24th April
2003
ATTENDEES
M A Johns: Chief Executive
J Ebdon: Deputy Chief Executive, Director Local Taxation
J H Keelty: Director of Finance, Technology and Strategy
S Hartnell: Director of Human Resources
J M Wilkinson: Director of District Valuer Services
P Sanderson: Director of Modernisation
A Grinstead: Non Executive Director
D Stathers: Non Executive Director
M Morrison-Paton: Head of Communications
S Todd: (part)
G Winsor: (part)
RG Lawrence: Secretary
NDR 2005 – Summary Valuations (SVs)
Introducing the paper, Paul Sanderson reminded the Board that as
part of the modernised “right first time” approach to
the 2005 NDR revaluation, the VOA wanted to provide as many ratepayers
as possible with a summary of their valuation so that they would
be able to see how their assessment had been arrived at. The proposal
was also to place these summary valuations on the internet with
unrestricted access so that ratepayers would be able to make sure
that their assessment was in line with assessments placed on similar
properties in the locality. During the discussion, the following
points emerged:
- Some preliminary issues around placing summary valuations on
the internet had now been resolved but further consideration needed
to be given to policy and technical matters before proceeding
- It was hoped that the provision of summary valuations would
help to make the valuation process more transparent to ratepayers
which should enable them to more readily understand and accept
rating assessments without the need to lodge appeals.
- Ratepayers would be able to check the survey details included
in their summary valuation and contact the VO if they were incorrect.
The period VOA between September 2004 (publication of draft list
and production of summary valuations) and the end of March 2005
(publication of new compiled rating lists 1 April 2005) would
provide an opportunity for putting right inaccuracies identified.
- The Board recognised that there were certain risks involved
in the production and publication of summary valuations, but considered
that the benefits outweighed the risks.
Having discussed the main issues, including the risks and benefits,
the Management Board endorsed the proposal to continue with the
plans to publish summary valuations on the Internet and to seek
Ministerial approval for the proposal.
Recruitment
Steve Hartnell told Board members that whilst many new staff at
Pay Band 3 had now been appointed to the Agency, there was still
likely to be a shortage at this band, mainly in London and the South
East. The recruitment campaign was ongoing, and it was hoped that
the situation would continue to improve over time. He also reminded
Board members of the need to consider external recruitment at Pay
Band 4. Despite the recent advancements to this pay band from within
the Agency and the intake of graduate valuers, there were still
vacancies in some locations.
Summing up the discussion, the Board agreed to the proposal to
commence external recruitment at Band 4 using local recruitment
advertising in the areas where deficits currently existed.
VOA Training Strategy 2003/2004
Introducing the VOA Strategic Training and Development Plan for
2003/2004, Steve Hartnell told the Board that, due to the Agency’s
significant growth, the current year would be one of the most challenging
years the Agency had faced in terms of meeting the training needs
of its staff. The good news, however, was that there had been a
significant increase in investment in training for the current financial
year and this would help enable the extra training to take place.
Subject to minor drafting changes, the Board agreed to the content
and detail of the Plan, which will be made available to staff in
due course.
Electronic Human Resources (e- HR)
Steve Hartnell explained that e –HR, which included things
such as payslips being delivered electronically as opposed to in
paper form, was to be gradually introduced by the Inland Revenue,
starting in summer 2003. Whilst the VOA was committed to working
in partnership with the Revenue in the delivery of e –HR,
the Board agreed that, at this stage, more work needed to be carried
out to establish the costs and benefits to the Agency. Once these
were known, an informed decision on the best way forward for the
VOA could be made.
Summing up, the Board decided that it was in the Agency’s
best interest to limit its immediate involvement in e-HR to those
unavoidable changes arising from the changes in its service supply
by the Inland Revenue, while reviewing the optimum strategy for
its own needs.
Project Management Methodology
Introducing his paper, John Keelty reminded the Board of the recent
decision from the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) that projects
as large and complex as the English Council Tax revaluation should
be run as a programme of small projects (as opposed to a single
large one) ,under an approved Government-wide methodology .
For other, smaller, projects within the Agency, the current Agency
Project Management Methodology (APMM) was still appropriate.
End of year Key Results
The Board were very pleased with the end of year results where
all bar one of the key targets –adhere to start date in 95%
of programmed NDR appeals – looked likely to have been met,
subject to audit. There were, however, some other areas where secondary
targets had not been met, mainly on timeliness. The Board agreed
that whilst it was important to strive to improve in those areas,
the overall result was very good indeed
|
