Decision details

To present the Business Case for a Shared Service.

The Committee received a report that set out a case for a shared ICT service between Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove District Councils. It was proposed to host the shared service at Bromsgrove.

Officers explained that a key driver was an attempt to underpin the systems across both Councils by maximising the use of available resources. A skeleton staff would still be present  at the Redditch site following the proposed merger.

Officers undertook to provide a response to a question from Councillor Anderson regarding the installation of fibre-optic cabling and whether this was still planned under the shared service.

It was noted that further work was to be carried out through the Shared Services Board into the savings that could be achieved through the sharing of this service through software licences, re-use of office space, etc.

(During the consideration of this item, Members discussed matters that necessitated the disclosure of exempt information. It was therefore agreed to move to exclude the press and public prior to any debate on the grounds that information would be revealed relating to an individual or which was likely to reveal the identity of an individual, the business affairs of the authority and contemplated consultations or negotiations in connection with labour relations matters between the authority and employees of the authority, disclosure of which was not considered to be in the public’s best interests.