A discussion between the
committee and Matt Prosser (Interim Head of Paid Service), Jason Vaughan
(Interim Chief Finance Officer) and Keith Cheesman
(LGR Programme Director) with the purpose of providing an overview of the
Shadow Dorset Council programme. The key
lines of enquiry are included within the agenda.
Minutes:
The Chairman welcomed Matt
Prosser (Interim Head of Paid Service), Jason Vaughan (Interim Chief Finance
Officer) and Keith Cheesman (Shaping Dorset Councils
Programme Director). The purpose of the
session was to provide an overview of the Shaping Dorset Councils Programme
including the Shadow Dorset Council arrangements and allow a discussion based
on the key lines of enquiry which had been included within the agenda.
The Interim Head of Paid
Service provided information to address each point:
1. How will you
ensure that the new vision and culture for the council, as set out in the
submission to the Secretary of State, will be achieved?
Information was provided in
respect of the role of the Interim Head of Paid Service and the work of the
Shadow Executive Committee. A set of
Design Principles had been established and these were available for members
comments before they were further considered at the Shadow Executive Committee.
Details
of the different phases of work being undertaken were provided. The first phase had been to establish design
principles for the Shadow Executive Committee to focus on. The next phase would be to put an operating
model together which would be considered by the Shadow Executive Committee in
October. Shadow Council would consider
the appointment of the Chief Executive for the unitary council who would drive
the work forward. Areas to be determined
included consideration of the standards the council wanted to achieve and how
performance would be measured. These
could not be determined until the necessary structures were put in place. A Corporate Plan would be produced for the
unitary council and there could be monthly reporting on performance.
2.
What is being done to
ensure that proactive communication, consultation and engagement is in place
with key stakeholders (public, partners, voluntary/third sector and staff)?
A
variety of communication methods were in place for staff and members (including
monthly member briefings). Other work
undertaken or to be done included the creation of a calendar of events, a new
internet site, interim branding protocol, vision identity work including
developing the new logo and a newsletter for stakeholders. The Shadow Executive Committee would be
considering the Shaping Dorset Council Communications and Engagement Plan at
their next meeting.
3.
What is the process to
identify and assess risk and how are these monitored and, where necessary,
escalated to support informed decision making?
For example, what is the mechanism for ensuring business continuity?
The
Dorset Area Joint Committee had established a risk management framework and
each work stream had identified risks which were reported on, on a regular
basis. Senior Management had an
oversight of business continuity as six councils were integrated into one. Reference was made to issues around the
recruitment and retention of staff during this period.
Reference
was made to the previous experience when West Dorset District Council and
Weymouth and Portland Borough Council came together into partnership. In response it was noted that the change
programme created risks and that these were monitored by the Programme
Board. High level risks were reported to
the Shadow Executive Committee and this had included an informal session for the
committee where members were able to look in detail at the areas covered. The experience and knowledge from previous
partnership formation had been captured and analysed and included a lot of
learning from across Dorset. The Interim
Head of Paid Service was accountable for the programme until the permanent
Chief Executive for the unitary council was appointed.
The
important role of internal auditors was referred to and assurance work was
being undertaken by the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP) on a regular basis.
4.
What is the mechanism for
ensuring consistency in the transfer of assets and liabilities?
The
transfer of assets had been part of the Disaggregation Workstream. This work was mainly complete and moving into
the delivery phase.
Reference
was made to the ability to get information required and the impact that this
could have on the setting of the budget and this was linked to the risks around
recruitment and retention of officers including senior positions.
Internal
auditors reviewed risk information on a monthly basis and information would be
considered by the Shadow Executive Committee.
5.
How long did Cornwall and
Wiltshire have to prepare and what are we doing to liaise with them to
understand and capture the key risks and lessons learned from their own
experiences?
Information
was provided on the situations with Cornwall and Wiltshire. The Interim Head of Paid Service noted that a
meeting had been held with the Chief Executive and Assistant Chief Executive of
Cornwall Council to gain their experiences after a period of time. Some of the issues that the council faced
were highlighted and lessons learned including where early work to converge
processes would have been useful, for example in elections. The Wiltshire Structural Change Order had
been used as a basis for the Dorset Structural Change Order but had been
amended. Some work was being undertaken
in Dorset to produce a template for others to use in the future.
6.
We gather that a peer review
of the programme between now and vesting day is being commissioned. Could you tell us more?
The
South West Audit Partnership had been asked to undertake assurance work on
behalf of the Shaping Dorset Council Programme Board and this would be considered
by the Shadow Executive Committee at the meeting in August. The report would be available within the
agenda in advance of the meeting and Shadow Dorset members including members of
this committee could attend the meeting and provide comments. In response to a member request, the Interim
Head of Paid Service noted that this report could also be brought to the Shadow
Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the next meeting.
