Agenda and minutes

Venue: Room B026 - Public Service Plaza. View directions

Contact: Jack Caine and Tristan Fieldsend  Democratic Services

Items
No. Item

10.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for the meeting were received from Cllrs Heard and Ponsonby.

11.

Declarations of Interests

Minutes:

There were none.

12.

Chairman's Report

Minutes:

Cllr Branson reminded the board that if any member wished to join the meeting for debate, they could be invited to join for individual items or the full meetings. Members were also reminded that any member of any panel could act as standing deputies to meetings, so long as political proportionality was maintained.

13.

Operational Services pdf icon PDF 47 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Environmental Services Scrutiny and Policy Development Panel was invited to address the board and present the findings and provide a verbal update on the work and research completed.

 

The panel had undertaken a detailed scrutiny on the proposal with Norse and endorsed the proposal to Cabinet.

 

The Chairman invited Peter Vince (Operational Services Manager), Steve Perkins (Executive Head Environmental Services) and the Cabinet Leads for Marketing and Development and Environmental Services to join the panel and answer questions from the board.

 

Members raised concerns over:

·         Estimated savings

·         Pension contributions

·         Corporate strategy

·         Due diligence costs

·         Union involvement

The board were informed that the savings to the Council budget were estimated at 11%, whilst maintaining or improving service levels. These savings fell in line with the Council’s Corporate Strategy and the Environmental services business plan. Officers advised that Unison had been informed of the proposed JVC and felt this was a positive way forward.

 

The board was assured by officers there would be no reduction in frontline services in entering into a JVC.

 

The board held a discussion over staffing issues related to location and costs and was advised that the details of the JVC would be outlined during the due-diligence process and it was confirmed that each party would bear their own costs for their due –diligence processes.

 

RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that:

 

(1)  The Scrutiny Board endorsed the Recommendations to Cabinet as set out in 3.1 – 3.3 in the report.