Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chairman for the Shared Services Joint Committee for the 2016-17 Municipal Year

Councillor Louise Gittins moved, duly seconded by Councillor Paul Donovan that Councillor David Armstrong be appointed as Chairman of the Shared Services Joint Committee for the ensuing 2016/2017 Municipal Year.

DECIDED:

That Councillor David Armstrong be appointed as Chairman of the Shared Services Joint Committee for the ensuing 2016/2017 Municipal Year.

Councillor David Armstrong in the Chair

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the Shared Services Joint Committee for the 2016-17 Municipal Year

Councillor Paul Findlow moved, duly seconded by Councillor Peter Groves, that Councillor David Brown be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the ensuing 2016/2017 Municipal Year.

DECIDED:

That Councillor David Brown be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the ensuing 2016/2017 Municipal Year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors David Brown and Paul Bates.

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

Members did not declare any interests.

There were no members of the public present, and no questions had been submitted in advance.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2016

DECIDED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2016 be approved.

To consider a report on the outturn position for the Shared Service arrangements between Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council

The Committee considered the joint report of the Chief Operating Officer (Cheshire East) and the Director of Finance (Cheshire West and Chester) which set out a summary of the outturn position for the Shared Service arrangements. It included both indicative financial and non-financial performance over the period 2015-2016. Copies of the detailed Business Plan for 2016 – 2020 were tabled and discussed, along with the current Business Plans for 2013 – 2016.

DECIDED:

That the Shared Services outturn performance for 2015 – 2016 be noted, and

the Shared Service Business Plans for 2016 onwards be noted.

To consider a report on the outsourcing of the Occupational Health Unit

Members considered the report of the Director of Professional Services (Cheshire West and Chester Council) which provided a summary of the difficulties encountered over the past two years, and how they were being addressed.

The bidding process was outlined, and Members were informed that following a very successful “Meet the Buyer” event, where 15 organisations sent representatives, only three submitted bids, which demonstrated the challenging budgetary situation faced by providers. One bidder subsequently withdrew, leaving Bidders B and C.

Members discussed the bids and it was confirmed that Warrington Borough Council remained committed to being part of the procurement, and the inability to be part of the process from the start was purely due to the timing of terminating the existing contract, which had been temporarily extended.

DECIDED:

That the recommendation to appoint Bidder B as the occupational health provider for the two Council’s from 1 September 2016 to 31 August 2019, with the option to extend for a further two years until 2021 be endorsed.

To consider a report on the transfer of ICT and Transactional Shared Services

The Committee considered the joint report of the Chief Operating Officer (Cheshire East) and the Director of Finance (Cheshire West and Chester) which provided a summary of the final stages of the transfer project, following the decision taken on 18 March 2016 to enter into new arrangements for the delivery of ICT Shared and Transactional Shared Services.

Members were informed that the Target Operating Model was being developed further, and they welcomed the progress update and lessons learned.

DECIDED: That

1          the formal close down of Phase 1: Transfer of Services provided by CoSocius Limited to New Shared Arrangements be endorsed;

2          the revised governance arrangements for Shared Services as provided in the Appendix to the report be noted;

3          the summary of lessons learned from the CoSocius project as outlined in Section 6 of the report be noted; and

4          the plans for Phase 2 of the implementation programme as outlined in Section 7 of the report be noted.

To consider a report on the progress being made in the delivery of the Service Review programme 

Members considered the report which provided an update since the last meeting of the Committee, and set out future planned development which would be reported in July. The Services Review programme continued to be delivered alongside the wider transformational work being undertaken within ICT Shared Services, which was set out in paragraph 6.3 of the report.

DECIDED: That

1          the continued progress to date with the series of services reviews underway be noted, and the opportunities for collaboration and sharing across both Councils identified so far also be noted; and

2          the change in title from “CoSocius Services Reviews” to “Business Solutions Programme” be endorsed.

To consider a report on the progress being made in the development of a business case in relation to the future provision of the Councils’ core HR and Finance system

Members were updated on the progress being made in the development of a business case in relation to the future provision of the Councils’ core HR and Finance System, following approval of a previous outline business case in January 2016.

The goal of the business case was to utilise technology to bring the Councils up to date with the latest solutions available in the market place today, and where possible, replicate the revolution in the domestic IT market in terms of ease of use and flexibility of deployment across a range of different services.

DECIDED: That

1          the work of the ERP Programme since the previous ERP Outline Business Case was approved in January 2015 be endorsed;

2          the Programme Vision developed in support of the programme of work be approved;

3          the positive opportunities identified to date to deliver significant financial savings to both Councils through the implementation of a replacement HR and Finance system and processes be noted;

4          the request to initiate a joint procurement exercise, for the purpose of refining and confirming the business case and in advance of a formal decision to procure a replacement solution be endorsed;

5          appropriate support to the Cabinet decision making process in both Councils be provided to formally endorse and approve the request, and the necessary funding and resources to deliver this activity;

6          a Member/officer ERP Steering Group be formed, with the objective of co-ordinating, directing and providing oversight to the Joint ERP Programme.