreed following the failure to appoint a new head of service?
5. How
much Westco Ltd. has been paid to date and how long
their current contract has left to run and at what cost?
6. How
much the current Interim Head of Communications is being paid a month and for
how many days per week? What expenses are being paid on top of this and how
much these come to each month?
7. What
Mr. Fergus Sheppard’s current role is, for how long will it continue, and how
much he is being paid a month, including expenses and whether this falls upon
the communications budget?
8. What staff report directly to the
Leader of the Council?
9. Whether
he appreciates the irony that whilst Westco Ltd. specialises
in public relations, our association with that company has had a negative
effect upon our reputation?
10. Whether
any steps have been taken to correct any inaccuracies or misrepresentations in
the recent coverage of our PR/Communications contracts in the press? If so, what are they and what has been said?
11. When
it is anticipated the department will have a new Head of Communications and how
this is to be achieved?”
The Chairman replied as follows:
“I have been
provided with the following information to enable me to reply to these
questions, as I am required to do under Standing Order 7. However, this is not
an issue about which I have any direct knowledge. Therefore, should there be
any supplementary questions, I will not be in a position to reply, but will
undertake to ensure that they are passed to the appropriate officers for
response.
1.
Westco was appointed in August 2009. Their brief was to
undertake a review of the Council’s communications and marketing activities, to
assess current performance against best practice and to make recommendations
about how improvements in the effectiveness and value for money of
communications could be achieved.
The review, which included a one-off survey of Leicestershire residents,
concluded in December 2009 at a total cost of £43k.
2.
In
the year 2009/10, total Council spending on communications, marketing, design,
information provision and non-recruitment advertising was £3.5m, including
staffing costs in all departments and running costs. Of that £3.5m, the
‘corporate’ teams (PR Unit, Design Unit and Corporate Internal Communications)
accounted for £1m.
A new centralised Communications Team has been created which incorporates
staffing and budgets from across the authority. The new teams became operational
on
3.
The
overall spending on communications (including communications, marketing,
design, information provision and non-recruitment advertising) will be reduced
by 28% in 2011/12, rising to 52% by the end of 2012/13, against the figure of
£3.5m.
The total 2011/12 communications budget will be £2.3m, reducing to £1.7m in
2012/13.
4.
The
arrangement with Westco for the provision of
communications advice and interim management was extended to April 2011.
5.
|
|
Gross costs |
Net costs1 |
|
Review and related survey |
£43k |
£43k |
|
Interim management |
£90k |
£29k |
|
Expenses |
£5k |
£5k |
|
Total |
£138k |
£77k |
1 Net of cost of vacant Head of
Communications post.
6.
The current
Interim Head of Communications is employed by Westco
and is paid directly by them. The Council covers the cost of the interim
manager’s accommodation of between £350 and £690 per month, depending on offers
and discounts. No expenses are paid other than the cost of accommodation.
7.
His
role is to work with the Head of Communications, in particular facilitating
access to national media in promoting LCC as a well-respected, innovative and
leading local authority. This work forms part of the current arrangement with Westco. No expenses
are paid as part of this work.
8.
None.
9.
As I am sure Mr. Hunt will appreciate, I, as
Chairman of the
10. Accurate information has been given to the media in response to their questions on the arrangement.
11. The recruitment of a permanent Head of Communications is currently being considered in light of the new structure and the financial context.”