Business Services committee round up
This was the first meeting of the Business Services under the new Scheme of Governance.
Business Services financial monitoring
It was noted that this is a new report to the ones considered by the former Policy and Resources Committee, as this looks at the financial and capital monitoring for Business Services.
The budget being monitored in this report is sitting at £34 million. Current overspend forecast 400,000, just over 1%. Breakeven is still a target for the service, despite being difficult to acheive this late in the financial year. Work being prioritised to deliver breakeven includes reducing all non-essential expenditure within repair and maintenance, among other things.
This is in the content of an overspend across the council of £3.5 million.
The Business Services revised Capital Budget is currently £14.3 million and the service is currently forecast to end this financial year at £12.4 million.
During the debate, questions were asked and answered which related to procurementas well as seeking assurances that health and safety critical repairs are still be prioritised.
Registrars fees
Aberdeenshire residents will be asked for their views on the charges applied by registrars for civil ceremonies.
Members approved a consultation to be held into a proposed rise in the fees for civil wedding ceremonies. Fees themselves have not changed since 2003 and the aim is to bring them in line with where they would be if inflationary increases had been applied regularly since then. Aberdeenshire’s present charges for civil ceremonies are amongst the lowest in Scotland, and are significantly lower than those advertised by other nonreligious celebrant groups. Proposed fees will remain less than most other Local Authorities and also less than all other non-religious celebrants.
The committee debate included the different rates being set based on days of the week and the timescales for consultation. There was also confirmation that there should be no staffing implications, as this will not affect working practices, simply the fees applied.
The committee agreed with the launch of an engagement programme, and further details on that will follow.
Data protection
A new data protection policy statement has been agreed following the meeting today.
Members were informed that the revision of the policy statement was prompted by an undertaking from the Information Commissioners Office by the Chief Executive.
The revised statement is below.
DATA PROTECTION POLICY STATEMENT
1. Commitment to the Act
Aberdeenshire Council supports the objectives of the Data Protection Act 1998 and seeks to instruct all individuals who have access to the Council’s personal data to observe its Principles (see Code of Practice: Data Protection Act 1998). The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for the implementation of the Council’s policy for Data Protection and each Service Director will retain executive authority for the compliance of employees with the Policy and associated Code of Practice.
2. Scope
This Code of Practice applies to all employees, contractors and any other individuals working with or for the Council who have access to the Council’s personal data.
3. Notification
All purposes for which the Council holds personal data on computer must be notified to the Information Commissioner’s Office and kept up to date. It is a criminal offence to fail to notify within 28 days of commencing data processing. All computer systems containing personal data must be intimated by the system ‘owner’ to the Council’s Data Protection Officer for inclusion in the notification process. All purposes for which the Council holds personal data in structured manual records may also be notified to the Information Commissioner’s Office and kept up to date. Notification of structured manual records is optional.
4. Contents of computer files and structured manual records
The Council will comply fully with the eight Data Protection Principles in holding and processing personal data.
5. Confidentiality
All individuals who have access to the Council’s personal data are expected to protect the confidentiality of that data.
6. Subject Access
The Council will respond to any individual who makes a subject access request in the approved manner. A fixed fee of £5 for a request involving access to records held by a single Service and £10 for a request involving access to records held by two or more Services will normally be charged.
7. Disclosures
Disclosure of personal data will be made in accordance with the Council’s registration. In certain cases involving crime or taxation, for example, special exemptions to this rule may apply.
8. Security
All individuals who have access to the Council’s personal data must comply with the requirements of the Council’s Information Security Policy, Acceptable Use Policy and associated Code of Practice: Acceptable Use of ICT Facilities.
9. Private Use of Computers
Any private use of computers belonging to the Council by employees must comply with the requirements of the Council’s Information Security Policy, Acceptable Use Policy and associated Code of Practice: Acceptable Use of ICT Facilities.
10. Discipline
Any employee who deliberately breaches the Council’s Data Protection Policy will be subject to established disciplinary procedures as set out with the Council’s Disciplinary Policy.
11. Training
All employees who have access to the Council’s personal data must undertake mandatory Data Protection awareness training within three-months of commencing employment and undertake refresher training every three years thereafter.