Issue - meetings

This report considers the options available to the council for the future provision of the Revenues and IT service beyond April 2016. Decisions about future provision need to be taken by November 2014 in order to either agree to an extension of the existing contract for 3 years or where this is not decided to ensure alternative options are implemented before the current contract expires in April 2016.

(i)         that the options for the future provision of Revenue and IT services as outlined in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.6 of the report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Growth be noted;

(ii)        that approval be given to officers’ recommended option to exercise the contractual provision to extend the existing Revenues and IT contract with Capita for three years from 1 May 2016 to 30 April 2019. 

Councillor Mashari (Lead Member, Employment and Skills) introduced the report which considered the options available to the council for the future provision of the Revenues and IT service beyond April 2016. The existing contract for the administration and collection of Council Tax and Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) along with the provision of IT for Revenues and Benefits was awarded to Capita for a 5 year period commencing in May 2011, with an option to extend for the further 3 years from 1 May 2016 to 30 April 2019. Councillor Mashari advised that the recommended option was to extend the existing contract for three years; the terms of the contract have been re-negotiated in order to achieve cumulative savings and improved collection targets. She referred to planned changes to Universal Credit the impact of which would be clearer at the point of retender in 2017. Councillor Moher drew attention to the anticipated cumulative savings of £1.901,593 between 2015/16 to 2018/19 and whether more were anticipated. The Strategic Director, Regeneration and Growth confirmed that discussion would continue to achieve more and regular meetings were scheduled.

The Executive also had before them an appendix to the report which was not for publication as it contained the following category of exempt information as specified in Schedule 12 of the Local Government (Access to Information Act) 1972: 

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the options for the future provision of Revenue and IT services as outlined in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.6 of the report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Growth be noted;

(ii)        that approval be given to officers’ recommended option to exercise the contractual provision to extend the existing Revenues and IT contract with Capita for three years from 1 May 2016 to 30 April 2019.