Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Leader of West Dorset District Council.

The Committee considered a report by the Leader of West Dorset District Council (WDDC) on “agreements in principle” established with Town and Parish Councils in West Dorset to take responsibility for discretionary services with a package of assets and money to facilitate the transfer in accordance with the principles for transfer of assets and services agreed by the Shadow Executive Committee on 20 July 2018. 

Three questions were submitted by Cllr Cheryl Reynolds from WDDC as follows:

Will this committee confirm its commitment to localism and the devolution of services to local councils, to protect services and deliver long-term savings? Why are we making this so complicated? We must ask ourselves, can we afford not to accept proposals that clearly benefit the communities we represent?

In response to the questions, the Leader of the Shadow Dorset Council indicated that the Shadow Council was committed to working with local councils, but that proposals had to be in line with the agreed protocol and decisions would be taken in the best interest of all councils.  Cllr Reynolds was thanked for her questions.

Cllr Alan Thacker, Portfolio holder for Community Safety and Access & Deputy Leader at WDDC, introduced the report and highlighted that this was a process which had started before Local Government Reorganisation to make more efficient provision of services and assets locally.  As part of this, meetings had been taking place with Mayors and Clerks of Town Councils over the past year.  The upfront cost and commitment was planned to come from WDDC reserves to implement proprietary work and to retain assets in the public sector.

The Interim Section 151 Officer confirmed that the value of the assets proposed to be transferred exceeded a financial threshold previously agreed by the Shadow Executive Committee.  In the light of this the Interim Monitoring Officer advised that although the item appeared within the consultation part of the agenda, the value of the proposed asset transfers meant that they should not go ahead without the support of the Shadow Executive Committee.  A proposal was tabled by Cllr Rebecca Knox, and seconded by Cllr Spencer Flower, not to support the proposed transfers.

Decision

That the proposals in relation to the transfer of assets and services considered by West Dorset District Council not be supported.