Agenda and draft minutes

Shared Services Joint Committee - Wednesday, 4th December 2024 6.00 pm

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Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Chorley

Contact: Coral Astbury, Democratic and Member Services Officer  Email: coral.astbury@chorley.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

8.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Aniela Bylinski Gelder, Margaret Smith and Ian Watkinson.

 

Councillors Jacky Alty and Damian Bretherton attended as as substitutes.

9.

Declarations of Any Interests

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

 

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

10.

Minutes of meeting Wednesday, 12 June 2024 of Shared Services Joint Committee pdf icon PDF 159 KB

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held Wednesday, 12 June 2024.

Minutes:

Resolved: (Unanimously)

 

That the minutes of the last meeting held Wednesday, 12 June 2024 be agreed as a correct record for signing by the Chair.

11.

Shared Services Monitoring Report pdf icon PDF 170 KB

To receive and consider the report of the Chief Executive.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of People, Partnerships and Policy presented a report that provided an update on the shared services arrangement between Chorley Council and South Ribble Borough Council.

 

The Head of People, Partnerships and Policy advised members of key highlights such as, terms and conditions are near full implementation, significant improvements around digital services and customer service processes and succession planning with the recent appointment of Director of Finance.

 

Members noted that the report tried to demonstrate additional benefits beyond monetary and that Shared Services enabled both authorities to have smaller teams but still invest in specialist roles.

 

The Head of People, Policy and Partnerships agreed to title the first graph, “staff turnover”.

 

In response to a member enquiry, the Director of Planning and Property confirmed that Civica Property Management was working well, and extra staff resource had been used to fill the database. There are a series of modules to implement, but it was hoped that electrical and gas safety certificates would be added.

 

Members asked if it was possible to make it clear to residents that it didn’t matter which call centre answered their call. The Chief Executive explained that it was part of the Shared Customer Service model that Officers would pick up calls from both authorities, however it should be clear when the call is taken, which area they are calling from. The Chief Executive advised that he would investigate this issue further.

 

In response to a question regarding South Ribble Museum, the Chief Executive confirmed that progress was continuing to be made, however new issues were being found which required a specialist to resolve.

 

The Head of People, Policy and Partnerships confirmed that staff turnover figures in comparison to neighbouring authorities could be provided.

 

Members agreed that an additional meeting should be held in Spring to explore additional future shared opportunities, including Economic Growth.

 

Resolved: (Unanimously)

 

That members note the update on current progress and consider potential opportunities for future sharing.

 

12.

Exclusion of Press and Public

To consider the exclusion of the press and public for the following items of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

 

By Virtue of Paragraph 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.

 

Condition:

Information is exempt to the extent that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

Information is not exempt if it relates to proposed development for which the local planning authority may grant itself planning permission pursuant to Regulation 3 of the Town & Country Planning General Regulations 1992(a).

 

 

Minutes:

Resolved: (Unanimously)

 

That the press and public be excluded from the following items of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in  Paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

13.

Proposed Shared Compliance Team

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Planning and Property.

Minutes:

The Director of Planning and Property presented a confidential report that sought agreement for a new shared Compliance Team between South Ribble Borough Council (SRBC) and Chorley Borough Council (CBC).

 

Members noted existing team structures, and the restrictions placed upon the teams, and explored the benefits of moving to a shared team in terms of resilience and increased capacity and knowledge sharing.

 

Resolved: (Unanimously)

 

1.    To agree that officers can consider a shared service between the two councils tasked to carry out the monitoring and collection of monies from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Planning Obligations and the Planning Enforcement/Compliance functions from both councils.

2.    To agree that the proposed service review will follow the established Change process which has been successfully implemented across both Councils in recent years.

 

 

14.

Rationale on Shared Economic Growth

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Change and Delivery (to follow).

Minutes:

This item was withdrawn.

15.

Any urgent business previously agreed with the Chair

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.