To consider a report by the Programme Director.
Minutes:
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.
Supporting documents: