Agenda and minutes

(Where a Councillor has a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest the Councillor must declare the interest and leave the meeting without participating in any discussion or making a statement on the item, except where a Councillor is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of dispensation.)

There were none.

To set out the recommendations from Stage One of the Review of the future of the Integrated Shared Management Structure and Joint Working Arrangements between Breckland and South Holland District Councils (report of the Head of Paid Service and Strategic Advisor enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Paid Service and Strategic Advisor, which set out recommendations from Stage One of the Review of the future of the Integrated Shared Management Structure and Joint Working Arrangements between Breckland and South Holland District Councils.

At a meeting of the Joint Strategy Board on 11 January 2021, recommendations 1 – 3 within the report had been endorsed.  The Cabinets at both authorities had met (South Holland District Council on 26 January 2021 and Breckland Council on 1 February 2021) and recommendations 1-4 within the report had been supported.  Finally, the Joint Performance Monitoring Panel and Policy Development Panel at South Holland District Council, and the Overview and Scrutiny Commission at Breckland Council had both met separately on 9 February 2021, and recommendations 1-4 within the report had been supported.

Additional recommendations (5-9 within the report) had been identified and included within the report, following observations and comments from the Cabinet and scrutiny meetings, and following on-going governance arrangements of the Review Programme.

The following points were raised:

·         The Leader wished to re-iterate the fact that there were no negative reasons for the ending of the relationship between the two authorities.  As explained at previous meetings, the reasons were – 1) A return to place-based working – the difficulties of shared working across two separate counties had been highlighted by the Covid pandemic; 2) Local Government reorganisation; and 3) the recent retirement of the Joint Chief Executive.

·         The Chairman of the Performance Monitoring Panel confirmed that the proposals had been considered by a number of different committees, and there had been plenty of opportunity for a thorough debate.  The reasons for, and the process of separation had been made clear, and scrutiny had been satisfied with the explanations and processes.

DECISION:

Recommendations from Cabinet to Full Council:

1)    That the preferred option for the future of the integrated shared management structure and joint working arrangements between the two Councils, as set out in paragraph 1.9 of the report, be approved;

2)    That clause 8 of the Memorandum of Agreement between Breckland District Council and South Holland District Council be activated, and that any extension or shortening of the timeframe set out in clause 8.6A be authorised, by mutual agreement between the two parties, so far as may be considered appropriate by the Leaders, following consultation with their respective Cabinets;

3)    That the interim structures to support and enable the achievement of the preferred option for both Councils be approved for consultation;

4)    That subject to there being no material changes to the senior management structure following consultation with officers, delegated authority be given to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the Leader to implement the said structure.

Further recommendations to Full Council in support of above recommendations:

5)    That in respect of any Chief Officer or Deputy Chief Officer post that remains to be filled following the introduction of the new structure at appendices 3 and 4, South Holland  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81.