Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor P Findlow.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal or prejudicial interest in any item on the agenda.

Minute 40 (Key Decision – Shared Services: Principles, Governance and Functions)

Minute 41 (Key Decision CE06 – School Admission Forum

Minute 42 (Key Decision – Residential and Nursing Care Contracts

Minute 43 (Key Decision – Progressing the Extra Care Strategy across Cheshire)

Minute 48 (Key Decision – Workforce Disaggregation/Aggregation

Councillors D Brickhill and P Mason declared personal interests in these items by virtue of being Members of Cheshire County Council.  In accordance with the Constitution they remained in the meeting during consideration of these items.

In accordance with Rules 11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relating to its work.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.

(Note: In order for officers to undertake any background research it would be helpful if questions were submitted at least one working day before the meeting.)

There were no public questions.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2008.

Minutes attached.

RESOLVED

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2008 were approved as a correct record.

To consider a report on shared pan-Cheshire services.

Report of the Joint Implementation Team attached.

(Councillors D Brickhill and P Mason had declared personal interests in this item.   In accordance with the Constitution they remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

Consideration was given to a report of the Joint implementation Team on shared pan-Cheshire services. It was reported that at the meeting of the Joint Liaison Committee on 1 August 2008 the recommendations now made to Cabinet had been approved.  In considering the report it was agreed that the wording of the decisions requested in 4(a) and (d) be amended to show that the arrangements would be reviewed after the first year of operation in line with the other recommendations in that part of the decision.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report and as now stated: -

That approval be given to the decision requested and that

1.      The six key principles underpinning Shared Services (section 3.4) be endorsed with an additional principle that any Inter-Authority Agreements contain clear service standards and performance management mechanisms.

2.      That of the three governance models the constitutional model be endorsed as the primary governance mechanism     for Cheshire (sections 3.5 - 3.70 and Appendix A).

3.      That agreement be given to the functions identified by officers as potential candidates for a short-term, transitional       Shared Service (Appendix C) subject to:-

a)           Item 9 School Admissions.  Given the close relationship between the School Admissions process and the management of Appeals, it is proposed that a phased approach also be adopted to disaggregating the appeals service until 31 August 2009.

b)           Appendix B Research and Intelligence: Defer a decision on the Research and intelligence service pending further investigation.

4.      That agreement be given to the functions identified by officers as potential candidates for a pan-Cheshire Shared       Service (Appendix D) subject to:

a)      Item 15: Civil Protection/Emergency Planning:  Consideration during 2009-10 of the scope for joint working with Halton, Warrington and other members of the Joint Resilience Forum: Reviewing the joint arrangements after the first year of operation.

b)      Item 16: Occupational Health: Reviewing the joint arrangements after the first year of operation.

c)      Item 17: Procurement

(i)      Strategic procurement - to receive a more detailed report at the next Joint Liaison Committee on the recommended service delivery approach for Strategic Procurement;

(ii)     Operation Procurement (Procure-to-Pay):  to be considered as part of the independent review of the shared back office (see para 2.1 (v) below); and

(iii)    CBS Supplies: consideration of CBS Supplies operating in the short-term as part of any shared back office arrangements (see para 2.1 (v) below) with a review of CBS Supplies during 2009-10 to consider the future of the service.

d)      Item 19: Youth Offending Team: Consideration during 2009-10 of the scope for joint working with the Halton and Warrington Joint YOT: Reviewing the joint arrangements after the first year of operation.

e)      Item 20: Libraries Specialist and Support Services :Reviewing the joint arrangements after the first year of operation.

f)           Item 25: County Farms: To recommend retaining this small specialised service as a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

To consider a report of the Block Lead, People.

(Councillors D Brickhill and P Mason had declared personal interests in this item.   In accordance with the Constitution they remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

Consideration was given to the report of the Block Lead (People) advising the Shadow Authority on its statutory duty and powers in relation to school admissions, and seeking key decisions in respect of admissions processes, the formulation and determination of an admissions policy, admissions forums and areas.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

1. That approval be given to the continuation from 1 April 2009 until 31 August 2009 of the pan-Cheshire delivery by the current admissions service of the process relating to admissions and appeals for the September 2009 intake (which commenced in June 2008) and relates to the current determined admissions policy and coordinated scheme. The admissions team to then be disaggregated on a phased basis from 1 September 2009, subject to both new LAs satisfying themselves that they have in place suitable staffing and systems arrangements to ensure delivery of their statutory duties.

