Agenda and minutes

Resolved

That Councillor Nicholas Turner be appointed Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee for the Municipal Year 2016/17.

Resolved

That Councillor Ian McCord be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee for the Municipal Year 2016/17.

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest that they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman to report on any requests to submit petitions or to address the meeting.

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2016.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 April 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report of Director of Operational Delivery

Purpose of report

This report presents the final business case following consultation for a Joint Community and Leisure Service across Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils (hereafter “Cherwell” or “CDC” and “South Northamptonshire” or “SNC” respectively).

The report recommends the formation of a two way Joint Community and Leisure Service and in doing so, seeks the Joint Commissioning Committee’s agreement to the staffing elements of the business case.

The proposal is part of the wider transformation programme across the two Councils.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To consider the responses to the consultation process with the affected staff and trade union representatives received as detailed in the consultation log (attached as Appendix 2) and from the Joint Councils Employee Engagement Committee (updated verbally) and to determine whether any amendment to the business case is required as a result of them;

1.2         To note that the business case will be considered in respect of non-staffing matters  by CDC Executive on 6 June 2016 and by SNC Cabinet on 13 June 2016.

1.3         To approve the staffing aspects of the final business case (Appendix 1) to share a joint Community and Leisure Service between SNC and CDC, subject to consideration and approval of the non-staffing implications by CDC Executive and SNC Cabinet.

1.4         To delegate to the Director of Operational Delivery in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee any non-significant amendment that may be required to the business case following the decision by CDC Executive and/or SNC Cabinet.

The Director of Operational Delivery submitted a report which presented the final business case following consultation for a Joint Community and Leisure Service across Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils and sought agreement of the staffing elements of the business case.

The proposal was part of the wider transformation programme across the two Councils.

The Director of Operational Delivery confirmed that the Joint Councils Employee and Engagement Committee had considered and endorsed the business case, recommending to the Joint Commissioning Committee that it be approved.

Resolved

(1)       That having considered the responses to the consultation process with the affected staff and trade union representatives and from the Joint Councils Employee Engagement Committee, it be agreed that no amendment to the business case was required as a result of them.

(2)       That it be noted that the business case would be considered in respect of non-staffing matters  by CDC Executive on 6 June 2016 and by SNC Cabinet on 13 June 2016.

(3)       That the staffing aspects of the final business case to share a joint Community and Leisure Service between SNC and CDC, subject to consideration and approval of the non-staffing implications by CDC Executive and SNC Cabinet, be approved.

(4)       That authority be delegated to the Director of Operational Delivery, in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee, to make any non-significant amendment that may be required to the business case following the decision by CDC Executive and/or SNC Cabinet.

(Councillors Chris Lofts and Barry Richards requested that their votes against the recommendations be recorded)

Report of Head of Finance and Procurement

Purpose of report

This report presents the final business case following consultation for a joint Revenues and Benefits service across Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils (hereafter “Cherwell” or “CDC” and “South Northamptonshire” or “SNC” respectively).

The report recommends the formation of a two way joint Revenues and Benefits service and in doing so seeks the Joint Commissioning Committee’s agreement for the staffing elements of the business case.

The proposal is part of the wider transformation programme across the two Councils.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To consider the responses to the consultation process with the affected staff and trade union representatives received as detailed in the consultation log (attached as Appendix 2) and from the Joint Councils Employee Engagement Committee (to be reported verbally), and determine whether any amendment to the business case is required as a result of them.

1.2         To note that the business case will be considered in respect of non-staffing matters  by CDC Executive on 6 June 2016 and by SNC Cabinet on 13 June 2016.

1.3         To approve the staffing aspects of the final business case to create a joint Revenues and Benefits service between SNC and CDC, subject to consideration and approval of the non-staffing implications by CDC Executive and SNC Cabinet.

1.4         To delegate authority to the Head of Finance and Procurement in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee to make any non-significant amendments that may be required to the business case following the decision by CDC Executive and/or SNC Cabinet.

The Head of Finance and Procurement submitted a report which presented the final business case following consultation for a joint Revenues and Benefits service across Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils and sought agreement of the staffing elements of the business case.

The proposal was part of the wider transformation programme across the two Councils.

The Head of Finance and Procurement confirmed that the Joint Councils Employee and Engagement Committee had considered and endorsed the business case, recommending to the Joint Commissioning Committee that it be approved.

Resolved

(1)          That the responses to the consultation process with the affected staff and trade union representatives received as detailed in the consultation log and from the Joint Councils Employee Engagement Committee be considered and noted and it be determined that no amendment to the business case was required as a result of them.

