Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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

No declarations of interest were made.

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 22 November 2019.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2019 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to the following amendment:

Present at the meeting:

Cheshire West and Chester Council officers – Phil Lloyd be amended to read Peter Lloyd.

To consider a report on progress of the Archives Project.

The Committee considered a report on the progress of the Archives Project.

Following submission of an updated development phase grant application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in May 2019, the Archives Project had been awarded a development grant of £0.545 million in September 2019.   

The development phase would formally start in January 2020 and would fund the following activities:

·       piloting of activities to engage new audiences with archives across the county;

·       the development of detailed plans for the proposed new centres in Chester and Crewe;

·       development of a detailed business plan;

·       writing of a delivery phase funding application for submission in Spring/Summer 2021.

A briefing for members from both Councils was planned for 28 May 2020, as part of a wider communications plan for the project.

RESOLVED:

That the current status of the Archives Project be noted.

To consider the mid-year position for the Shared Service arrangements between Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The Committee considered a report on the mid-year position for the Shared Services arrangements between Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The report provided a summary of the Shared Services mid-year performance, with Appendix 1 providing a more detailed overview of the performance and business activity for each shared service.  Appendix 2 set out the collated performance indicators for all shared services.

The revised approach to the performance management of existing shared services was supported which included a review of proposed business plans, mid-year monitoring and an end of year review and outturn information. 

The Committee agreed that it would find it useful to take a more detailed look at each individual shared services at future meetings.

RESOLVED: That the Committee

1        approve the new approach to performance management reporting;  and

2        note the Shared Services mid-year performance for 2019-20.

To consider a report on the latest position with regard to implementation of the replacement HR and Finance system for the Councils and their partners.

The Committee considered a report on the latest position with the implementation of the replacement HR and Finance system for the Councils and their partners.

Since the approval by both Councils’ Cabinets in late 2019 that the Best4Business Programme was to be delivered in phases, further work had been undertaken to develop a detailed programme plan, in conjunction with Agilisys, which would confirm the target go live dates for each phase of the implementation.   It was expected that the Plan would be available for review and approval by early February 2020.

Draft Head of Terms had been shared between the Councils and Agilisys.  The programme was currently targeting the end of January 2020 for conclusion of the commercial negotiations and the presentation of revised contractual arrangements for approval by both Councils. It was expected that a report would be brought to the Shared Services Joint Committee in March 2020 setting out the finalised commercial settlement with Agilisys. 

Further update reports on the implementation of Best4Business would be brought to the Shared Services Joint Committee and the Scrutiny Committees of both Councils.

RESOLVED:  That the Committee

1        note continuing programme activity to deliver the recommendations supported by the Committee in November 2019 and agreed by both Council’s Cabinet in late 2019; and

2        note the anticipated timescales for completion of commercial negotiations with supplier Agilisys.