Issue - meetings

To receive feedback from the Shareholder Working Group. The Chair of the Working Group will make an oral report at the meeting.

This item will, if possible, be considered in part 1 of the meeting. However, if the Chair of the Shareholder Working Group wishes to refer to matters which would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, it would be necessary to consider the matter in part 2.

The Sub-Committee considered the report of the Shareholder Working Group The Shareholder Working Group which had met on 24^th November 2021 to consider the Ansa Business Plan 2021-2024 and a report on wholly-owned company governance and decision-making responsibilities in light of recent public interest reports. The report was presented by the Working Group’s Chair, Councillor S Carter.

In their presentation, Ansa had referred to risk management measures, including ensuring service continuity during the critical winter operating period (mindful of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on staff), and noting their proposal to make exceptional incentive payments to their employees. In accordance with the Shareholder Agreement, this required Shareholder approval. Payments would be funded from company profits and were estimated to cost in the order of £50,000.

Councillor Carter had, at the Sub-Committee’s request, discussed with Ansa a proposal for a dividend. The company representatives undertook to discuss the matter with their Board.

It was proposed that the Shareholder Working Group would meet again to complete its review of the Ansa business plan, consider the implications of the ASDV review in relation to Orbitas, and complete the review of the public interest reports. The Working Group would then report back to the Sub-Committee’s next meeting in January under part 2 of the agenda to enable a full discussion to take place. A final decision on Orbitas would be taken by the Corporate Policy Committee.

RESOLVED

That the Sub-Committee

1.    notes the update from the Chair of the Shareholder Working Group;

2.    asks the Shareholder Working Group to meet again at its earliest convenience to:

          (a)        complete the review of the Ansa Business Plan by resolving any outstanding matters raised at the meeting of 24^th November 2021;

          (b)        review the implications of the ASDV Review as they relate to Orbitas; and

          (c)        complete the review of the Public Interest Reports to identify any implications for CEC and its Group Structure; and

and report back to the Sub-Committee at its meeting in January; and

3.    provides approval as Shareholder to Ansa making exceptional incentive payments to staff linked to performance during the critical winter operating period.