(2)          That it be noted that the business case would be considered in respect of non-staffing matters by CDC Executive on 6 June 2016 and by SNC Cabinet on 13 June 2016.

(3)          That the staffing aspects of the final business case to create a joint Revenues and Benefits service between SNC and CDC, subject to consideration and approval of the non-staffing implications by CDC Executive and SNC Cabinet, be approved.

(4)          That authority be delegated to the Head of Finance and Procurement, in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee, to make any non-significant amendments that may be required to the business case following the decision by CDC Executive and/or SNC Cabinet.

(Councillors Chris Lofts and Barry Richards requested that their votes against the recommendations be recorded)

The responsibility for appraising the Joint Chief Executive lies with elected members appointed to the Joint Appraisal Sub Committee.

The Joint Appraisal Sub Committee is made up of a total of 8 members (including the Leaders from each Council), drawn from the Joint Commissioning Committee.

The Joint Commissioning Committee is recommended to appoint members to sit on the Joint Appraisal Sub-Committee for the municipal year 2016-17.

Meeting dates of the Joint Appraisal Sub-Committee are scheduled for 6 October 2016 (The Forum, Moat Lane, Towcester) and 2 March 2017 (Bodicote House, Bodicote).

The Democratic and Elections Team Leader advised the Committee that the responsibility for appraising the Joint Chief Executive laid with elected members appointed to the Joint Appraisal Sub Committee.

The Joint Appraisal Sub Committee was made up of a total of 8 members (including the Leaders from each Council), drawn from the Joint Commissioning Committee.

The meeting dates of the Joint Appraisal Sub-Committee were scheduled for 6 October 2016 (The Forum, Moat Lane, Towcester) and 2 March 2017 (Bodicote House, Bodicote).

In considering the matter, Members agreed that appointments should be deferred pending a review of the Chief Executive’s appraisal process. The Leaders would meet with the Chief Executive and bring recommendations to the next meeting.

Resolved

(1)          That the appointment of Members to the Joint Appraisal Sub-Committee for 2016/17 be deferred pending a review of the Chief Executive’s appraisal process, with recommendations to be submitted to the next meeting of the Joint Commissioning Committee.

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item or urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

The Chairman reported that one item of urgent business had been added to the agenda: 2016 Cost of living pay award for the Joint Management Team and Shared Service Managers

The Commercial Director submitted a report to consider a cost of living pay award for the Chief Executive, Directors, Heads of Service and shared service managers who were outside of the mainstream pay negotiating framework for employees of Cherwell District Council (CDC) and South Northamptonshire Council (SNC).

In introducing the report, the HR Business Partner for Resources advised the Committee that following recent discussions with Unison at SNC an offer of 1.25% increase, in line with that at Cherwell District Council, had been made with a proviso that all future pay negotiations would be agreed locally. This was subject to the approval of the SNC Appointments and Personnel Committee meeting of 13 June 2016.

At their meeting earlier in the day, the Joint Councils Employee Engagement Committee (JCEEC) had considered a report regarding a Pay Policy Change for SNC Employees and the 2016/2017 Pay Award.

JCEEC had recommended that the SNC Appointments and Personnel Committee agree a move away from a “tracking” of the national pay award to joint local pay bargaining with Cherwell District Council and the recognised trade unions of each council, Unison, from 1 April 2016. The SNC Appointments and Personnel Committee would be considering a report on this matter at their 13 June 2016.

Resolved

(1)          That, subject to the approval of the SNC Appointments and Personnel Committee to a 1.25% pay award to mainstream staff,  an annual cost of living pay award of 1.25% for the Chief Executive, Directors, Chief Finance Officer, Heads of Service and other shared service managers pay grades be agreed.

(2)          That an implementation date of 1 April 2016 for the pay award be agreed and authority delegated to the Chief Finance Officer to implement the Committee’s decision.

The following item of business contains exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

1             Information relating to any individual

2             Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual

3             Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

4             Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority.

Members are reminded that whilst the following items have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to pass the following recommendation:

“That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Resolved

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

Resolved

(1)          That the exempt appendices be noted.

Resolved

(1)          That the exempt appendices be noted.

Exempt Report of Commercial Director

The Commercial Director submitted an exempt report which presented a staffing structure for the two way ICT Service across Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils, which set out a final proposal following the formal staff and trade union consultation process.

Resolved

(1)          That the final staffing structure for a Joint ICT Service be agreed.

(2)          That officers be requested to undertake a post implementation review to ensure that the new two way structure is operating effectively and it be suggested that this review take place before March 2017.

(3)          That the implementation plan be noted.