Governance and Standards Scrutiny Panel 9 November 2017

Chairman: –  Councillor Robinson
Venue:  Function Room 1, Civic Centre, Ashby Road, Scunthorpe
Time: –  6 p.m.
E-mail:  matthew.nundy@northlincs.gov.uk

 

AGENDA

1.       Substitutions.
2.       Declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and personal or personal and prejudicial interests and declarations of whipping arrangements (if any).
3.       To take the minutes of the meeting of the panel held on 19 October 2017 as a correct record and authorise the chairman to sign.
4.       Public speaking requests, if any.
5.       Added Item – Advertisements on the council’s website.
5.1     To consider an added item requested by Councillor Collinson.
5.2     Discussion and questions with the Director: Governance and Partnerships.
5.3     Next stages (if any).
6.       Any other items that the Chairman decides are urgent by reason of special circumstances that must be specified.

MINUTES

PRESENT: –  Councillor Robinson in the chair.

Councillors Gosling (Vice-Chair), Longcake, Swift and Wells.

The panel met at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe.

41      DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND DECLARATIONS OF WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS (IF ANY) – There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and personal or personal and prejudicial interests.

No whip was declared.

42      MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of this panel held on 19 October 2017, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and signed by the chairman.

43      PUBLIC REQUESTS TO SPEAK There were no requests received.

44      (12)    ADDED ITEM – ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE COUNCIL’S WEBSITE.  The Chairman welcomed Becky McIntyre, the council’s Director: Governance and Partnerships to the meeting.  The Director had been invited to respond to an added item request submitted by Councillor Collinson.  The Chairman invited Councillor Collinson to state the reasons for the added item request, which related to his experience as a council website user, with particular emphasis on the number and nature of advertisements that were on display on the website.

The Director informed the meeting that in October 2015, the Policy and Resources Cabinet Member approved a Commercial Strategy 2015-19.  The strategy detailed the council’s vision, aspirations and ambition for future income generation.

Following a soft market testing exercise in February 2016, the former Cabinet Member for Policy and Finance approved the procurement of a managed services contract under the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO) framework to increase income through advertising and sponsorship.

Alongside the ESPO enquiry an exercise was undertaken to review opportunities for generating additional income from carrying paid for advertising on the main council website.  This exercise identified the Council Advertising Network (CAN).  CAN was launched on 1 May 2014 to source socially responsible advertising as the exclusive partner of Local Authorities.  Over 50 Local Authorities had become members of the CAN network.

In order to maximise potential advertising revenue from the council’s assets, the Cabinet Member agreed to subscribe to the CAN to generate income by carrying paid for advertisements on the council’s main website.

The Director also clarified the type, frequency and location of advertisements on the council’s website.

The Chairman then facilitated a discussion between panel members and the Director: Governance and Partnerships on advertisements on the council’s website.

Resolved – (a) That the Director: Governance and Partnerships be thanked for her attendance, verbal presentation and for answering scrutiny panel members, questions, and (b) that the situation be noted.