Agenda and minutes

Consider Minute of the Meeting of the Major Contracts Governance Group held on 23 November 2021.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the Meeting held on 23 November 2021.  With reference to paragraph 2.4, Councillor Thornton-Nicol requested an update on functionality on staff badge-making.  Mr Scully advised they would seek an update and advise Councillor Thornton-Nicol at a later date.

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Minute for signature by the Chairman.

To follow.

1.1          The Chair welcomed Mr Dickie, Mr O’ Sullivan and Mr Scully from CGI to the meeting.  There had been circulated copies of the report by Director Strategic Commissioning and Partnerships that presented key information with respect to the CGI contract for the final two quarters of 2021.  It provided Elected Members with key information on the governance of the contract, updated information on the transformation programme being delivered with CGI, key performance information with respect to the service delivery of the contract and a note of key issues associated with contract management, which included change requests signed in the quarter.

1.2          Mr Byers advised that key control boards had taken place and were subject to minutes and audit.  All governance arrangements were marked ‘green’ in quarters three and four.  With regards to the Transformation Programme, development work had been undertaken between senior officers and CGI to develop the strategic digital roadmap which was aligned to the corporate plan and financial strategy.  A number of projects were partway through completion, while the Mobile Front Line Workers project, to give lone workers technology for protection, was entering phase 2.  Mr Dickie advised that upon the CGI contract extension, consultation took place on the strategic digital roadmap incorporating cost-saving and identifying good work.  Work on Mobile Front Line Workers would support lone workers with recording timesheets and expenses and to also provide duty of care support for care workers.  Outputs for the information hub were due to be approved and the first outputs due to take place in June 2022.  Further detail was provided on progress with Transformation POAP.  Mr O'Sullivan advised that Corporate SIP Implementation progress was marked as ‘red’ as BT were delayed with changing fibre and modernising telephony which continued from delays faced in this area of work following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.  The Office 365 workstream progress was also marked ‘red’ following issues with migrated data and Access Database links.  This workstream was to be re-scoped and incorporated within the Transformation programme following completion of the Database project review.  Digital Customer Access had been due to undergo a re-plan with intent to be incorporated within prioritised projects.  CGI advised that this was in a positioning of knowing how to take forward.  With regards to the bulk Print project having been marked as ‘red’ to then being marked as ‘complete’ this had been due to Xerox differentiating between national and international post.  Solutions from Xerox were not regarded as suitable therefore the workstream was closed off while an alternative programme would be determined.  Councillor Thornton-Nicol raised inconsistencies with regards to End User Device – Curricular workstream with issues raised in Newtown Community Wing and there not being access to the devices.  Mr Dickie advised that this may have been due to sites being offline with sporadic IT use from caretakers and that he would follow up on issues raised.  Technical issues had been affecting the MacBooks workstream however support was in place and the workstream was due  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Consider Report by Chief Officer Roads.  (Copy attached.)

1.1          There had been circulated copies of the report by Chief Officer Roads that provided an update on the activity of SBc Contracts for the year to 31 December.  Infrastructure Manager, Mr Young, presented the report.  SBc Contracts delivered infrastructure improvements across the Council’s roads and built estate.  Undertaken work was funded by the Council’s Capital budget which included road surface treatment, civil engineering works, internal building works to SBC Estate, bond coat application, traffic management, and sign manufacture.  SBc Contracts also carried out road and civil engineering projects for third parties throughout south east Scotland.

1.2          The Infrastructure Manager advised that quarter three had been buoyant for SBc Contracts that had been active at 18 sites with contracts completed or substantially complete to meet contract programme deadline dates.  The Operational Management Team had been impacted by ill health which resulted in periods of absence.  The remaining managers and supervisors covered gaps to minimise impact on delivery and commercial disruption.  SBc Contracts were successful in in filling the Assistant Surfacing Manager position with an internal candidate joining from another area of the Roads and Infrastructure Service.  Recruitment has been progressing for the Quantity Surveyor and Estimator position and two Traffic Management Operative positions.  Mr Young advised the Committee of ongoing works detailed in the report and that SBc Contracts continued the use of sub-contractors in the delivery of the surfacing programme.  While options for use of sub-contractors were limited in the Borders, SBc Contracts have engaged with two locally-based suppliers in the last quarter.

1.3          With reference to paragraph 6 of the Minute of the Meeting of 23 November 2021, Mr Young highlighted a briefing contained in the report on the use of plastics in road construction material.  It was highlighted that the use of recycled plastic in road construction material was an emerging technology and that recycled plastic formed a small percentage of road construction material mix.  When 5-10% by weight of plastic was incorporated into bituminous mixes, an improved pavement strength, stability and durability was observed, however the percentage of plastic to overall asphalt mix was 0.3%.  Field experience from use of plastics in road construction material was employed by countries with a different climate to Scotland.  Mr Young advised the Council position was that while there was interest in the use of plastics/polymers in road construction and the potential benefits they could bring, it was not yet considered to be beneficial to trial the process in the Scottish Borders and officers would keep a watching brief and that position could be revisited should circumstances change.  During discussion it was advised that the dangers of microplastics in the environment should be observed.

DECISION

AGREED to note the report.

Before proceeding with the private business, the following motion should be approved:-

“That under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the aforementioned Act.”

DECISION

AGREED under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the business detailed in the Appendix to this Minute on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7A to the Act.

Consider private section of the Minute of the Meeting of the Major Contracts Governance Group held on 23 November 2021.  (Copy attached.) 

Members considered the Private Section of the Minute of the Meeting held on 23 November 2021.

To follow.

Members considered the report by Director Strategic Commissioning and Partnerships.

Consider Report by Chief Officer Roads.  (Copy attached.)

Members considered the report by Chief Officer Roads.