Agenda item

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.