Agenda item

Report of Chief Executive

Purpose of report

This report presents the draft business case for a shared service and/or confederated approach to joint working and the delivery of local authority services following consideration by the three way Joint Arrangements Steering Group (JASG) on 27 November 2014 and Executive on 15 December 2014.

Recommendations

1.1         Following endorsement by the Joint Arrangements Steering Group and subject to the feedback of the Executive meeting of 15 December 2014,  Members are recommended, subject to South Northamptonshire and Stratford on Avon District Councils resolving in similar terms, to:

                      I.        Agree an ‘in principle’ move towards scenarios 2 and/or 4 as set out in the appended business case and its supporting papers.

                    II.        Agree that the appended business case is used as the basis for public, partner and stakeholder consultation and, subject to the outcome of that consultation not leading Members to a change of view, request that a full and final business case, taking account of the responses received to this consultation, is brought to the February 2015 Council meeting.

                   III.        Agree in principle, and subject to consideration of consultation responses, to include all services within the potential scope of joint working (as set out in the appended business case scenarios 2 and 4, section 6), subject to prior approval of individual business cases on a service by service basis

                  IV.        Agree in principle, and subject to consideration of any consultation responses, that any moves towards a confederated approach are undertaken on an incremental basis and that the first phase of services considered for inclusion are back office or support services.

                   V.        Request that additional tax and pensions advice is sought to ensure that any implementation costs associated with the confederation approach are fully quantified in any final business case.

                  VI.        Request that additional legal advice is sought to prepare governance arrangements including shareholders’ agreement and exit strategy to be included as an appendix to any final business case. These arrangements should also any transitional requirements (e.g. steering groups, joint committees to oversee the establishment of the confederation).

                 VII.        Request that a full organisational development strategy is developed for adoption to aim to ensure that Members and employees have the requisite skills to operate within a confederation approach should the final business case be approved.

Resolved

(1)          That following endorsement by the Cherwell District, South Northamptonshire and Stratford On Avon District Councils Joint Arrangements Steering Group and the Executive meeting of 15 December 2014,  subject to South Northamptonshire and Stratford on Avon District Councils resolving in similar terms:

                      I.        That an ‘in principle’ move towards scenarios 2 and/or 4 as set out in the appended business case and its supporting papers (annex to the minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be agreed.

                    II.        That it be agreed the appended business case (annex to the minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be used as the basis for public, partner and stakeholder consultation and, subject to the outcome of that consultation not leading Members to a change of view, request that a full and final business case, taking account of the responses received to this consultation, be brought to the February 2015 Council meeting.

                   III.        That, agreement be given in principle, and subject to consideration of consultation responses, to include all services within the potential scope of joint working (as set out in the appended business case scenarios 2 and 4, section 6 - annex to the minutes as set out in the Minute Book), subject to prior approval of individual business cases on a service by service basis

                  IV.        That, agreement be given in principle, and subject to consideration of any consultation responses, that any moves towards a confederated approach be undertaken on an incremental basis and that the first phase of services considered for inclusion be back office or support services.

                   V.        That additional tax and pensions advice be sought to ensure that any implementation costs associated with the confederation approach are fully quantified in any final business case.

                  VI.        That additional legal advice be sought to prepare governance arrangements for scenarios 2 and/or 4. This is to include arrangements such as a shareholders’ agreement and exit strategy and the necessary transitional requirements (e.g. steering groups, shadow boards or joint committees) to oversee the establishment of joint working and/or confederation approaches. These proposals should be included as an appendix to any final business case.

                 VII.        That a full organisational development strategy be developed for adoption to aim to ensure that Members and employees have the requisite skills to operate within a shared service or confederation approach should the final business case be approved.

The Chief Executive submitted a report which presented the draft business case for a shared service and/or confederated approach to joint working and the delivery of local authority services following consideration by the three way Joint Arrangements Steering Group (JASG) on 27 November 2014 and the recommendation of Executive on 15 December 2014.

Councillor Woodcock proposed that a recorded vote be taken. Councillor Beere seconded the proposal. Members voted as follows:

Councillor Ken Atack – For

Councillor Andrew Beere – Against

Councillor Claire Bell - Against

Councillor Maurice Billington – For

Councillor Fred Blackwell – For

Councillor Norman Bolster – For

Councillor Ann Bonner – For

Councillor Mark Cherry – Against

Councillor Surinder Dhesi – Against

Councillor John Donaldson – For

Councillor Andrew Fulljames – For

Councillor Michael Gibbard – For

Councillor Carmen Griffiths - For

Councillor Tim Hallchurch MBE – For

Councillor Simon Holland – For

Councillor Alastair Milne Home – For

Councillor David Hughes – For

Councillor Russell Hurle – For

Councillor Tony Ilott – For

Councillor Ray Jelf – For

Councillor Matt Johnstone - Against

Councillor Mike Kerford-Byrnes – For

Councillor James Macnamara – For

Councillor Melanie Magee – For

Councillor Kieron Mallon – For

Councillor Nicholas Mawer – For

Councillor Nigel Morris – For

Councillor D M Pickford – For

Councillor Nigel Randall – For

Councillor G A Reynolds – For

Councillor Barry Richards - Against

Councillor Alaric Rose – For

Councillor Daniel Sames – For

Councillor Les Sibley – For

Councillor Lawrie Stratford – For

Councillor Rose Stratford – For

Councillor Lynda Thirzie Smart – For

Councillor Nicholas Turner – For

Councillor Douglas Webb – For

Councillor Douglas Williamson – For

Councillor Barry Wood – For

Councillor Sean Woodcock – Against

Resolved

(1)          That following endorsement by the Cherwell District, South Northamptonshire and Stratford On Avon District Councils Joint Arrangements Steering Group and the Executive meeting of 15 December 2014,  subject to South Northamptonshire and Stratford on Avon District Councils resolving in similar terms:

                      I.        That an ‘in principle’ move towards scenarios 2 and/or 4 as set out in the appended business case and its supporting papers (annex to the minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be agreed.

                    II.        That it be agreed the appended business case (annex to the minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be used as the basis for public, partner and stakeholder consultation and, subject to the outcome of that consultation not leading Members to a change of view, request that a full and final business case, taking account of the responses received to this consultation, be brought to the February 2015 Council meeting.

                   III.        That, agreement be given in principle, and subject to consideration of consultation responses, to include all services within the potential scope of joint working (as set out in the appended business case scenarios 2 and 4, section 6 - annex to the minutes as set out in the Minute Book), subject to prior approval of individual business cases on a service by service basis

                  IV.        That, agreement be given in principle, and subject to consideration of any consultation responses, that any moves towards a confederated approach be undertaken on an incremental basis and that the first phase of services considered for inclusion be back office or support services.

                   V.        That additional tax and pensions advice be sought to ensure that any implementation costs associated with the confederation approach are fully quantified in any final business case.

                  VI.        That additional legal advice be sought to prepare governance arrangements for scenarios 2 and/or 4. This is to include arrangements such as a shareholders’ agreement and exit strategy and the necessary transitional requirements (e.g. steering groups, shadow boards or joint committees) to oversee the establishment of joint working and/or confederation approaches. These proposals should be included as an appendix to any final business case.

                 VII.        That a full organisational development strategy be developed for adoption to aim to ensure that Members and employees have the requisite skills to operate within a shared service or confederation approach should the final business case be approved.