Agenda and minutes

To receive and record any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

To receive and record any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest from any of the members present.

There were no matters the Chairman wished to report.

The Cabinet is asked to consider whether to pass a resolution excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the agenda.  If members wish to do so then this could be achieved by passing the following resolution.  Members are not required to pass the resolution but the Solicitor to the Council recommends this as to the item set out below.

That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the item headed and numbered as below because:

(a)        it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified in paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 shown against the heading in question; and

(b)        in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Item 5 – Delivering Differently – Future Service Delivery of Operational Services – Business Case for JVC

(Paragraph 3)

RESOLVED

(1)          that the press and the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items as:-

(i)         it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as specified in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Local Government Act 1972; and

(ii)        in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

(2)          an exception be made to allow officers directly affected by the proposals to remain in the meeting for consideration of this item.

The report to be considered was exempt under Paragraph 3 – Information

relating to the financial affairs or business affairs of any particular person

(including the Authority holding that information).

(This item was taken in camera).

Councillor Briggs presented an exempt report to Cabinet setting out the business case for the proposed Joint Venture Company for the future delivery of Operational Services.

During the course of the debate an assurance was given that updates on progress in taking forward recommendations (b)-(e) in the report would be provided to the authority through its existing corporate mechanisms for reporting performance and financial information.

A further assurance was given that the authority would have direct input into any future changes in service provision through its representation on the JVC Liaison Board.

At the conclusion of the debate Councillor Briggs took the opportunity to express his gratitude to all the operational services staff for their hard work and support in taking the project forward.    In turn the Chairman thanked Councillor Briggs on behalf of the Cabinet for his committed approach to ensuring that Councillors and staff had been fully consulted on the proposals throughout the process.

RECOMMENDED to full Council that the following  be approved:

(1)          the Business Case for the JVC, and authority for the Officer Negotiation Team to hold strategic discussions with representatives of Norse Commercial Services to ensure the integrity and best interests of Havant Borough Council are protected, and gets the best value from a Joint Venture Partnership with Norse Commercial Services with a start up date of 1^st April 2016;

(2)          the development of an Overheads Savings Plan, to identify where further HBC staff savings could be made following mobilisation to ensure opportunities for savings are maximised;

(3)          the development of an accommodation strategy for Southmoor Offices and implementation of initial phase;

(4)          the mobilisation of the JVC; and

(5)          development of links to other strategic objectives and opportunities.