2. That approval be given to the commencement by the County Council of the formulation of the September 2010 policy and the statutory consultation process on this, which must be completed by 1 March 09 (with determination by the statutory date of 15 April 2009).

3. That approval be given to immediate action* to set up two separate Admissions Forums to be established by Autumn 2008 in line with the proposed timetable shown at para 7.4. in order that each LA can be advised on issues and policies in relation to its local area and local schools. (*i.e. determines the constitution and membership in line with statutory requirements and approves the commencement of seeking new nominations, including nominations from existing members of the pan-Cheshire Forum).

4. That approval be given to the drawing up by the County Council of proposals in liaison with the existing admissions forum for the ‘relevant area’ (or areas), which will be subject to a 30-day consultation period prior to determination.

To consider a report on the contract for residential & nursing care for adults and older people.

Report of the Block Lead, People attached.

(Councillors D Brickhill and P Mason had declared personal interests in this item.   In accordance with the Constitution they remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

Consideration was given to the report of the Block Lead, People, regarding the management of the contract for residential and nursing care for adults and older children which was due to expire on 11 April 2009.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That agreement in principle be given to a 2 year extension to the contract for residential and nursing care for adults and older children, and that a further report be considered by the Cabinet at its meeting in September.

To consider a report on the extra care housing strategy for older people.

Report of the Block Lead, People attached.

(Councillors D Brickhill and P Mason had declared personal interests in this item.   In accordance with the Constitution they remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

Consideration was given to the report of the Block Lead (People) on the progress of the extra care housing strategy in Cheshire until 31 March 2009, and thereafter.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

1. That support be given to the development of an Inter Authority Agreement for one Authority to monitor and manage the Round 3  Private Finance Initiative Contract be agreed.

2. That support be given to the proposal to assign to the new Council the benefit of the five year Care and Support Contract awarded to Housing 21 until 2013, with each Council meeting the costs of care at the sites within its boundaries.

3. That the completion of the Round 5 Private Finance Initiative Outline Business Case, and the securing of an option on a fourth site be endorsed.

4. That agreement in principle be given to progress an Inter Authority Agreement to progress the Round 5 bid via a single authority on the basis that full details would be presented to Members at the time of the Outline Business Case submission.

5. That the work to secure ‘Preferred Providers’, with a view to the new Authorities utilising such Providers be endorsed.

6. That a Member from each of the new Authorities, with Councillor R Domleo being the representative for Cheshire East Council, accept an invitation to attend the Public Private Partnership Panel for Extra Care Housing which meets quarterly to give strategic direction to the Extra Care strategy.

To consider the nominations to the Joint Board for the Waste Treatment PFI Contract.

Report of the County Manager, Waste and Planning attached.

Consideration was given to nominations to the Joint Board for the Waste Treatment PFI Contract.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That Councillors D Brickhill, P Mason and F Keegan be nominated to the Joint Board, and that Councillor D Brown act as reserve in the event of any of them being unavailable.

To consider a report of the Interim Monitoring Officer.

Consideration was given to the joint report of the Interim Monitoring Officer and the Interim Chief Finance Officer on S24 Specific Consents issued under delegated powers since the last meeting.  It was reported that one delegated Specific Consent had been granted in respect of the sale of Edleston Road Primary School, Crewe.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That the report be noted.

To consider a report on progress made against key milestones, and highlighting the next steps for the coming months.

Report of the Policy Support Team attached.

Consideration was given to a report of the Policy Support Team on progress made against key milestones, and highlighting the next steps for the coming months.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That the report be noted.

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

The Cabinet may decide 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 on the grounds 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 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

(Paragraph 4 concerns 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.)

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 on the grounds 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 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

(Paragraph 4 concerns 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.)

To consider a report on the processes which will be followed to aggregate and disaggregate the workforce of the seven existing authorities to the two new Councils.

Report of Lead Officer, HR Group, attached.

(Councillors D Brickhill and P Mason had declared personal interests in this item.   In accordance with the Constitution they remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

Consideration was given to the report of the Lead officer, HR Group, on the processes to be followed to aggregate and disaggregate the workforce of the seven existing authorities to the two new Councils.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That the proposed approach be supported and that consideration of any further issues be delegated to the Staffing Committee.