Agenda item

To consider a report by the Programme Director.

The Committee considered a report by the Programme Director which provided an overview of the Local Government Reorganisation Programme including workstream activity, continued progress in developing detailed plans, theme board activity, the first gateway review, change control arrangements, the delivery plan against the implementation phase of the programme, SWAP audit review of the programme, and convergence and transformation.  Work was also underway to address resourcing issues with the respective Section 151 Officers of sovereign councils.

Reference was made to the need for a ‘cross checking exercise’ to be undertaken, as identified in the SWAP audit report.  It was confirmed that there was a constant state of checking at this point of the programme with weekly highlight reports with risks issues and dependencies being reported to the Programme Board. 

In relation to the convergence timeline, and change control requests, clarification was provided that the position had developed since publication of the report and that it would run to the end of March 2019 instead of December 2018. It was also noted that this information would be addressed further as part of the Convergence and Transformation Task and Finish Group.

The alignment of convergence alongside the work of the Budget Working Group was raised as there was a need to validate financial savings assumptions and financial modelling for the delivery of the new council.  The Programme Director confirmed that this area of work was fast-paced and further detail would be considered by the Budget Working Group and Convergence and Transformation Task and Finish Group.

A range of clarifications and questions were raised on the individual workstream updates included within the Programme Director’s report which related to:

·         The development of the Phase 3 Transformation Plan, which had progressed since publication of the report, but further clarity about resources was required.

·         A coordinated approach to mitigate data disaggregation risk, which had moved on substantially since publication of the report.  The risk had subsequently been downgraded from red.

·         Identification of a single count venue after the Elections on 2 May 2019.  This was confirmed as Redlands Sports Centre in Weymouth on Friday 3 May 2018 (and Saturday 4 May for town and parish count). This would be more efficient than multiple count locations in terms of returning officer attendance, staffing capacity, and would be logistically easier to manage.

·         Work by CIPFA on financial analysis, which would hopefully be completed within the next couple of weeks and feedback would be provided in due course.

·         Clarification that the risk to staff pay would be minimised to all groups of employees as there was a plan to keep the existing pay systems in place pending sign off by HMRC in October 2018.

·         Clarification of the role of the theme boards which had been put in place to drive the service continuity workstreams of the programme.  Questions were also asked about the issues and risks facing the theme boards.  All status updates for the theme boards had moved on significantly since publication of the report.

·         It was confirmed that the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole programme had chosen the Mosaic social care system which was the same as the Dorset programme. 

It was generally accepted that the status updates needed to be more up to date for meetings of the Shadow Executive Committee through subsequent updates following agenda publication and/or through presentation at the meeting.

Decisions

1. That progress be noted.

2. That the Change Control Request on convergence be agreed, subject to any refinement and consequent update following consideration by the Convergence and Transformation Task and Finish Group.

3. That delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive (designate), after consultation with the Convergence and Transformation Member Task and Finish Group, to agree the structure proposals for consultation purposes.

4. That the SWAP Programme Governance Follow Up Report and the Programme Board response be noted.

Reason for Decisions

To provide assurance that the Programme was progressing properly, and change was controlled and managed.