Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Sean Woodcock, with no substitute appointed.

There were no declarations of interest.

It was proposed by Councillor Leffman and seconded by Councillor Wood that Councillor Corkin be appointed Chair of the Joint Shared Services and Personnel Committee for the municipal year 2022/2023.

There were no further nominations.

Resolved

That Councillor Ian Corkin be appointed Chair of the Joint Shared Services and Personnel Committee for the municipal year 2022/2023.

It was proposed by Councillor Wood and seconded by Councillor Leffman that Councillor Liz Brighouse OBE be appointed Vice-Chair of the Joint Shared Services and Personnel Committee for the municipal year 2021/2022.

There were no further nominations.

Resolved

That Councillor Liz Brighouse OBE be appointed Vice-Chair of the Joint Shared Services and Personnel Committee for the municipal year 2022/2023.

(As Councillor Corkin had joined the meeting virtually due to covid isolation, Councillor Brighouse OBE chaired the meeting)

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 25 April 2022.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 25 April 2022 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection. In line with current Government advice, those attending the meeting in person are asked to consider wearing a face-covering.

Normally requests to speak at this public meeting are required by 9 am on the day preceding the published date of the meeting. However, during the current situation and 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. 9 am on Tuesday 17 May 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 9 am 2 working days before the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

There were no petitions or public addresses.

Please note this report will follow

The Chief Executive (Cherwell District Council, CDC) and the Interim Chief Executive (Oxfordshire County Council, OCC) 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 nine services now within Phase 2 of the transition programme approved by the Committee. 

In introducing the report, the CDC Interim Corporate Director – Communities explained that it was anticipated that JSS&Pdecision making would be complete at the JSS&Pmeeting scheduled for 4 July 2022. The decisions taken in relation to services in Phase 1 were being implemented under delegations to the respective CDC and OCC Chief Executives. Phase 2 was being presented to this meeting and Phase 3 service areas would be presented to the 4 July meeting.

The CDC Interim Corporate Director – Communities advised JSS&Pthat further work was required on four service areas that had been in Phase 2: Customer Services; Continuous Improvement; Land Charges; and, Property, Investment and Facilities Management. As previously reported to JSSP, a further review of these service areas was needed to reach a direction of travel conclusion. Since that time, and following the decisions related to Phase 1 service areas, a clearer understanding of emerging priorities and further refinement of CDC’s target operating model has been achieved and therefore the conclusion of CDC is to decouple these services from the strategic partnership.

In response to Members’ questions seeking clarification on the costs for each council, the CDC Assistant Director of Finance explained that the report set out the current baseline figures in the current budget position and were not additional costs. An update on baseline figures would be provided at the next JSS&Pmeeting.

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 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.

To consider any exempt matters arising from the report  

The CDC Interim Corporate Director – Communities 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: Legal Services; Democratic Services; Information Governance; FOI; Performance & Insight; Corporate Programmes; Strategic Marketing; Communications; and Consultation and Engagement;

In relation to Legal Services, the Committee was advised that the decision to decouple had already been implemented within the service.

In relation to Democratic Services, Information Governance, FOI’s, Performance and Insight, Corporate Programmes and Communications, it was recommended that the services be decoupled with a separate provision of services by each council.

In relation to Marketing, it was recommended that the partnership working arrangements through the current s.113 Agreement be decoupled, and OCC would provide a pay-as-you-go marketing, design, and video services to CDC.

In relation to Consultation and Engagement, it was recommended that the partnership working arrangements through the current s.113 Agreement be decoupled, and an SLA be established for support to CDC. 

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 regarding liability for statutory responsibilities if services were provided by another authority, the CDC interim Assistant Director Law, Governance and Democratic Services and OCC Director of Law and Governance explained that statutory responsibilities cannot be discharged to another authority so it would remain with the responsible authority with delivery through an SLA. SLAs would be service specific and include indemnities, quality/performance KPIs, risk and cost. 

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

The Committee to resolve to readmit the press and public to the meeting

Resolved

That the press and public be readmitted to the meeting.

Following the readmittance of the press and public, any further discussion and to vote on the recommendations

On behalf of JSS&P the CDC Leader, Councillor Wood, and OCC Leader, Councillor Leffman thanked officers for their hard work in ensuring that the decoupling was a straightforward process. Elected Members and residents should take confidence that the process had been a well-managed piece of work with no change to service delivery by CDC or OCC.

The Chair endorsed the comments of the Leaders and added her thanks to officers and explained that whilst there was an end date for the decoupling of the formal partnership arrangements, partnership working between the county and district would continue.

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 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:

·         Strategic Marketing

·         Consultation and Engagement

(3)          That the completion of such agreements and any actions necessary to establish the revised partnership arrangements 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.

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

·         Legal Services

·         Democratic Services

·         Information Governance

·         FOI’s

·         Performance and Insight

·         Corporate Programmes

·         Communications

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

(6)          That the revised direction of travel for Customer Services, Continuous Improvement, and Land Charges and for Property, Investment and Facilities Management be approved.