Apologies were received from Councillor Eddie Reeves, with Councillor Jane Murphy attending as substitute.

Apologies were received from Councillor Ian Middleton, with no substitute appointed.

There were no declarations of interest.

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection. 

To facilitate ‘hybrid’ meetings we are asking that requests to speak are submitted by no later than 9am four working days before the meeting i.e. 9am on Tuesday 19 April 2022.  Requests to speak should be sent to natasha.clark@oxfordshire.gov.uk

If you are speaking ‘virtually’, you may submit a written statement of your presentation to ensure that if the technology fails, then your views can still be taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9am 2 working days before the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

There were no petitions or public addresses.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2022.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 14 March 2022 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair, subject to the following amendment:

Minute 14/22: Penultimate paragraph, replace “two” with “three”

Please note this report will follow

The Chief Executive (Cherwell District Council) and the Interim Chief Executive (Oxfordshire County Council) submitted a report which, in-line with the decision in February 2022, of both Councils to give notice to terminate the current s.113 partnerships between the Councils and the subsequent direction of travel for future working endorsed by the JSS&P Committee on 14 March, set out recommendations for future working arrangements for the six services now within Phase 1 of the transition programme approved by the Committee. 

Should it be necessary to consider exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs of Part 1 of schedule 12A Local Government Act 1972 in relation to agenda item 5.

1 - Information relating to any individual.

2 – Information which is likely to reveal the identity of any individual

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

4 – 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.

Members are reminded that whilst the following items have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them in private or in public. In making the decision, Members should balance the interests of individuals or the Councils in having access to the information. In considering their discretion Members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to consider the matter and make a decision in public, they are recommended to pass the following recommendation:

“That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Resolved

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

The Programme Director presented exempt Annex B, which set out a summary of the proposal for each of the following service areas brought forward by the JOTWG following the due diligence and service review process: Internal audit; Counter Fraud Service; Climate Action Team; Corporate Health and Safety; Policy and Strategy; and, Healthy Place Shaping.  

In relation to Internal Audit and the Counter Fraud Service, it was recommended that revised partnership working arrangements be established for the two services areas.

In relation to Climate Action, it was recommended that the partnership working arrangements through the current s.113 Agreement be decoupled and a revised partnership working arrangement be established.

Following the services reviews, the Committee was recommended to support the decoupling of partnership working arrangements managed through the current s.113 agreement in Corporate Health and Safety, Policy and Strategy Healthy Place Shaping.

The presentation included an overview of the exempt staffing and financial aspects in relation to each service review. The Committee was advised that no specific posts were put at direct risk through the recommendations.

In response to Members’ questions, the OCC Director of Finance and CDC Assistant Director of Finance explained that there had been minor changes to the baseline figures but the overall financial implications would not be known until all service reviews had been completed.

The Committee noted the exempt aspects of the report and presentation and endorsed the proposal for each service area.

Resolved

That the press and public be readmitted to the meeting.

There being no further discussion on the report, the Committee unanimously agreed all recommendations.

Resolved

(1)           That the programme update be noted.

(2)           That the establishment of revised partnership working arrangements for the following services, as set out in the exempt annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book), subject to the conclusion of suitable agreements between the Councils be agreed:

·       Internal Audit

·       Counter-Fraud

(3)           That the decoupling of the partnership working arrangements managed through the current s.113 agreement and establishment of a revised partnership working arrangement for the following services, as set out in the exempt annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book), subject to the conclusion of suitable agreements between the Councils:

·       Climate Action

(4)           That the completion of such agreements and any actions necessary to establish the revised partnership arrangements in relation to the services identified in resolutions (2) and (3) be delegated to the Assistant Director Law and Governance (CDC) and the Director of Law and Governance (OCC), in consultation with the Leaders of each Council.

(5)           That the decoupling of partnership working arrangements managed through the current s.113 agreement as set out in the exempt annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book), in the following services be supported:

·       Corporate Health and Safety

·       Policy and Strategy

·       Healthy Place Shaping

(6)           That the final arrangements and actions necessary for transition in the services identified in resolution (5) be delegated to the Chief Executive (CDC) and Interim Chief Executive (OCC) working through the Joint Officer Transition Working Group (JOTWG).