Shared Services Phase 2 - Approach and Next Steps
To consider and receive the report of the Deputy Chief Executive.
Minutes:
Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive presented his confidential report which sets out the opportunities for future shared services based on the agreed principles and seeks member feedback to inform the next steps.
Work to develop joint terms and conditions and establish shared corporate teams has laid the foundation on which to build full shared services. The report sets out the opportunities that have arisen from recent organisational change and are now right to consider as part of future shared services. This includes potential for a shared Chief Executive and the extension of existing joint Director posts to achieve a single shared strategic leadership team. Members were asked to provide a steer to inform the next steps and development of the Phase 2 business case to be presented in October 2020.
Members discussed the proposals and expressed mixed views on the appointment of a shared Chief Executive and the speed of progress being made towards phase 2 of shared services. Some Members recommended that the proposals be delayed until the White Paper on Local Government Reorganisation had be published and suggested that time was needed to evaluate phase 1 before progressing with the next phase.
On the other hand, some Members felt that accelerating the proposals would put both councils in a stronger position in advance of the Local Government Reorganisation proposals which could take years to implement. It was also recognised that the two councils had been sharing a Chief Executive on a temporary basis for the past year and therefore this would regularise the appointment.
Following a request for clarification on the proposals, Members were advised that the proposal to appoint a shared Chief Executive was to be included as part of the finalisation of phase 1 with a view to approval by Council in September 2020. Further extension of shared leadership posts would be aligned to phase 2, as well as the development of a phase 2 business case to set out the business model for shared ICT and Customer Services. Therefore, it was confirmed that three separate votes could be taken on the proposals.
Decision (For: 7 Against: 3) that
1. the option of a shared Chief Executive be pursued as part of the finalisation of phase 1.
Decision (unanimous) that
2. officers develop a Phase 2 business case for the for the option of shared directors for the next meeting in October.
3. officers consider the opportunities for the sharing of ICT and Customer Services for the next meeting in October.