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The Director of Scotland Excel gave a presentation to members in relation to the revenue estimates 2016/17 and the work of Scotland Excel.
There was submitted a joint report by the Treasurer and the Director of Scotland Excel relative to the revenue estimates for Scotland Excel including the requisition for the constituent authorities for financial year 2016/17. The report intimated that Scotland Excel was formally launched on 1 April, 2008 and continued to review its operations to ensure it remained sustainable, ‘fit for purpose’ and was best structured to deliver its objectives.
The report intimated that the annual revenue estimates process for each year up to 2015/16 had included agreement to draw from retained reserves to fund a number of workstreams relating to the procurement improvement programme. The strategy to retain and utilise reserves in this manner had proved to be an effective financial planning mechanism and had lasted significantly longer than was originally anticipated and had assisted in maintaining core requisitions below the cost of service delivery to member councils.
The budget estimates outlined in the report presented the planned 2016/17 financial position for Scotland Excel taking into account the estimated costs of core operations, incorporating £0.300 million costs of ongoing procurement improvement activities previously funded from reserves; the non-recurring costs related to procurement reform activities due to come to an end during 2016/17, to be met from reserves; and the non-recurring costs related to upgrade investment in ICT provision, to be met from available reserves.
Appendix 1 to the report detailed the revenue estimates 2016/17 and Appendix 2 to the report detailed the member authority requisition levels.
Councillor Holmes, seconded by Councillor McElroy, moved that the Revenue Estimates of Scotland Excel for the financial year 2016/17, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be agreed; that the utilisation of reserve funding to support procurement reform projects due to terminate during 2016/17 be agreed; that the utilisation of reserve funding to support the ICT development programme be agreed; and that the requisition from constituent authorities, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be agreed.
Councillor Roberts, seconded by Councillor McMillan, moved as an amendment that the report be continued to allow options to be provided.
On a vote being taken, 6 members voted for the amendment and 17 members voted for the motion. The motion was accordingly declared carried.
Councillor Morton requested that the information contained in the presentation given by the Director of Scotland Excel earlier in the meeting in relation to the revenue estimates 2016/17 and the work of Scotland Excel be provided to members in bullet point format. It was agreed that this would be circulated with the minutes of the meeting and a copy forms the Appendix to this Minute.
DECIDED:
(a) That the revenue estimates of Scotland Excel for the financial year 2016/17, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be agreed;
(b) That the utilisation of reserve funding to support procurement reform projects due to terminate during 2016/17 be agreed;
(c) That the utilisation of reserve funding to support the ICT development programme be agreed;
(d) That the requisition from constituent authorities, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be agreed; and
(e) That the information contained in the presentation given by the Director of Scotland Excel earlier in the meeting in relation to the revenue estimates 2016/17 and the work of Scotland Excel be provided to members in bullet point format.