In
response to a question, the Interim Chief Finance Officer noted that spending
on the transformation programme was monitored on a monthly basis.
A
point was raised that the meeting of the Shadow Overview and Scrutiny Committee
was the day after the Shadow Executive Committee meeting. The Interim Head of Paid Service noted that
the formal cycle of Shadow committee meetings would start in September where
the Shadow Overview and Scrutiny Committee would meet before the Shadow
Executive Committee.
7.
In your view what are the
key milestones that have to be met if the vesting day target is to be met and
what therefore are the key dates. What
ability do we have to say that “we are not ready” and request a
postponement? What are the top
priorities before the end of September?
Details
of the key milestones were provided to the committee which included work around
the Human Resources (HR) and TUPE processes with a list of staffing and where
posts would be going, to be produced by the end of September, pay and grading
work, ICT work including a single domain name which had already been agreed, creation
of a global address list by the end of September and public Wi-Fi in place from
December. The Interim Head of Paid
Service did not believe that there was the ability to postpone the creation of
the new council. Work was progressing on
the creation of a safe and legal council on 1 April 2019. A discussion was to be held with the
Department for Communities and Local Government to discuss progress.
Work
had not started in respect of accommodation for the new council and there would
be limited change by 1 April 2019. In
the interim period, South Walks House in Dorchester provided the home for the
Shadow Dorset Council for the purpose of having an address for setting up a
bank account etc.
A
concern was expressed with regard to the potential loss of staff and the
knowledge and experience that they would take with them. Particular reference was made to the S151
officers in each council. It was
recognised that not all officers could be retained but that work was being
undertaken with HR specialists to put the best processes in place to ensure
service continuity and that employees were treated in the right way.
In
respect of considerations by existing district and borough councils in respect
of their assets, the Interim Chief Finance Officer could provide advice. There was no wish to prevent councils from
operating their business but there was a need to consider any potential impact
of their decisions on the new council.
The
ambition for day 1 was to have a safe and legal council with a Chief Executive
and second tier structures in place, a single email domain, telephony and no
noticeable changes in services. The
Shadow Council would remain in place until four days after the elections in May
2019 in order to take necessary decisions.
The
current situation with the use of interim officers was considered. There was a need to consider the use of
interim staff in areas where there were vacancies.
8.
What is the experience to
date with task and finish groups? Will
some be rebooted, in particular the local decision making one?
Various
task and finish groups had originally been established by the Dorset Area Joint
Committee and these were currently being reviewed in consultation with the
Leader and Deputy Leader of the Shadow Council.
The Governance Task and Finish Group had recently looked at the groups
that had been paused and had reallocated their work to other task and finish
groups. A point was made that some
disquiet had been expressed that meetings had been cancelled or had reached no
conclusion. In response it was noted
that there was a need to ensure that sovereign councils were committed to
provide information in a timely manner.
The
issue of local decision making had been incorporated into the Governance Task
and Finish Group and a point was made that the role of parish councils needed
to be recognised.
In
response to a question, it was reported that the conversation around area based
decision making was ongoing.
9.
What was the process for
the recruitment of the Interim posts? On
reflection was this the right process and how would this influence the process
for the recruitment of permanent positions in the new council?
The
process for the appointment of the Interim posts was set out and had been led
by the Leaders of the six councils with input from South West Councils. The procedure for the appointment of the
permanent Chief Executive was also set out which included independent HR and
recruitment advice. A decision to
appoint a permanent Chief Executive would be taken by the Shadow Council at the
meeting on 27 September 2018.
Councillor
B Trite addressed the committee to raise concern with regard to the process
used for the selection of the Interim posts.
Due to the nature of the comments being made it was proposed by C Brooks
seconded by T Jones
Decision
That
under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and the
public be excluded from the meeting for the following discussion on the grounds
that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as detailed in
paragraph 1 of part 1 of schedule 12a to the Act.
The
Interim Head of Paid Service and Interim Chief Finance Officer left the room.
Councillor
Trite provided his comments in respect of the process used for the selection of
the Interim posts and members discussed the issues arising.
Following
discussion it was proposed by T Jones seconded by C Brooks
Decision
That
an item be included on the agenda for the next meeting of the committee to
consider the process for the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive for the
unitary authority and that the Chairman and Vice-chairman of the appointments
panel and relevant external advisors be invited to the meeting.
It
was proposed by T Jones seconded by C Brooks
Decision
That
the committee return to open business.
10. Most meetings of the Shadow Executive are held in public, but some are
not, why is this?
It
was noted that some informal meetings of the Shadow Executive would be held and
that these may be opened up to others depending on the discussion to be
held. Some concern was expressed with
regard to this and it was felt that there was a need for some clarity in
respect of this.
Supporting documents: