Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer).

The report provides a summary of the insurance performance for the financial year April 2022 to March 2023 and also includes comparisons with the previous three financial years in order to allow for a meaningful comparison of trends.

The Committee is recommended to note and comment upon the report.

Officer Contact: John Pearsall on 0161 474 4033 or email john.pearsall@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a summary of the insurance performance for the financial year April 2022 to March 2023 and including comparisons with the previous three financial years in order to allow for a meaningful comparison of trends.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Jilly Julian) attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Member commented on the increase in the number of insurance claims related to the Totally Local Company (TLC).

·         The nature of the service provided by the TLC, along with the use of refuse and recycling vehicles and taking account of the logistics of where those vehicles needed to access, was cited as the reason for the number of insurance claims. The council was making efforts to encourage regular training. The impact of insurance claims not only affected council funds, but also the reputation of the council and it was an inconvenience for Stockport’s residents.

·         Member approved of the work undertaken to identify fraudulent claims and queried whether there was any route to recouping the costs associated with that work.

·         It was reported that there had been national changes which had made it more difficult where a claim had been won to recoup costs from the other party. In certain cases the council applied the ‘fundamentally dishonest’ principle where, if successful, costs could be recovered from individuals. Whilst that work was demanding and intensive, it demonstrated the council’s robust approach to fraud.

·         Members queried whether the council had gone out to tender for insurance broker services. In response it was stated that the council formed part of the Greater Manchester framework and as such had procured the same broker with significant savings, representing excellent value for money. The tender process was carried out every five years.

·         It was reported that the council had recruited a solicitor to deal with some of the associated legal issues in-house in order to spend less on external law firms. Some of the more complex cases required the council to instruct outside firms and analysis was ongoing to identify potential areas for cost reduction.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.