Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chairman for the Shared Services Joint Committee for the 2015-16 Municipal Year

It was moved and seconded that Councillor D Brown be appointed as Chairman of the Shared Services Joint Committee for the ensuing 2015/16 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor D Brown be appointed Chairman of the Shared Services Joint Committee for the ensuing 2015/16 Municipal Year.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the Shared Services Joint Committee for 2015-16 Municipal Year

It was moved and seconded that Councillor D Armstrong be appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Shared Services Joint Committee for the ensuing 2015/16 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor D Armstrong be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Shared Services Joint Committee for the ensuing 2015/16 Municipal Year.

To note the membership of the Shared Services Joint Committee for the 2015/16 Municipal Year as set out below:

Cheshire East Council

Councillor David Brown

Councillor Paul Findlow

Councillor Peter Groves

Cheshire West and Chester Council

Councillor David Armstrong

Councillor Paul Donovan

Councillor Louise Gittins

The membership of the Shared Services Joint Committee for the 2015/16 Municipal Year as set out below:

Cheshire East Council:

Councillors David Brown, J Paul Findlow and Peter Groves

Cheshire West and Chester Council:

Councillors David Armstrong, Paul Donovan and Louise Gittins

RESOLVED:

That the membership of the Shared Services Joint Committee be noted.

Apologies were received from Councillor D Armstrong.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

Councillors David Brown declared an Outside Body Interest as an appointed Member of the CoSocius Shareholder Board.

No members of the public were in attendance and no questions had been submitted prior to the meeting.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2015

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2015 be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Chief Operating Officer, Cheshire East Council and the Head of Finance, Cheshire West and Chester Council on the remaining Shared Service, including both financial and non-financial performance over the period 2014-15

The Committee considered a summary of the outturn position for the remaining Shared Services, including both financial and non-financial performance.

There had been a general improvement in terms of financial and non-financial performance over the period 2014-15.  It was reported that the financial outturn 2014-15 reported an aggregate under spend of £449K, which was an improvement on mid-year position.+ Six of the Shared Services had been rated as ‘Green’ in terms of their overall performance, with one – Occupational Health Unit, maintaining its ’Amber’ rating.  An update on all shared services as at 2014-15 was provided in the Appendices to the Report.  

Members noted that this week Cheshire East staff working for the Cheshire Archives and Local Studies Shared Services had transferred over to Cheshire West and Chester Council.  This transfer would help with the management of staff and was not a pre-determent for the location of the new Archives and Local Study centre.

RESOLVED:

That the Shared Services outturn performance for 2014-15 be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Chief Operating Officer, Cheshire East Council and the Head of Finance, Cheshire West and Chester Council on the direction of travel for the remaining shared services and the work plan for the current year

The Committee considered a report on the direction of travel for the remaining shared services and the work plan for the current year.

As at 1 April 2015, seven Shared Services remained, all of which were hosted by Cheshire West and Chester Council with the exception of the Farms Estate (Management) Shared Service which was hosted by Cheshire East Council. 

An assessment of the remaining shared services had been undertaken, which had considered the current arrangements and requirements for the future including potential options for alternative deliver.  Appendix 1 to the report provided details of the recommendations for each shared service.

Members requested an update on the alternative premises and the timeline for the Archives and Local Studies shared service.  It was also agreed that the business plans for 2015 for each shared service would be circulated to committee members.

RESOLVED:

1          That the recommendations for each of the remaining Shared Services, as set out in paragraph 11.1, Table 1, be approved.

2          The Shared Services Joint Committee Work Plan 2015-16 be noted.

To consider a report of the Head of Professional Services, Cheshire West and Chester Council on the options for the future service delivery

The Committee considered a report on the future delivery options for the Occupational Health Unit.

At the last meeting Members had been briefed on the main issues concerning the Occupational Health Unit.  Two options had been identified for future service delivery:

1.    Retaining the existing service delivery model

2.    Out-source the provision of occupational health services.

In many local authorities, the provision of occupational health was outsourced to a private provider and generally provision of in-house occupational health was confined to large county councils which had a long tradition of in-house provision. 

Initial discussions had been held with Warrington Borough Council about the possibility of jointly tendering for an external occupational health provision commencing on 1 April 2016, when their existing occupational health contact ended.

Members discussed working with Warrington Borough Council and asked about how the quality of service provided would be monitored; how Members would monitor the service; the working relationship with Warrington Borough Council, and how the procurement process would work.  

RESOLVED:

That officers work with Warrington Borough Council on a tender for the outsourcing the occupational health service in order to produce a more resilient and consistent service for employees and managers.

To consider a joint report of the Chief Operating Officer, Cheshire East Council and the Head of Finance, Cheshire West and Chester Council on the progress being made in the delivery of the Service Review programme

The Committee considered a report on the progress being made in the delivery of the CoSocius Service Review programme.

Details of the progress against each service review in Tranche 1 were detailed in the report and summary presentation. 

It was noted that the Health and Social Care review would be merged with that of the Children & Young Persons and take place during Tranche 2.  The review of Planning and Building Control would also be delayed until Tranche 2. 

It was expected that a report would be brought to the next meeting with conclusions on the preferred solutions for a number of service review areas.

Members agreed that ways of working together should be explored by both Councils.

RESOLVED:  That

1          the progress in delivery of the transactional services benchmarking review be noted.

2          the progress to date with the series of service reviews underway and the opportunities for collaboration and sharing across both Councils identified so far be noted.

3          the change in scope and associated re-phasing of delivery deadlines for two of the service review areas be approved.

The reports relating to the remaining items on the agenda have been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the matters may be determined with the press and public excluded.

The Committee may decide that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item pursuant to Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

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

To consider a joint report of the Chief Operating Officer, Cheshire East Council and the Head of Finance, Cheshire West and Chester Council

The Committee considered the joint report of the Chief Operating Officer , Cheshire East Council and the Head of Finance, Cheshire West and Chester Council on the current operating position of CoSocius.

RESOLVED:

That the recommended actions, set out in section 10.1 of the report be approved and a programme of work be established to deliver the recommended future service delivery model for current CoSocius services.