Agenda item

To consider a report by the Programme Director.

The Committee considered a report by the Programme Director on the outline Implementation ‘Shaping Dorset Council Plan’ for Dorset Council as required by the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (Structural Changes) Order 2018 which came into force on 26 May 2018. The Plan was considered and agreed by the first meeting of the Shadow Dorset Council on 7 June 2018 and the Committee was asked to consider the reporting intervals and mechanism to ensure appropriate monitoring, accountability and transparency.  The Programme Director introduced the Implementation Plan and explained that it was under continual review given the ongoing workshops being held to continue to develop the Plan. It was anticipated that the final version would comprise of smaller plans which would collectively form the full Implementation Plan.  The Plan would be considered by the Committee at its meeting on 21 August 2018, but reporting intervals would mean that the progress would be routinely reported to all meetings of the Committee.  Detail would also be shared with members outside of formal meetings.  The following updates were also shared at the meeting:

·         Appointment of interim statutory officers had been completed

·         Phase 2 workstream sponsor for finance had been passed to the Interim Section 151 Officer

·         The Workstream on Customer and Services would now be sponsored by Matt Prosser as the Interim Head of Paid Service

·         The Boundary Commission had now been engaged in respect of the Boundary Review (formerly led by MHCLG)

Members commented on feedback received at the first Shadow Dorset Council meeting in relation to the need to ensure consistent communications and engagement with members, town and parish councils and the public.  The need to ensure high quality and consistent communications was a high priority and it was confirmed that resource had been increased in this area and additional officers were joining the Programme team.  There was also a need to ensure that the information being shared included topics that residents would want to know about so that members could pass it on.  Cllr Graham Carr-Jones, as the lead member of the Wider Member Engagement Task and Finish Group indicated that there was also a responsibility upon members to engage with the process as there had been limited feedback from members to regular briefings. 

A question was asked in relation to a contract and supplier as part of Phase 3 of the programme which was clarified that it related to the use of a facilitator and development of the vision for Dorset Council and the operating model.  It also included the arrangements to work through the visioning and operating model which may not be the same organisation and was still to be determined.  Arrangements would be circulated to the Committee in the next 3-4 weeks.

The disaggregation work, although appearing in the Plan to be coming to an end, required integration into the other workstreams and embed into phases 2, 3 and 4 of the Programme.  There was also a suggestion that it would be good to look at providing the Implementation Plan in a simple way that would enable information to easily be lifted and dropped into updates for partners, towns and parish councils, and the public as a narrative about services.  This could also be usefully used by local members when engaging with their communities.

It was noted that the first meeting of the Shadow Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled for 20 June 2018 and that it would determine its own work programme which would identify key areas to ensure delivery of Dorset Council.  Members discussed representation at the scrutiny meetings by members of the Shadow Executive Committee, to which the Leader confirmed that she would attend the first meeting to provide any clarification and overview as needed.  It was suggested that monitoring of the agenda for the Shadow Overview and Scrutiny Committee would need to take place to ensure the right people would attend meetings.  It was also clarified that the latest guidance from the Centre for Public Scrutiny suggested that executive members should not routinely attend scrutiny meetings due to the influence they may have.  It was also possible for Shadow Overview and Scrutiny Committee members to attend and observe the Shadow Executive Committee.  The Leader indicated that she would speak with the Chairman of the Shadow Overview and Scrutiny Committee to see how it would wish to operate.

Decisions

1. That the Shadow Dorset Council’s decisions on 7 June 2018 to:

a) Adopt this plan and note that further iterations and updates on progress against this plan will be brought forward and overseen through the Shadow Executive Committee arrangements.; and,

b) Approve the proposed Implementation Team.

be supported.

2. That the Plan’s routine reporting at all meetings of the Shadow Executive Committee be approved.