Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Shareholder Working Group on:

§  the Ansa Business Plan review

§  the ASDV review in relation to Orbitas

§  the review of the Public Interest Reports

The Sub-Committee considered the report of the Shareholder Working Group on matters considered at its meeting on 20^th December 2021. The report was presented by the Chair of the Working Group, Councillor S Carter.

The Working Group had met to consider the following matters:

§  The Ansa business plan 2022/23.

§  The ASDV review as it related to Orbitas Bereavement Services.

§  The implications of recent Public Interest Reports on the Cheshire East Group structure.

The Working Group had considered the Ansa Business Plan in terms of strategy, value for money, impact and risk, control, and service delivery and had concluded that the majority of items considered presented low risks to the Cheshire East Group. The Working Group was reassured that the financial forecast for 2022/23 aligned with the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy. The Working Group noted that no dividend was forecast for 2021/22, although if profit forecasts from commercial activity were achieved there may be a prospect for dividend payments in future.

With regard to the ASDV review, the Working Group saw a clear benefit from rebranding Orbitas to emphasise its alignment to the Council. Otherwise the working group did not recognise any compelling case for significant change at this point. However, it was recognised that the ongoing uncertainty of the review was counter-productive to the commercial development of the company. It was also clear that there were synergies between the operations of Ansa and Orbitas that could realise tangible benefits if a closer working relationship were developed.

The Working Group had received a presentation that analysed the recommendations of recent public interest reports, related to wholly-owned companies, compared to the current approach at Cheshire East. The Working Group was satisfied that the scale of financial issues identified in the public interest reports had not materialised within the Cheshire East group structure, although it was recognised that there were risks in the current arrangements. The Working Group concluded that additional analysis was required to understand the options available to further mitigate any risks. It was determined that the most appropriate approach would be to commission a report from the Monitoring Officer.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That the Sub-Committee

1.    notes the update from the Chair on the Ansa business case 2022/23 at Appendix 1 to the report: Shareholder Working Group – WOC Business Plan Review Template;

2.    notes the report of the ASDV Review Programme Board as it related to Orbitas Bereavement Services Ltd (Confidential Appendix), and:

(a)  approves the rebranding of Orbitas to enhance recognition of its role in providing Cheshire East Bereavement Services, this to take effect from 1^st April 2022;

(b)  approves that the company’s status within the Cheshire East Group remain unchanged;

(c)  approves that the Chair of the Finance Sub-Committee write to the board of Orbitas encouraging closer working with Ansa, and requesting written evidence of such within the next six months;

(d)  approves the inclusion of the Bereavement Services contract on the Procurement Pipeline Report for a period of 5 years, with an extension option for a further 3 years, at a value determined by the commissioner for bereavement services in line with the current Medium Term Financial Strategy; and

3.    agrees that an item be added to its work programme entitled ‘Review of the impact of Public Interest Reports as they relate to the Cheshire East Group Structure’, the target date for this report to be the first meeting of the Sub-Committee in the 2022/23 Financial Year.